Page 204 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 6 March 2007
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The real value of construction work in the last year is greater than the record that was set during the construction of the new Parliament House. The year 2006 now stands as the strongest ever year of construction activity in the history of the ACT. The willingness of builders and investors to invest in the ACT is proof of their confidence in the strength of the economy and of this government.
The figures released only today show that in January this year the level of building approvals in trend terms was 35 per cent higher than at the same time last year. Whilst those opposite continue to talk down this economy and this business community, the strength of the ACT economy puts the lie to their continued slurs on Canberra and on the business community within the territory.
I ask that further questions be placed on the notice paper.
Personal explanations
MR PRATT (Brindabella): Mr Speaker, under standing order 46, I wish to make a clarification.
MR SPEAKER: Have you been misrepresented, Mr Pratt?
MR PRATT: No.
MR SPEAKER: If you have not been misrepresented—
MR PRATT: I just want to make a point of clarification.
Mr Corbell: You cannot make a statement unless you have been misrepresented.
MR PRATT: I suppose I am indeed stating that Mr Corbell has made a misleading statement in response to my question without notice.
MR SPEAKER: Let us clarify this. To get my leave to speak under standing order 46 it has got to be a matter of a personal nature, which usually means that you have been misrepresented in some way.
MR PRATT: You are absolutely correct, Mr Speaker. That was a minor lapse on my part. Mr Speaker, in the debate that Mr Corbell and I had over the question without notice, the minister said that I had stated that he commanded the emergency service units. I did no such thing, nor think such a thing, and I wish to explain.
The term “chain of command” is regularly used in the emergency services portfolio to describe the line of reporting between subordinates, directors and the minister. In terms of the minister’s oversight responsibility, we are simply describing the line of the reporting between him and those subordinates. That is the clarification. Thank you, Mr Speaker.
MR STANHOPE (Ginninderra—Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Business and Economic Development, Minister for Indigenous Affairs and Minister for the
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