Page 742 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 1 May 2007
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lips. Over the past 10 years, in my present position and previously, I have been to functions at which I have seen, I am sure, every member this place enjoying official hospitality, in the majority of cases involving alcohol.
This is the humbug and the hypocrisy of this confected campaign to create a scandal where one does not exist. I feel absolutely certain that the case just raised by the member in this question, which is designed to cast suspicion on the purchase of alcohol by a chief executive, was a purchase absolutely and entirely consistent with our entertainment and hospitality guidelines. Indeed, it is quite likely that the member asking the question actually benefited from the purchase at an official ACT government function.
I do hope he enjoyed that glass of wine that was purchased by an ACT credit card as part of the expression of hospitality at an ACT government function. This is something that all public services do. All territory-owned corporations do it. All corporations do it. This place does it. I regularly provide funds for the purchase of alcohol for functions in this place. I do it probably on a monthly basis. I have to say it is quite likely that the alcohol is purchased with a credit card.
MR PRATT: I have a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. Chief Minister, by close of business Thursday do you think you might be able to provide the details of employee E’s $491.98, first purchase, and $405.82, second purchase—what was purchased, for what purpose and when it was consumed? Do you think you might be able to do that by the close of business Thursday, Chief Minister?
MR STANHOPE: I am more than happy to seek the details of each of these expenditures and I will provide that information to the Assembly, but I will do it, of course, at a time that is convenient and reasonable.
Mr Pratt: So you can’t do it within 36 hours? Forty-eight hours? Fifty-five hours?
MR STANHOPE: I will determine my priorities and the priorities of my officials—
Mr Pratt: It’s going to take you two days to cover it up, is it, Chief Minister?
MR STANHOPE: but I will certainly respond to the question and provide the information.
Mr Hargreaves: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Mr Pratt has suggested that the Chief Minister would take some time to cover up. I ask you to ask him to withdraw that.
Mr Pratt: On the point of order, Mr Speaker: I asked a question. I didn’t state that he would be covering up. I asked him: did he need 55 hours to perhaps cover up such a matter?
MR HARGREAVES: Mr Speaker, that was clearly heard. For the record it will be on the tape for Hansard. I ask you to ask him to withdraw it.
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