Page 1333 - Week 04 - Thursday, 10 April 2008

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The Assembly voted—

Ayes 10

Noes 7

Mr Barr

Mr Hargreaves

Mrs Burke

Mr Smyth

Mr Berry

Ms MacDonald

Mrs Dunne

Mr Stefaniak

Mr Corbell

Mr Mulcahy

Dr Foskey

Ms Gallagher

Ms Porter

Mr Pratt

Mr Gentleman

Mr Stanhope

Mr Seselja

Question so resolved in the affirmative, with the concurrence of an absolute majority.

Question Time—imputation of improper motive

MR SPEAKER: Earlier on, I said that I would look at the Hansard in respect of a point of order that was raised by Mrs Dunne on a matter which was raised in question time. On reviewing the Hansard, as I said I would, I see that Mr Hargreaves said about Mr Pratt that “He is known to fabricate things.” I think that is an imputation of an improper motive, and I would ask Mr Hargreaves to withdraw it.

Mr Hargreaves: I withdraw it happily, Mr Speaker.

Water Resources (Validation of Fees) Bill 2008

Debate resumed from 8 April 2008, on motion by Mr Corbell:

That this bill be agreed to in principle.

MRS DUNNE (Ginninderra) (5.20): The opposition will be supporting this measure that gets the Stanhope government out of another fine mess they have got themselves into. This is one of a range of amendments that we have seen over the last few years where some minister has got it wrong.

There was the shame-faced backdown by the Minister for Territory and Municipal Services over the, “Oh, we got the outside eating area charges wrong”, and there have been a number of occasions when we have had to come in here and rectify where there have been gaps in regulations and disallowable instruments of various kinds and fee determinations. This is the final one in a long line of mess-ups that we get from the Stanhope government. In addition to not being able to run the business of the house in an appropriate way, they actually cannot run the business of government. It really goes to the heart of what we pay these people for. What do we pay the Chief Minister and Minister for the Environment, Water and Climate Change for when he cannot get the determinations right?

We have gone for a whole month, at some stage, and put in jeopardy $1.7 million in revenue because the Chief Minister and his advisers messed up the fee determinations. Then we have to come in here to fix it up. I want to put this on the record. In the discussion just concluded, the manger of government business said it was made clear

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