Page 2946 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 6 August 2008
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we had not made a decision to build it. Mr Smyth, in response to your direct question as to why there is a nought, a nought, a nought and a nought here, it is because the GDE was not a budget project. It does not appear. We do not retrospectively amend the budget papers when we make decisions after the budget has been passed. We do not go along and write little numbers in the budget papers for the budget that has just been passed. This advice, Mr Smyth, will be of enormous use to you in your continuing role as shadow Treasurer.
MR SPEAKER: Order! This is not about Mr Smyth. Mr Stefaniak asked the question.
MR STANHOPE: It is; it is all about Mr Smyth. In fact, the whole election is really all about Mr Smyth.
Mrs Dunne: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: the Chief Minister is being entirely disorderly. You tried to bring him to book and he just said, “No, that’s not the case.” It is an entirely disorderly comment and he should be brought to book.
MR SPEAKER: The Chief Minister may respond to Mr Stefaniak’s question. If he does not wish to, he can resume his seat.
MR STANHOPE: It would be far more entertaining just to dwell on Mr Smyth for a little longer—
MR SPEAKER: Not for me, though.
MR STANHOPE: and elucidate. Mr Mulcahy in his address this morning went to the extent to which Mr Smyth has dragged the Tuggeranong vote into the negative.
MR SPEAKER: Chief Minister, resume your seat, please.
MR STANHOPE: Thank you, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Supplementary question, Mr Stefaniak?
MR STEFANIAK: I do have a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. We will see how we go. Chief Minister, when did Roads ACT officials learn about proposals to draw forward works between Belconnen Way to the Barton Highway to commence before the year 2014? Did they learn of your change of plans at 5.45 pm on 23 July in a media release?
MR STANHOPE: I must say, Mr Speaker, in response to that that there is perhaps just some little misapprehension here about how government works. I don’t run around seeking the approval of officials in relation to decisions that I take, Mr Stefaniak. I am sure when you were a minister, if you can remember back that far—no, no; I take that back. Actually, it is quite likely that Mr Stefaniak really did need someone holding his hand in relation to every decision he ever made.
Mr Stefaniak, perhaps one thing that distinguishes you in government from us in government is that we actually do have the capacity to make decisions. We can make
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