Page 2579 - Week 07 - Thursday, 18 June 2009
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The issue with Calvary, as members understand, is that Little Company of Mary indicated a willingness to engage with us, and during that engagement they asked that the discussions be kept confidential—
Opposition members interjecting—
Ms Burch: Mr Speaker, can we have some quiet from over there?
MS GALLAGHER: —for that period of time.
MR SPEAKER: Are you raising a point of order, Ms Burch, or are you just standing there?
MS GALLAGHER: Obviously if the opposition were in government—
Mr Stanhope: On a point of order, Mr Speaker, a member actually asked for some order in the house so that she could hear the answer that was being provided. I think that was a legitimate point of order, and I think it was a point of order that should have been taken note of by you.
MR SPEAKER: Ms Burch chose not to use the forms of the house, so I was not in a position to take her point of order seriously. Ms Gallagher, you have the floor.
MS GALLAGHER: Mr Speaker, the line that the opposition have been running this week is that the government, in discussions with another provider, if asked by that organisation to keep those discussions confidential for a period of time, should ignore those requests and should say, “Well, thanks very much for asking, but, no, we’re not going to abide by your request to keep those discussions confidential.” That was what guided my decision making at the time. What you do not understand is that these discussions are in the initial phases. No decision has been taken. Absolutely no decision has been taken. I presume you are putting all these questions to Little Company of Mary as well—
Mr Smyth: You’re the minister responsible.
Mr Hanson: What about community consultation?
MS GALLAGHER: They are the party that is involved in these discussions, and they are the party that asked us to keep these discussions confidential. So, presumably, you are asking the same questions of Little Company of Mary, except that the opposition are too lazy. I think we would have heard if they had been meeting with Little Company of Mary. You have not met with Little Company of Mary since this first appeared in the paper back in April, I am sure, because you do not actually do your job. I do not know what you do when you turn up to work, but it does not appear to be delivering anything to the ACT community.
Mr Stanhope: Looking at Facebook!
MS GALLAGHER: That is right, a bit of online work.
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