Page 5234 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 18 November 2009
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MR SMYTH (Brindabella) (5.01): I just want to make a few comments. First and foremost, I would like to thank PCO for their drafting. As always, it is efficient and effective. I would also like to thank them for the amendments that they have helped me prepare. I would thank the Greens for their support in this. The Treasurer attempted to make the case that, because we put some sporting venues into one organisation, therefore, all the venues should be in that organisation. I think Mr Rattenbury made a comment in his speech that EPIC is different. EPIC is vastly different to either Manuka oval or Bruce stadium. It serves different markets; it serves a variety of markets, and I think it is quite appropriate to leave it exactly where it is.
I think there is a little bit of rewriting of the voting in this place going on. When the in-principle stage was called, there was not a single voice that said no. It went through with the unanimous assent of the Assembly.
Mr Barr: Yes, there was. I said no.
Mr Seselja: No, you didn’t.
Mr Barr: Yes, I did.
MR SMYTH: I am quite happy to go and listen to the tape. If somebody can prove me wrong, that is fine, but I think we heard deafening silence. There was “yes” and nothing else. So it certainly did seem to go through with unanimous support in the in-principle stage.
That said, it is interesting that Mr Barr would flag that he is going to continue. As I said during debate on the amendment when I changed the word “or” to “and” in the Treasurer’s fourth amendment, I would see this being used only in exceptional circumstances—for instance, the winding up of a board. Mr Barr spoke earlier of wasting time. It may appear that this issue is not over; it may appear that the minister has not learned. It is unfortunate that he has not listened to what has been said here today.
That said, I thank the Assembly for their support. I wish EPIC well. I would acknowledge the good work done by the current board but, by the same token, that was work that was attempted to be done by the previous board and was stymied by the cabinet, and therein lies the problem. I commend the bill to the Assembly.
MR BARR (Molonglo—Minister for Education and Training, Minister for Planning, Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation and Minister for Gaming and Racing) (5.03): I was not going to rise again, but I cannot let those last remarks pass without some response. Let me be clear: I have full confidence in Mr Byles as chair of the board. I think he has done an outstanding job in the short time that he has had that responsibility. I think to do anything other than to seek that continuity would be a reflection on the job that Mr Byles has done already.
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