Page 529 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 20 March 1990
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adviser he chooses, and that may appropriately be the Executive Deputy who has a special knowledge of the area in question. If, on the other hand, a Minister, for good reasons, is unable to attend a ministerial council meeting, he may well decide that it is more appropriate to send a learned and qualified Executive Deputy than a public servant to represent him. I do not think there is any inconsistency whatsoever.
MR WOOD: I wish to ask a supplementary question. I well remember your comments and an interjection in reply to which you said that it would be one or the other - that is, an Executive Deputy or a Minister, or even a departmental adviser - but not both. Are you aware that Mr Duby has written to the Western Australian Minister for Transport and Environment advising him that on 23 March 1990 at the meeting of the Australian Transport Advisory Council in Perth the ACT will be represented by him as a Minister, Robyn Nolan as Executive Deputy and two departmental advisers? Can you confirm that this level of representation is contrary to both the guidelines and your statement of 20 February?
MR KAINE: I think Mr Wood asked in the preamble to his question whether I was aware that Mr Duby had written such a letter. The answer is no; until this moment I was not aware of any such letter. But let us be clear that Mr Duby is an Executive member of the Government and that if he feels that it is necessary on this occasion to take that level of representation it is his determination. Although I have set out some guidelines - and that is what they are - as to the role of Executive Deputies and senior public servants, a Minister of this Government is an Executive member, and I expect him to use his discretion. I presume that Mr Duby has very good reasons for taking the representation that he intends to take, although he has not informed me about that.
MR WOOD: A further supplementary, Mr Speaker - - -
MR SPEAKER: Order!
MR WOOD: Am I to understand then that the guidelines are inoperative?
MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Wood, please do not talk over me. I do not believe it is proper to ask a second supplementary question.
Industrial Leases
MR MOORE: My question is directed to the Chief Minister. Could he please inform the Assembly whether the ACT Administration granted a lease in an industrial area to the road building company Dowse for little or no premium, or whether a premium was ever paid for the site? If so, how
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