Page 4002 - Week 14 - Tuesday, 22 October 1991

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But members who saw the Four Corners program would be aware of the allegation that political information has been obtained from voters who have been misled about its intended use. I can certainly assure the Assembly that there has been no invasion of ACT voters' privacy by the Labor Party and that we have certainly not surreptitiously obtained personal information on voters.

Mr Kaine: Not by asking questions with their rates notices?

MS FOLLETT: Mr Kaine has referred to the rates notices. I presume that he refers to the questionnaire that went out with that. That was an anonymous questionnaire, Mr Kaine - through you, Mr Speaker.

In keeping with our approach to open and consultative government, my party believes that it is appropriate to use the latest technology to communicate with the community, whether that is to inform them of our activities and policies or to seek their input and their views. But I state again that we have not made, nor would we make, use of any surreptitious methods to obtain personal information on voters.

MR STEVENSON: I ask a supplementary question. I am not quite sure what the word "surreptitious" related to. The question was specifically: Were there any concerns of constituents which had been gathered and which were linked to names and addresses on computer? Had any of those concerns been used in promotional activities?

MS FOLLETT: Not that I am aware of, Mr Speaker. As I explained, the computer program that we have is taken from the ACT electoral roll, and it is taken quite specifically under the provisions of the ACT Electoral Act.

Ambulance Service - Emergency Calls

MRS GRASSBY: My question is to the Minister for Health. Will he inform the Assembly of the new arrangements for the recording of emergency calls to the ACT Ambulance Service?

MR BERRY: This is a very important issue that has been highlighted in the media in recent times. It arises from the failure of the former Government to provide adequate resources to the ACT Ambulance Service, which went through a torrid time with the Alliance Government. On tens of occasions the ACT Ambulance Service could not provide the agreed number of ambulances - that is, four.

Mr Kaine: Tens of occasions?


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