Page 523 - Week 02 - Thursday, 25 February 1993
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Mr Cornwell: I raise a point of order, Madam Speaker. Is it allowable for the person who asked the question to leave the room while he is still giving the answer?
MADAM SPEAKER: I am afraid that there is no standing order that refers to that, Mr Cornwell. Proceed, Mr Berry.
MR BERRY: I will not be surprised if you do a repeat performance and the lot of you swan out.
Mr Humphries: The way you are going, it is a very tempting proposition.
MR BERRY: It is much better to speak to empty chairs over there than it is to speak to the full ones. This issue is of such concern that I intend to raise it with the racing Ministers at our meeting next week because it is of - - -
Mr Humphries: I am sure that Senator Baume, the new Minister, will hear you sympathetically.
MR BERRY: Senator Baume is not a racing Minister. The Commonwealth does not manage any racing facilities. You did not notice that? I will be raising this with the racing Ministers next week. This is an issue of concern for all Australians, those who are interested in having a punt. It is most important that we preserve those jobs which already exist in the racing industry and the return that it gives to the community as a whole. We will see a fall-off in prize money, a fall-off in the racing industry generally. In the ACT, we will also see the effects of that through the return we get from the TAB. So this is very serious; these people can laugh about it. Dr Hewson and the Liberals intend to damage the racing industry mortally.
ACTTAB
MR DE DOMENICO: Madam Speaker, seeing that the Chief Minister and Mr Berry are so interested in the wonderful racing industry, especially the one in the ACT, my question without notice is to the Chief Minister in her capacities as Treasurer and as one of the two board directors of ACTTAB. The Chief Minister would or should know of a letter received by her then Acting Under Treasurer, Mr Mike Woods, on 30 September 1992, which flies in the face of the legislative intentions announced by her Deputy Chief Minister and fellow director, Mr Berry. Noting that the other States and international TABs are, or are being, modelled along the same lines as ACTTAB, will she protect the interests of the Canberra taxpayer by accepting professional financial advice over left-wing political ideology?
MS FOLLETT: Madam Speaker, if I understood Mr De Domenico's question correctly, he was asking me about a letter that was not actually to me but was to one of my officers. I think I am right in saying that I have not seen such a letter, but in the management of the TAB - as with all other matters - this Government will pursue what is in the best interests of this Territory. In the case of the TAB, it is our view that we need to ensure that that body is accountable to the people of the Territory.
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