Page 813 - Week 03 - Thursday, 25 March 1993
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Madam Speaker, I would like to comment on the Channel 10 coverage of the flag issue, which I thought was quite regrettable. They did set out to ridicule the whole process. I think that that was largely a product of their having a number of new staff who thought that they could make a few quick hits at the expense of the Assembly, and that is understandable. I do not think it worked at all well. Nor do I know how many people took part in Channel 10's phone poll. We have not been privy to that information. I think it was more of a story than a real consultation process.
Madam Speaker, I do thank members for their support. As I say, I will, on the passage of this motion, immediately start the process of acquiring flags. I would like to see them flown wherever it is appropriate for the Territory flag to be flown. I would like to see them being allocated to schools, representative sporting bodies and so on. I would be very pleased for the Assembly to endorse that process getting under way.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Sitting suspended from 12.01 to 2.30 pm
QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
Government Service - Appointment
MR KAINE: Madam Speaker, I would like to direct a question to the Chief Minister. On 12 March this year a man was reported in the Australian and Canberra Times newspapers as declaring that he had been appointed to a job in the ACT Government Service without interview and without experience or qualification, after having performed a service. That raises, at least, very serious questions about the means by which people get appointed to the ACT Government Service. It must raise questions about all kinds of people in the ACT public service and accessibility to jobs. When do you intend to conduct an inquiry to determine whether these statements are true or untrue?
MS FOLLETT: I thank Mr Kaine for the question, Madam Speaker. Mr Kaine first raised this matter with me on 12 March, when he wrote to me, presumably after having seen the media reports of this matter. I responded to Mr Kaine on the same day. I have told Mr Kaine that I share his concerns about this kind of allegation. Nevertheless, Madam Speaker, I must say that to investigate an allegation by an unnamed person against an unnamed person or persons is an extremely difficult matter. If I do have any substantiation of the matters Mr Kaine has raised, then, of course, I will investigate those matters.
But I would like to say that the incident surrounded not an ACT government, or even ACT opposition, document, but a Federal opposition document, and the handling of that document. I think it is reasonable for me to ask whether the Federal Opposition has made inquiries into this matter and, if so, whether the outcome of their inquiries will be available to Mr Kaine, or indeed to me, in order to pursue the matter. From what I have seen of the media reports, the issue comes down to whether or how a person was given a contract of employment in the ACT. To find out about that sort of matter without having the person's name is wellnigh impossible. So, I really do need a bit more to go on. If I get anything more to go on, then it will be investigated.
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