Page 2487 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 23 August 1994
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Madam Speaker, I have taken some time, I do acknowledge, to answer this during question time. I believed that it was important that I do so at the first available opportunity when such a question was asked. I do again thank you for your forbearance, but I do believe that it is appropriate that that matter be placed on the record. In addition, Madam Speaker, officers of the bureau are following up my request to them and contact that I have made with Mr Moore, Ms Szuty, Mr Stevenson and the Opposition spokesperson. They will be receiving a briefing in relation to that matter later on, in the next couple of weeks.
MS ELLIS: Madam Speaker, I would like to ask the Minister a supplementary question. I would like to ask - - -
Mr Kaine: Do you mean that his answer was not long enough?
MS ELLIS: It is a supplementary question. I do not believe that I need to justify myself to Mr Kaine or other members, Madam Speaker, but to you. Is the Minister aware of allegations that there were other parties to the negotiations with New South Wales in relation to the pool to pool link?
MR LAMONT: Thank you for your supplementary question, Ms Ellis. Yes, I am; and yes, there were, and they were very simple. I indicated in my answer to the previous question that Mr Downy made a particular statement, and I outlined the date that that occurred. It just so happens, Madam Speaker, that the day before that happened, and some days after the Opposition were advised that discussions were commencing with New South Wales, the Leader of the Opposition contacted Mr Downy's office. It has been admitted subsequently, in radio interviews here in the Territory, that not only did she contact Mr Downy's office but she also contacted other racing Ministers' offices. Would you believe, stretching the realms of possibility to the furthest, that when there were TAB to TAB negotiations proceeding very amicably, very reasonably, following decisions of the boards of both TABs, in New South Wales and the ACT, we would suddenly get political interference in those negotiations? I am saying something very simple, Madam Speaker. In my view, there has been politically opportunistic interference in those negotiations. I believe that the coincidence of the events that I outlined in answer to the previous question substantiates my claim to that effect.
Government Service - Appointments
MR DE DOMENICO: My question without notice is directed to the Chief Minister. Is it not true that a senior left wing union official met with you, Chief Minister, in your office recently and delivered an ultimatum on the question of who would be appointed to a senior executive position within the ACT Government Service? Will the Chief Minister confirm that she was warned that if Mr Jeff Townsend was appointed to the position of Head of Administration in the ACT Government Service the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union would not give one dollar of funding to the ACT Labor Party's 1995 election campaign?
MS FOLLETT: Madam Speaker, that is completely untrue.
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