Page 2539 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 23 August 1994
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Madam Speaker, the issue is not just a debating point. The Government explained to the Assembly last year that we would raise $1m in revenue by this measure. In fact, I understand that Territory revenue from diesel fuel franchise fees has fallen short by $700,000. If you people across the way are not concerned about that, I sure as hell am, and so are my colleagues. I think those on the cross benches in this place are also, and they deserve an answer to that question. I also would like to know when the Chief Minister became aware of this shortfall in revenue. I find it hard to imagine that she would have been unaware that revenue was disappearing at an annual rate of $700,000 at least halfway through the year.
Mr Cornwell: She is not even in the chamber to listen to you, Mr Humphries.
MR HUMPHRIES: She is over there actually, on the benches over there. I would have thought that she would have been able to indicate to the Assembly some time ago that there was a problem with the collection of revenue from the diesel fuel franchise fees. Apparently the good management of this Government does not make that kind of thing possible. I understand, Madam Speaker, that in fact there is extensive purchasing of diesel fuel going on across the Territory border, and that it has been going on for quite some time. I have been told by people involved in major ACT industry groups that it is a widespread practice to buy fuel in New South Wales.
Mr Berry: Come on! Names and places; names and times.
MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Berry challenges me to name people and places. Let me put this on another basis, Madam Speaker. I ask the Chief Minister to rise in this place and tell me for certain that she knows that it is not happening, because Mr Faichney told us last year that he knew that it would not be happening and he would know if people crossed the border. He told us that. He said, "I will know if people cross the border". In that case, let the Chief Minister tell this place whether she knows that cross-border trade is taking place. I predict that she will not, because she knows that it is taking place. Madam Speaker, I think that this report, on that score alone, is a damning report of this Government, a government which sits on its hands while a problem as serious as this takes place, and I think the Assembly is absolutely entitled to take this matter extremely seriously indeed.
MR MOORE (8.33): It is normal, Mr Lamont, for members of the committee to speak to a committee report.
Mr Lamont: I do apologise, Mr Moore. I thought you were saving your comments for the Government response.
MR MOORE: Not at all. Madam Speaker, it is with pleasure that I rise to speak on this committee report. My colleague Ms Szuty said that it is intended to be a constructive report, and the Liberals say that it is a report that is damning of the Government. The two are not mutually exclusive. It can be a constructive report and it can also be damning of the Government. The parts that I find most damning of the Government are those pointing out where previous estimates committees have put in the kind of work that
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