Page 3542 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 12 October 1994
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
That was on 9 May. Can the Minister explain to the house - given that it is Mr Reeks's fault that he has not received this licence and that all the time between May and August he had absolutely no contact with the Minister, the Minister's department or the Credit Tribunal concerning the application - why it is that that period of three months is Mr Reeks's fault? Can the Minister also explain why - when Mr Reeks was contacted finally in August, and on 18 August he supplied further information, which, to the best of his knowledge, was the complete information required to complete his application - on 12 October, almost two months later, he has still heard nothing about his application for a credit providers licence? Will the Minister concede that it is remotely possible that there has been some incompetence in his department's handling of this matter?
MR CONNOLLY: Once again, attack the public servants. Again, I am not going to come in here and table private files relating to an individual's private business dealings. To give the other side of the story would involve breaching a whole lot of those sorts of confidentialities. I would have to say that the process here is something of an arm's length one. We have created a tribunal that makes the decision; the tribunal acts on it; there is a process through the department of assessing the information and making certain recommendations. I need to keep well clear of that, and it needs to be abundantly clear that I do not peruse the individual portfolios of those files and say, "I recommend that you approve or not approve this application". That is an arm's length process that goes before a tribunal.
When I inquired of a very senior officer in the Magistrates Court, who serves as the registrar for this process, the advice that I was given was, in effect, what I gave earlier: It has been a process of not getting the right information; wrong information being given; a whole lot of concerns about getting these matters sorted out; and it is in no way the normal process for these matters. This matter will proceed in the ordinary process. Mr Reeks will get neither more rapid nor more slow, neither more favourable nor less favourable, treatment, because of the various claims and assertions that are being made in the public domain. I go back to my original position on the advice that I received from the senior officer of the Magistrates Court. The problems here have essentially come about as a result of incorrect information being given, or information that should have been given not being given; and the necessary checking that goes on of a very serious application.
Canberra Capitals
MRS GRASSBY: My question is to the Deputy Chief Minister in his capacity as Minister for Sport. Is the Minister aware of the reports that the Canberra Cannons have withdrawn support for the Canberra Capitals team in the Women's National Basketball League?
MR LAMONT: I thank the member for her question. Yes, my attention was drawn to the Cannons' owner's decision, reported in today's Canberra Times, to drop sponsorship and support of the Canberra Capitals. I must say that I find it surprising in the extreme that this has occurred, particularly when women's sport is enjoying increased
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .