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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1995 Week 11 Hansard (12 December) . . Page.. 2933 ..

Mr Moore: I think that misrepresents the way he presented it.

MS TUCKER: It is how it sounded, though, Mr Moore. It is time that some of the bureaucrats that this Government employs had a lesson in democratic, open and consultative government. The suggestion that contracts would be less prescriptive if they were open to public scrutiny, thereby reducing the possibility of a meaningful analysis or critique, is extremely worrying. The contents of these contracts are critical to how this Government intends to manage the ACT.

Mr Kaine suggested that contracts are not meant to be open. Some people might suggest contracts are not appropriate for the public service; but, if we are going to have them, we have to look at them with a fresh view. If they are going to be used in the area of the public service we must be prepared to be more flexible when we decide whether or not such documents are public. I will not go on any more because it is nearly 6 o'clock. I say thanks to members who are supporting this amendment, because I think it is extremely significant.

MRS CARNELL (Chief Minister) (5.59): Very briefly, I understand that the Assembly will pass this amendment. The Government, the chief executive of the Chief Minister's Department and all the other chief executives and SES officers will do everything in our power to make sure that this works. We believe that this is a very important piece of legislation. I would like to thank Mr Osborne and Mr Moore for their support for the core of the legislation.

MR MOORE (5.59): Mr Speaker, I think it is worth clarifying a point. I think that the way Ms Tucker put a spin on what was said really takes out of context the way Mr Walker spoke to me. Mr Walker made it quite clear to me that it was not his intention to try to do that, but he was taking a long-term view and said that there is a possibility that public servants will attempt to get around it in that way. I think it is fair to say that the way I presented it when I was putting my arguments may well have led to a misunderstanding and I think it is important that that be clarified. It was quite clear that it was not Mr Walker's intention to try to misuse this. I apologise if I have given that impression.

Amendment agreed to.

Clause, as amended, agreed to.

Clause 9 agreed to.

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