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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 1 Hansard (20 February) . . Page.. 33 ..

Ms Follett: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. The bonehead who asked the question has in fact been engaged in private conversation ever since the Chief Minister started answering it.

MR SPEAKER: I suggest that members who ask questions might listen to the answers.

MRS CARNELL: Certainly, Mr Speaker. I can understand why Ms Follett wanted to interrupt. It was Ms Follett's claim that we could never get a stock exchange presence in Canberra. Who could forget Ms Follett's performance last year when she claimed that the ACT should have gone it alone six months after we came to government and cut stamp duty on marketable securities by half? The only time in her four years of government that Ms Follett attempted to get a competitive edge over another Australian government - - -

Mr Moore: On a point of order, Mr Speaker: This answer, it seems to me, and the question offend two standing orders - 117(c)(ii), as to announcing Executive policy, and standing order 118(a), that answers shall be concise. Whilst the answer may be a lot of things, it is certainly not concise.

Mr De Domenico: On that point of order, Mr Speaker: Mrs Carnell has already announced what she is saying now, so it does not contravene that first standing order. Secondly, if Mrs Carnell was allowed to answer the question without being interrupted by everybody else, I am sure her answer would be more concise than it has been so far.

MR SPEAKER: Order! I do not uphold the first point of order. I most certainly uphold Mr De Domenico's statement, however, that if the Chief Minister was allowed to answer the question without interjections from both sides of the house we would be better off.

MRS CARNELL: Thank you very much. Mr Speaker, it seems that the only time the previous Government, under Ms Follett, ever entered into trying to achieve a competitive edge over other Australian governments was when she got into bed with VITAB and woke up some $3.3m worse off.

MR MOORE: My question is directed to Mr Stefaniak, as Minister for Education and Training. When Charnwood High School was closed last year the Minister made certain promises, particularly in answer to my question on 26 October, about ensuring that Ginninderra High School was made ready for wheelchair access. Can the Minister confirm now that wheelchair access will not be available until the end of term two?

MR STEFANIAK: In answer to the member's question, I will find out some information as to exactly when the wheelchair access will be available and I will get back to the member in relation to that. Work has certainly been going on for some time in relation to making Ginninderra District High School ready. It is now open, the students are there, and I am pleased to say that the school is going very well.

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