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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 7 Hansard (19 June) . . Page.. 1899 ..

MR WHITECROSS (continuing):

I therefore assume, Mr Speaker, that the information reported in the documents is essentially accurate in all key respects. Mr Speaker, the big issues include some very imaginative ideas. Among them is bombing the buildings on Acton Peninsula and educating the public not to bother Ministers with their problems. Chief Minister, why was this meeting not held in government premises which would involve the least cost to the Canberra taxpayers? If this was not an option, why did you not make use of one of the numerous hotels, motels and reception centres in the ACT? Why, instead, did you take business to New South Wales?

MRS CARNELL: This is an amazing question, Mr Speaker. I was absolutely confident, as the question progressed, that I would be asked about one of the very innovative ideas, and I thank Mr Whitecross for that because there were some very innovative ideas. There were some fairly outlandish ideas, too, I might say. I think it is really important for everybody to know the basis for the meeting. We took Ministers plus our senior public servants away for a weekend to get them away from the office and for us to put on paper the sorts of things they saw for their particular area, the sorts of things they wanted to achieve, and we put on the table the sorts of things we wanted to achieve over the next 21/2 years, at that stage. We attempted to bring those together in a way that would achieve a consistent strategy between our public sector and the Government. We perceived that to be a very sensible idea and I think it has paid dividends a million times.

As for holding it at Eagle Hawk, Mr Speaker, contrary to those opposite, we actually view Canberra as a region. We think it is very important to encourage businesses generally in the region. I think Mr Whitecross might find that a very large percentage of the people employed at that establishment live in Canberra.

MR WHITECROSS: I have a supplementary question. Can Mrs Carnell inform the Assembly of what the total cost of the meeting to the ACT taxpayers was?

Mr De Domenico: Surprise, surprise!

MR SPEAKER: Order!

MR WHITECROSS: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Will you table, in detail, an itemised account of the expenditure, including travel allowances and room hire, et cetera?

MRS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, my view is that we all paid for ourselves, but I will check that that was the case.

Mr De Domenico: No; hold on. He owes me a beer.

MRS CARNELL: Oh, that is right. I will check that that is the case within the public sector, but certainly - - -

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