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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 10 Hansard (3 September) . . Page.. 2949 ..

Mr De Domenico: Who in particular did it? Was it Terry Connolly?

MRS CARNELL: Terry Connolly, but it was supported by all those opposite. If there was no demand, it is very hard to understand why those opposite would have done that. The fact is that that decision has been proven to be a right decision. It shows categorically that there is demand. It has been very successful. Quite simply, Labor's health spokesman has got it wrong again. Lately he has been wrong more times than a broken watch. I suppose that is being a bit nasty to broken watches, because at least they are right twice a day.

MR KAINE: I ask a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. As is often the case when Mr Berry has been flagellated, his agonised cries drowned out some of the answer and I did not quite hear all of it, so I would like the Chief Minister to tell me again just what level of interest there has been in private hospitals in the ACT.

MRS CARNELL: Thank you very much, Mr Kaine. I apologise for not getting to that point or not getting enough time because those opposite were interjecting. Mr Berry has been telling everybody who would care to listen that there is absolutely no commercial interest in private hospital beds in the ACT. Curiously, that is not my advice. That is very interesting. In fact, Mr Berry, there have been 72 requests for documentation - - -

Mr De Domenico: Is that more than none?

MRS CARNELL: That is more than none. There have been 72 requests in three weeks for full documentation - not none, but 72 separate requests for full documentation in just three weeks. So much for no interest!

MR MOORE: Mr Speaker, one wonders whether those 72 requests might have come from the same person. No doubt that will be the subject of another question and answer. Mr Speaker, my question is to Mr Humphries as Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning. So that I would not have to identify any individuals, I gave him brief notice of this question. I was briefed by your department on 2 August 1996 with reference to problems associated with renovations of a house in Campbell. During that briefing I was told that the department received a verbal legal opinion suggesting that the owners of the house had a case for compensation through Home Owners Warranty Ltd, a body associated with the HIA, the Housing Industry Association. In spite of my telephoning the departmental officer on several occasions, I still have not received a copy of that written opinion. Now that a month has gone past, can the Minister indicate when we are likely to see this opinion?

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