Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 12 Hansard (21 November) . . Page.. 4004 ..

MR BERRY (continuing):

Furthermore, let us look at the situation in relation to the training levy. We agree that the training levy would be better coming from another source, but what you want us to do is take you on trust. You are kidding yourselves. You are asking us to trust you that you will come up with another training fund source before we pass this Bill. If this Government expects us to support a change in the arrangements, to rule out this training fund because they have made a promise that they are going to deliver funds from another source, they are kidding themselves. If you want us to agree to a change in the arrangements for a source of training fund money, you had better show us the colour of your money. We have not seen it yet; you have kept that part of it quiet. You said, "Take us on trust". Who would? The rest of the community did. They took Mrs Carnell on trust, and $22m has gone down the gurgler in health.

MR SPEAKER: Relevance, Mr Berry.

MR BERRY: We have this situation where the Government asks us to take them on trust. No, thank you. Show us the colour of your money and then we will consider it. We agree in principle; the funding can come from another source, but we want to see it. We want to have it in our hands.

Mr De Domenico: And will you support it when the legislation comes in?

MR BERRY: When we have it in our hands.

Mr De Domenico: Will you support it?

MR BERRY: We will have a look at it, and we are supportive of the principle.

Mr De Domenico: What about the legislation when it comes in? Will you support it?

MR BERRY: Here we are. He is saying we should support legislation we have not seen - "Take us on trust again". No, we will not be taking you on trust, and we do not trust your judgment on this issue, either.

MRS CARNELL (Chief Minister) (4.54): Mr Speaker, I seek leave to speak again.

Leave granted.

MRS CARNELL: Very briefly, Mr Osborne asked me to clarify the comments I made with regard to meetings I had had. I have here a brief of a meeting in my office on 11 September at 2.30 with the construction industry training people. At that meeting we discussed at length the training levy. My brief tells me that Trevor Zeltner was there, but I am not confident that George Wason did not come in his place to that particular meeting. I might have been incorrect in suggesting Trevor Zeltner was there, although the brief says he was.

Mr Berry: That would not bother you. Accuracy has never bothered you before.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .