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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 5 Hansard (14 May) . . Page.. 1394 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

He should know about this document because it was actually commissioned by the former Follett Labor Government. It is this document which is the basis of the Government's decision to introduce fees to Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. We thought it was worth exploring. You obviously did, too; otherwise, you would not have commissioned this report.

Mr Whitecross: We did not do it, though.

MR HUMPHRIES: You did. You commissioned this report. In fact, the capital cost of establishing the facilities at the entrance to Tidbinbilla which are necessary to collect the entry fees is a sum of $40,000, which has been carried over and was first determined by Mr Wood as Minister for the Environment in the former Government. We have not borrowed any money for that purpose. It was actually carried over from Mr Wood's time in office. If you want the answers to those questions, look at your own document to find out.

MR CORBELL: The Minister has not answered my question. We wanted to know how he knows the level of appreciation of visitors will improve if they are asked to pay for the privilege, but I ask the Minister another question and hopefully he can answer both. Why did you not include this new tax - and it is a tax or a charge - in the budget that was recently brought down by Mrs Carnell? Is it not the case that you, who are obviously the brains trust of the Liberal Party - Mr Trading Hours, we might say - just cooked up this scheme of bearing bad news on days when you hope the media will not pick it up, that is, several hours before the Federal budget, and how does this strategy fit in with the open and consultative approach to government that you promised at the last election?

MR SPEAKER: Please yourself how much of that you answer, Mr Minister.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I would like to throw back some barb about the brains trust on that side of the chamber; but I am not sure whom I would direct the comment to, so I do not think I can make that comment. This is not either a tax or a charge in the sense referred to by Mrs Carnell. It is an entrance fee. I also explained yesterday - - -

Mr Whitecross: It is not a charge?

MR HUMPHRIES: It is an entrance fee.

Mr Whitecross: Oh, it is a fee. That clears it up!

MR SPEAKER: Order! Settle down, or some people will not be entering; they will be exiting.

MR HUMPHRIES: The reason that it was not part of the budget was very clearly explained to Mr Corbell yesterday. I do not know whether he was listening or not. It is in your hands, Mr Corbell. Do not run the campaign out in the media about how much you are opposed to this fee. Vote against it in here. Do something about it in here, Mr Corbell. Do not pretend and say, "My hands are tied. We have this terrible Government which has this budget with these fees we cannot get rid of. Help, help!

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