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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 11 Hansard (6 November) . . Page.. 3746 ..

MR KAINE (continuing):

discussed in full. Yet Mr Berry still seems to think that there is something that he does not understand. If there is something that he still does not understand, all he has to do is ask for a briefing, and it will be provided to him. But he has not done so. These Bills have been on the table for some time. His interest has been sparked only in the last three days, when suddenly he was confronted with the necessity to debate them - when, presumably, he suddenly realised that he did not know what they were about; he was working from a position of total ignorance, because he had not bothered to inform himself. Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, I do not accept responsibility for Mr Berry's ignorance. He has had plenty of opportunity to inform himself and he has had plenty of opportunity to obtain briefings and information from the Government, had he sought them.

Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, when I tabled this Bill, I went to some lengths to explain what its purpose was, what we were achieving and how it fitted into the national scheme. I do not think that I need to reiterate that. It was all there in the tabling statement. It would have explained many of the questions that I think Mr Berry has had in his mind, had he chosen to read it or had he even chosen to listen to it when I tabled the Bill in the first place. Obviously, he was off with other more interesting things in mind at the time and did not bother listening. That seems to be part of his program of failure to inform himself on matters of not only national interest but significant interest to the Australian Capital Territory.

Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, this is important legislation. It places the Australian Capital Territory in the national scheme. Without it, we are outside the national scheme. I submit that an analysis of the consequences of that would mean that the Territory would be in a rather invidious position. If the Bill is not passed, we will find out what that means. We will find out that it works considerably to our disadvantage. In fact, how we would guarantee a continuing supply of electrical energy to people living in Canberra at a reasonable price without our being part of a national scheme is beyond me. I do not know that we could guarantee it at all.

So, there is no way that this legislation can be set aside; there is no way that it can be deferred; there is no way that it can be delayed in the interests of this community. I reiterate: It was the responsibility of members of this place to inform themselves and to seek advice and assistance if they did not understand it. Seemingly, some people failed to do that. I wonder what they think their job in this place is. Is it to sit here and gaze at the ceiling while matters as important as this go by them and at the end of the debate they still do not know what it is all about? Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, frankly, I am appalled. I urge members to support this Bill to put us in the national scheme, rather than seeing us outside it, which would be an intolerable position.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill agreed to in principle.

Leave granted to dispense with the detail stage.

Bill agreed to.

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