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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 14 Hansard (10 December) . . Page.. 4789 ..

Wednesday, 10 December 1997

___________________________

MR SPEAKER (Mr Cornwell) took the chair at 10.30 am and asked members to stand in silence and pray or reflect on their responsibilities to the people of the Australian Capital Territory.

AUTHORITY TO BROADCAST AND PHOTOGRAPH PROCEEDINGS
Paper

MR SPEAKER: I present, for the information of members and pursuant to subsection 8(4) of the Legislative Assembly (Broadcasting of Proceedings) Act 1997, an authorisation to broadcast given to a number of television and radio networks in relation to proceedings of the Assembly for the Leader of the Opposition's statement relating to the report of the Board of Inquiry into Contractual Arrangements between ACTTAB and VITAB. I also advise members that a photographer from the Canberra Times will be taking still photographs in the chamber. I would hope that you would agree that that should be part of the same umbrella agreement.

ACTTAB AND VITAB CONTRACTUAL ARRANGEMENTS -
BOARD OF INQUIRY REPORT
Statement by Member

MR BERRY (Leader of the Opposition): I seek leave to make a statement in relation to the Burbidge inquiry.

Leave granted.

MR BERRY: Mr Speaker, when I entered the ACT Legislative Assembly, it was to serve. I was honoured when I was elected. I embraced the trust that the people of Canberra placed in me to represent their wishes and, of course, protect their interests. I have always worked to uphold their expectations in this Assembly. I was honoured when I was made a Minister in the subsequent Labor governments. As a Minister, I embraced and accepted the responsibility that comes with being a Minister under the Westminster system. For that reason, I have always accepted responsibility for the VITAB affair, regardless of the circumstances, because I was the Minister at that time. I reiterate that three years later.

I, more than anyone else, regret that the ACT Government became involved with VITAB. Inquiries after the time have found that they were a shady group of people we all would like to have known about at the time. I was misled; I was deceived. All the advice that I received from my department, from the Government Solicitor, from the ACT Treasury

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