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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 10 Hansard (24 November) . . Page.. 2794 ..

MS CARNELL (continuing):

So last week I came into the chamber and, during question time last Thursday, indicated that Mr Berry's figures appeared to be wrong, Mr Speaker. I urged him to check his figures and withdraw the pamphlet because he was misleading the people of Canberra about the true state of ACTEW's finances - an obviously very reasonable statement, Mr Speaker, in light of what has happened since.

Mr Corbell: One hundred and seventy-five major sites, if I remember correctly.

MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Corbell, the Chief Minister is answering the question.

Mr Hird: I am trying to listen, sir.

MR SPEAKER: And Mr Hird wants to hear the answer.

MS CARNELL: I asked Mr Berry to withdraw the pamphlet and to look at the figures. But what did he do last week? What I got instead that afternoon was a media release from Mr Berry headed: "Why Kate Carnell can't be trusted on ACTEW". Rather than check his figures, he put out a press release. Mr Speaker, I think it is important to quote a few of the things he put in this press release. I think it is important, too, to remember that this press release was put out 12 months to the day since the Labor Party issued the "Working Capital" plan - the economic bible of those opposite and the document that their own reviewers said was the "cornerstone of the lack of financial credibility of those opposite". Mr Speaker, it must be a bad day of the year, this day.

Members interjected.

MS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, I did not interject.

MR SPEAKER: Order, please! There is far too much conversation.

MS CARNELL: I would like to quote some of Mr Berry's press release. Remember that this is after question time, after I have asked him to go and have a look at his figures. He said:

In her increasingly feverish attempts to justify the proposed sale of ACTEW Kate Carnell has started to use arguments which defy logic and bear no resemblance to reality.

Mr Speaker, we now know what had no resemblance to reality and defied logic. What defied logic was in the same press release.

Members interjected.

MS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, I am not going to yell.

MR SPEAKER: Order! If there is another interjection, the member will be warned.

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