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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 2 Hansard (1 March) . . Page.. 452 ..
MS CARNELL (continuing):
straight hypocrisy. Quite simply, this is yet another example of the absolute hypocrisy that is evident in the Labor Party. They say one thing when in opposition and the opposite when in government.
To come back to Mr Berry's comments about the VITAB contract, this is the politician who as Minister said it is fair enough that people who have commercial contracts with the ACT would expect them to be kept in confidence. This is the politician who, when I asked him to table the contract, said:
I have told you before that you are not going to get a copy of the contract from me, no matter what means you choose to pursue.
Mr Hird: Who said that?
MS CARNELL: Mr Berry said that. I will quote it again:
I have told you before that you are not going to get a copy of the contract from me, no matter what means you choose to pursue.
This is the same man who claims that this Government and not him is secretive. I will finish by sharing with members perhaps the best example - at least for today - of the hypocrisy of the Labor Party. On 6 August 1991, Mr Humphries asked Mr Berry, the then Minister for Health, a very simple question: "How many expressions of interest were received for the proposed private hospital in Belconnen?". The question did not ask for the release of the submissions or the tender documents. It did not ask for details about the names or the prices. It simply asked how many expressions of interest had been received. The answer from Mr Berry was: "This information is commercial-in-confidence". Mr Humphries asked for the number of submissions that were received, and the answer was that it was commercial-in-confidence. To use a lawyer's phrase, Mr Stanhope, I rest my case.
MR HIRD: Mr Speaker, I was not going to ask a supplementary question, but one thing I would say about Mr Berry is that he is very consistent and should be nicknamed "Commercially in Confidence".
Ms Carnell: I ask that all further questions be placed on the notice paper, Mr Speaker.
MS CARNELL: I would like to present more information from question time. The answer to Mr Kaine's question was that Mr de Castella has a three-year contract which started on 1 January 1998 and finishes at the end of this year. He is paid $10,000 per year.
MR QUINLAN: I seek leave to make a personal explanation, Mr Speaker.
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