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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 3 Hansard (9 March) . . Page.. 867 ..
MR QUINLAN (continuing):
what assets go in and what do not and have an understanding of what is happening with those assets. As I said, at the first opportunity I will be back to ensure that those assets are protected. We have been told that this proposal is not a sale and that we can have our assets back at any old time. If any old time turns up, I would like to know that they still belong to us and not to Macquarie Bank. I think that pretty well explains what my amendments are about.
We were a little concerned about the wording of the Bill. It seems that the merged organisation could vest an asset in some other organisation and then dispose of it. We have tried to close up the Bill so that it will protect all of the assets of our public utility. Where do we go from here with this letter from Mr Mackay's solicitor? I think we can speak of Mr Mackay's integrity ad nauseam, but we still have to realise it has become quite clear over past months that Mr Mackay has been promoting the merger. He may feel that is what he should do. This evaluation of my amendments has been brought forward by the solicitor acting on behalf of one of the parties that have been promoting the merger. It is lawyer's advice on how to handle one side of the case.
I would be happy, Mr Speaker, for this debate to be adjourned if someone wishes to adjourn it, and we could resolve these differences at some future time. We have not had that much time. Given the processes within this place, this side of the house has done a pretty fair job in the time available to cobble together its case in relation to the legislation. It would be quite unfair to dismiss these amendments out of hand simply because we want to get on with selling ACTEW. I foreshadow that I will move these amendments and I promise that, unless incited and enraged, I will not speak at length on them again.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Quinlan, at the beginning of your address you asked me whether the word "hypocrite" was unparliamentary. It is. I have ruled on it on a number of occasions. I do not know whether the word was addressed to you and I do not know who uttered it. If it was addressed to you, I would ask whoever did it to withdraw.
Mr Quinlan: It was not addressed to me, Mr Speaker. I was thinking of using it.
MR SPEAKER: In that case, it is all right.
Mr Quinlan: In our private moments I may seek a softer simile that I can use on a regular basis because I think it may be necessary.
MR SPEAKER: You cannot use the word "hypocrite". I will not allow it. I thought it had been addressed to you, and I wanted to make sure that it was withdrawn.
MR BERRY
(8.57): Mr Speaker, this Bill will provide the mechanism to enact that which has been decided by the motion which has placed trust in the Carnell conservative Government, that right-wing government opposite. It is the sort of trust that you would have to have reservations about, given the history of experience in this Territory. I cannot believe that Independent members of this Assembly, even
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