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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 8 Hansard (31 August) . . Page.. 2796 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

Mr Speaker, I intend to comment on some of the amendments that are going to be moved by Mr Quinlan. I am pleased that Ms Tucker is going to listen to the arguments about the size of the board. However, I am disappointed she did not listen to the arguments before determining her position on the title of the board.

Ms Tucker: I will still listen-that is fine.

MR HUMPHRIES: You will listen but you have already decided what you are going to do.

Ms Tucker: I am always open to the arguments. I am very predisposed to Labor's argument, but I am listening.

MR HUMPHRIES: That very closely reflects our views about development of Griffith actually, Ms Tucker-I thought I might just mention that. Mr Speaker, I thank members for their support and I look forward to debating some of the amendments.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Bill agreed to in principle.

Clause 1.

MR QUINLAN (6:10): I move:

I think this amendment is self-explanatory. Given that I have a right of reply, I will allow Mr Humphries to launch into his speech.

MR HUMPHRIES (Treasurer, Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Community Safety) (6:11): Mr Speaker, I do not agree with the amendment-I should say "amendments", because virtually all of the opposition's amendments are concerned with changing the name from the ACT Insurance Corporation to the ACT Insurance Authority.

The idea of this exercise is to put the territory insurance function into the marketplace. I made mention in my presentation speech of the problem that we have encountered. We have provided insurance services to arms of the government but because we are not an insurance company or insurance agency in the understood sense of the Australian insurance market it has been difficult for the government in its insurance function to go out into the marketplace and seek the best deal for the territory's insurance requirements. I know that the idea of marketplace is a bit offensive to some people here, but the purpose of this legislation is to allow us to take-

Mr Quinlan: That is not the bit I screwed up my nose at, Mr Humphries.

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