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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 9 Hansard (7 September) . . Page.. 2977 ..
MR HARGREAVES: Well, if it is not me personally, why is it brought into this chamber as an issue? We are talking about what I am going to declare, or what Mr Osborne or Mr Rugendyke are going to declare as individuals. What we are saying is let us level the playing field. The minister has just conceded that his speech contained 90 per cent rot and 10 per cent manure. As far as I am concerned, Mr Speaker, he ought to stick to the issue. If he is going to have a go at us individually he should get his facts right.
As I said before, I do not have any difficulty at all about having my registration of declarable interests looked at by anybody. I am happy to have the high jump bar at the same height for all of us, and I think that is important. Whether we are members of a party or Independents should not matter. I am not sure I know the best way to go about this. I think whichever of the two enables the thing to be more transparent is the way we ought to go. If it is more transparent for members of a party to have to comply with the sorts of things that Independents do, then so be it; I am in favour of that. If it allows the Independents to hide behind the sort of thing that people opposite can, then I am not for that. We know that if you can not declare something because a party might, then you are actually hiding behind that. We are saying, "We will whack it out there. Let it be transparent. There's nothing to hide." This side of the house does not have a huge track record about people trying to hide stuff. Federal Liberal ministers have a huge amount to hide. In fact, the guillotine basket is full.
Mr Humphries: I take a point of order, Mr Speaker. Mr Hargreaves is talking about federal Liberal ministers. That is not a matter that is subject to this debate.
Mr Quinlan: Former ministers, actually.
MR HARGREAVES: I take the minister's point of order, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: So do I.
MR HARGREAVES: They are former ministers because their heads are in the guillotine basket. This is relevant, Mr Speaker, because this is to do with declaration of interest. These people did not declare it. They were not open and they paid a penalty for it, but there is provision for that. They have a great track record for either trying to hide something or just cocking it up in the first place.
When we decide on this thing, think about its implication for people who will be affected other than ourselves. Also, should we do it now or should we do it in the first sitting week in October? I have no problem with that. Think also about where the high-jump bar is being set. I suggest that people examine what they have and say whether or not they are happy to have it declared. I am quite happy to have mine declared.
MR HUMPHRIES
(Treasurer, Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Community Safety) (11.59), in reply: Mr Speaker, I will close the debate. Mr Berry thinks that we should be as pure as the driven snow in here. Well, it appears that those opposite are already pretty seriously soiled and sludged on this question and they would be the last people in this place to talk in any way about being pure as the driven snow.
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