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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 1 Hansard (15 February) . . Page.. 239 ..

MR QUINLAN: Mr Speaker, I ask a supplementary question. In light of the time restrictions that govern the draft budget scrutiny process, will you provide each standing committee that is examining the draft budget-this is yet to be decided, I think-with a listing of relevant files and budget costings? Will you also instruct that open access to these documents will be automatic and streamlined?

MR HUMPHRIES: "Relevant files"-what files are you referring to, Mr Quinlan?

Mr Stanhope: On every matter detailed in the draft budget.

MR HUMPHRIES: On everything that could touch on the budget?

Mr Stanhope: Every single one. Do you want us to do our job?

MR HUMPHRIES: That sounds like opening the doors of government agencies and saying-

Mr Stanhope: Or you don't want us to know what is going on.

MR SPEAKER: Order, please. You did not ask the question, Mr Stanhope.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Stanhope sees the need to shout about this but we will provide information in our usual way to facilitate the work of Assembly committees. Unless there has been a very good reason for doing so, we have not refused access by Assembly committees to information to assist them in their role. We have provided that information in a timely way unless it has been asked for very late in the process, which is sometimes the case. We endeavour to meet the goal that we have set for ourselves.

Mr Speaker, I do not have anything to apologise for on this score. These days members of this place have access to more information at lower cost than was the case when you lot were in government. So there is nothing for us to apologise for on that score.

Public servants and members of the Legislative Assembly

MR KAINE: My Speaker, my question, through you, is to the Chief Minister. Chief Minister, last week you summoned all the ACT senior public servants down to the Convention Centre to tell them about the wonderful new world that you have planned for them and for the Canberra community. I read your speech with some interest because if I closed my eyes I could hear Mrs Carnell talking. It was full of Carnellisms. I was interested that you have not yet developed your own style. You must have the same speechwriter that Mrs Carnell had.

There was one thing in your speech which particularly caught my eye, and that was your observation that, looking back over the years that you have spent in this Assembly, and I quote, "the overwhelming impression that I have today is of a service that is professional, honest, hardworking, collaborative, dedicated and dependable". I think most people in this place would agree with you and had you stopped there you would have been in front.

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