Page 396 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 15 February 2005

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Let me just share a coincidence or two with the house. In caucus this morning we decided that it would be very informative for the house to have this question asked and answered. Then, when we came out of caucus, we found that Mr Peter Switzer, in an opinion piece in the Australian newspaper, had said:

The ACT Government gave the Federal Government a lesson in caring for small business last week. It appointed an independent advocate to monitor how the sector is coping with the pressures of dealing with governments, big business and other forces that make life difficult.

He then went on to endorse the particular appointment.

Mr Stanhope: The Australian, that left wing rag!

MR QUINLAN: Yes, of course it is. Mr Speaker, I do have the greatest confidence in the appointment.

If I could just close with another coincidence, which probably is only tangentially relevant to this: the November Sensis business confidence report showed that the ACT last November had an increase that took it to being the most confident jurisdiction in Australia. I think it should be noted that November last year was the month following the election of this government and the defeat of that lot.

Mr Stanhope: I ask that all further questions be placed on the notice paper.

Answers to questions on notice

Questions Nos 50 and 51

MRS DUNNE (Ginninderra): Mr Speaker, in accordance with standing order 118A, I would like to draw the Assembly’s attention to the fact that questions by me to the Minister for Education and Training numbered 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30 were answered but the answers were late; they were roughly four days overdue. The answer to question No 31 to the Minister for Children, Youth and Family Support was also overdue, as were the answers to questions 53, 54 and 57. They were all answered but the answers were overdue. The minister for education’s answer to question No 43 was overdue, the Treasurer’s answer to question No 52 was overdue, and the answer of the Minister for Urban Services to question No 32 also was overdue. Mr Speaker, I am not going to seek explanations for those, but I do seek an explanation from the Minister for Environment for his failure to answer questions 50 and 51, which were put on the notice paper on 8 December 2004 and are now 38 days overdue. I would like an explanation from the minister as to the reason for their lateness.

MR STANHOPE (Ginninderra—Chief Minister, Attorney-General, Minister for Environment and Minister for Arts, Heritage and Indigenous Affairs): I will take advice on that, Mr Speaker.

MR SPEAKER: It has just been brought to my attention that I should clarify whether you asked all of those questions, Mrs Dunne.


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