Page 43 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 14 February 2012
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MRS DUNNE: In making their statements, Ms Gallagher and Mr Barr used information which was designed to mislead. They did it wilfully; they did it repeatedly. They did it here, they did it in the estimates committee and they did it out in the public square. And those misleads, those wilful acts, cannot go unpunished.
Debate interrupted in accordance with standing order 74 and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for a later hour.
Sitting suspended from 12.33 to 2 pm.
Questions without notice
Political parties—donations
MR SESELJA: My question is to the Chief Minister. Chief Minister, in the Assembly on 29 June 2011, you said that Mr Smyth “has been forced to … introduce legislation”—the Electoral (Donation Limit) Amendment Bill—and that this bill is being legislated “on rumour and innuendo”. In the annual report of the Canberra Labor Club for 2010-11, there are a number of references to the transfer of a property from the club to the ACT branch of the Australian Labor Party after the end of the financial year. The report states:
A bill has been submitted to the ACT Legislative Assembly, which would limit donations to political parties in excess of $50000 with effect from 1 July 2011. It is proposed that amounts donated in excess of this amount would attract penalties. Accordingly, if the proposed legislation is passed unamended, the Company would be subject to penalties. The possible penalties are yet to be quantified.
Chief Minister, when did you become aware of the decision to transfer this property to the ACT branch of the Australian Labor Party?
MS GALLAGHER: I became aware of the facts of the matter in the Canberra Times when they were reported.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Seselja, a supplementary.
MR SESELJA: What role did you have in the consideration of this transaction?
MS GALLAGHER: None.
MR SMYTH: A supplementary.
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Smyth.
MR SMYTH: Chief Minister, are you concerned that the Labor Club and the ALP are taking action in the full knowledge that, as the report says, it may incur penalties?
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