Page 307 - Week 01 - Thursday, 29 November 2012
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MADAM SPEAKER: I presume that Mr Coe is working on the basis that you are now the minister responsible for regional development and is asking you—
Mr Barr: It is not supplementary to the—
MADAM SPEAKER: There is a supplementary. The original question was about the Chief Minister’s role as minister with responsibility for higher education and regional development. The Chief Minister spoke at length about regional development.
Mr Barr: So any question on the region?
Mr Coe: Madam Speaker, on your ruling, the question was put to the Chief Minister about her new portfolio, including regional development. Her answer included collaboration with the Queanbeyan City Council. Therefore my supplementary is relevant: how can the Queanbeyan City Council bring blocks of land to the market at half the cost of the ACT?
MADAM SPEAKER: Chief Minister, I will allow the question.
Mr Corbell: Madam Speaker, I ask for guidance on how the Chief Minister can answer a question about the operations of Queanbeyan City Council. She is not responsible for the operations of Queanbeyan City Council.
MADAM SPEAKER: I am allowing the question on the basis that when Mr Coe asked the question I immediately, without prompting, made the connection between Mr Coe’s supplementary question and the original question. It is within the capacity of the Chief Minister to say that she has no power over how issues are resolved in Queanbeyan, but it is also within her capacity as Minister for Regional Development to contemplate the comparative housing prices, the comparative cost of land across the region.
MS GALLAGHER: The original question I was asked, Madam Speaker, was about the creation of the portfolios. But I will say, in the interests of assisting members here today, that whilst I do not have control over New South Wales government charges or Queanbeyan City Council—
Mr Coe: You control half the equation.
MS GALLAGHER: I think if you do any examination across the board, Mr Coe, of a whole range of fees and charges, there are differences between jurisdictions. But overall, when you measure the amount of revenue raised and the amount of taxes and charges that are brought, and you look at things like the value of the land, and that is all put into the mix, you will see that the ACT actually sits pretty much within the range of all other jurisdictions in terms of the cost of providing services, including land.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Dr Bourke.
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