Page 1489 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 10 April 2013
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Ms Gallagher: I am sure you have done wonders for the relationship by just calling him a coward.
MR HANSON: I think that the relationship is fairly clear. It is: back the Labor Party at any cost. And the cost just might be light rail. The cost might just be light rail at any cost. How much does Mr Rattenbury get in terms of policy, in terms of benefit from this government in terms of policies that he wants delivered in order to support this government regardless of cost, to make sure there is no scrutiny? What does he get? We know that he has got a lot of staff in his office. That is one thing. But what else does he get? Light rail at any cost? You have got the Chief Minister saying she is not sure she is going to rebuild the tower block at the Canberra Hospital because of the available capital, but we know that there is going to be light rail at any cost. Why? Because we know it keeps Shane Rattenbury in the tent. And we can see how beneficial that is for the government today, can’t we? We can see that keeping Shane Rattenbury in the tent is pretty useful, because the option, the other alternative, is that we might have some scrutiny of this government.
So the community is not only paying because of the fact that we are not going to get the examination of ACTEW that we should, but they are paying because this government is going to give Shane Rattenbury anything he wants, anything he wants in terms of policy outcomes, to make sure that he stays in the tent. I think we have got a very clear example today of how this mob are going to operate over the next four years.
There are a number of reviews that are occurring, and I do not dispute that. But what has this government got against a full performance audit of ACTEW? When we look at what has happened with the dam, when we look at this fiasco with regard to the salary, when we look at the fact that the shareholders have reached the point after seven years that we have so many problems with ACTEW, what have they got against a performance audit?
Members interjecting—
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER (Ms Porter): Mr Smyth! Ms Gallagher! Stop the clock, please. Mr Smyth and Ms Gallagher, Mr Hanson is on his feet trying to speak to the—
Ms Gallagher interjecting—
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Ms Gallagher! Mr Hanson is trying to finish, I presume. Are you closing the debate?
MR HANSON: I am trying to finish.
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: If members could remain silent for the next 58 seconds, he may be able to do that. Thank you.
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