Month: January 1997

Does the French water business really think Deputy Chief Minister Tony De Domenico is worth an offer so high that he cannot refuse and must to leave politics? Maybe. But the offer was certainly made that much more attractive by the fact that De Domenica faced the loss of his ministry on the first sitting of the Assembly this year.

Independent Michael Moore made it clear he would move a motion of no confidence in him over his summary removal of Save Our City convener Jacqui Rees from the Kingston Foreshore Authority.

Labor and the Greens could easily have joined the motion because of its merit (which was fairly solid) or because Oppositions will take any opportunity to seize a ministerial scalp.
Continue reading “1997_01_january_dipper for forum”

The Federal Government is being a little hypocritical over the question of paying state and territory stamp duty for the Telstra float. And the ACT Government is being a little greedy and unrealistic.

The federal legislation provides an exemption for any state or territory stamp duty for the Telstra deal. If Telstra had been an ordinary float of a private company, the deal would have attracted duty. The expected $14 billion float would have attracted about $40 million in stamp duty in the ACT, where the float is taking place, but for the exemption.

The Commonwealth is entitled, legally, to make the exemption. But the legal position is not the issue. Rather it is the economic issue and the question of good faith between the levels of government.
Continue reading “1997_01_january_antarctica”