Energy Concessions

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (14:59): By way of supplementary question, arising from the original answer: will the government be providing any costs to the private suppliers to recompense them for now carrying on a service that the government heretofore provided?

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (Minister for Human Services) (14:59): These matters are still being looked into in terms of all of the finer detail of how it will operate, and I am unable to comment on how it will operate because the government has not actually made a final—

The Hon. I.K. Hunter interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Hunter, allow the minister to answer your supplementary.

The Hon. I.K. Hunter: She's not answering, sir.

The PRESIDENT: Well, I can't determine that, the Hon. Mr Hunter, because I can't hear the minister. Minister, please go on.

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK: It is hard to respond to a hypothetical situation when the government has not made a final decision about what it is going to do—we are looking at the proposal, and all of these matters are under consideration.