XN000022-1994-03-22 — Page 6

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TUESDAY, MARCH 22,

1994

GOVERNOR: WELL, I THINK IT'S FAIR TO SAY THAT THE ISSUE IS OF SUFFICIENT LACK OF INTEREST TO MOST PEOPLE, THAT'S VERY MANY OF THEM DIDN'T DO WHAT WOULD HAVE GIVEN THEM ON THE INFORMATION THEY WANTED WHICH IS TO ENQUIRE OF THE HOUSE OF COMMON'S LIBRARY, AS I UNDERSTAND IT. BUT I'M DELIGHTED THAT EVEN IF THOSE PROBLEMS AROSE IN JANUARY, Ι CAN ASSURE YOU PERFECTLY INNOCENTLY, WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SPELL OUT THE SITUATION INSISTENTLY SINCE LAST FRIDAY. AND I'M ONLY SORRY THAT MORE NOTICE HASN'T BEEN TAKEN OF THE ANSWERS THAT HAVE BEEN GIVEN. BUT THERE WILL BE TIMES WHEN THERE ARE SERIOUS POLITICAL ISSUES WHICH ARE WORTH EXPLOSIVE LEADING ARTICLES AND ANGRY DEBATE IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL. BUT I HAVE TO SAY THAT AS ARGUMENTS GO, THIS ONE IS AN EXTREMELY DEAD SHEEP.

QUESTION: ON THE QUESTION OF ACCESS TO INFORMATION, THE END OF THIS MONTH IS THE END OF THE CONSULTATION PERIOD AND A BILL HAD BEEN AND I'M SURE YOU'VE SEEN IT. ARE YOU STILL HOLDING QUEUE-UP POSITION THAT THE BEST WAY ΤΟ GET ACCESS OF INFORMATION IS THROUGH ADMINISTRATION MEANS? ARE YOU RULING OUT ACCEPTING A LEGISLATIVE TIE?

GOVERNOR: WHAT I'M RULING IN IS DISCUSSIONS WITH LEGISLATORS ABOUT THESE ISSUES. I DON'T THINK THAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS CONVINCED BY THE CASE FOR A STATUTORY ENTITLEMENT TO INFORMATION, BUT I THINK THE EXECUTIVE IS CONVINCED OF THE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN. FIRST OF ALL,

TO REMOVE THOSE LAWS OR THOSE PARTS OF LAWS WHICH MAY INFRINGE FREEDOM OF SPEECH. AND SECONDLY, TO LOOK AT WAYS IN WHICH WE CAN MAKE A GREAT DEAL MORE INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC INCLUDING AS I HAVE SOUGHT TO DO THIS MORNING, INFORMATION ABOUT THE ROYAL INSTRUCTIONS AND LETTERS PATENT. THANKS VERY MUCH INDEED.

REPORTER: GOVERNOR, HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT NOT BEING ABLE TO WATCH BBC TV NEWS NOW THAT STAR TV HAS DECIDED TO GO TO

THE

?

GOVERNOR: I FIND THAT, LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE IN MY POSITION, I HAVE VERY STRONG VIEWS ABOUT BROADCASTING BUT ALAS I'M NOT ABLE VERY OFTEN ΤΟ WATCH IT MYSELF. BUT I HAVE SEEN THE BBC WORLD SERVICE. I THINK IT'S EXCELLENT. I'VE SEEN IT IN THIS COUNTRY

I'VE SEEN IT IN HONG KONG, I'VE SEEN IT IN OTHER COUNTRIES, I'VE SEEN IT IN THE UK AS WELL AND I'M SURE THAT THEY WILL FIND SOME OTHER WAY OF FEEDING INTO THE REGION. BUT IT'S A COMMERCIAL DECISION AND IT'S NOT A MATTER FOR

ME. THERE ARE A LOT OF SERVICES AVAILABLE IN HONG KONG AND I HOPE THEY WILL ALL PROVIDE THE TRUTH ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN AN UNVARNISHED WAY.

QUESTION: YOU DON'T SEE THIS AS A SELF-CENSORSHIP ISSUE?

GOVERNOR: I THINK THAT THAT'S A QUESTION WHICH YOU SHOULD PUT TO THE PROPRIETOR OF STAR TV.

QUESTION: ON AIRPORT FINANCING, SO FAR ANY RESPONSE FROM THE CHINESE SIDE AFTER THE ANSWERS TO THEIR QUESTIONS?

GOVERNOR: NOW WE HAVE ANSWERED EVEN MORE

QUESTIONS. WE'VE HAD A

HELPFUL BRIEFING AND I HOPE THAT IN THE SPIRIT OF COOPERATION WHICH A NUMBER OF CHINESE LEADERS HAVE HELPFULLY REFERRED TO WILL BE ABLE ΤΟ SORT THINGS OUT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER.

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