Page 2064 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 25 October 1989
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at the bottom of the list of matters which will be coming before the Assembly in due course. I hope that in the interim the Liberal Party and the Government might be involved in some sort of fruitful discussions about the future of that legislation, perhaps even having some regard to the Zifcak report to which you refer and, of course, the Victorian Government's reaction to it.
Concrete Driveways
MRS NOLAN: My question is to Mrs Grassby as Minister for Housing and Urban Services. What arrangements have been made, as announced on 29 August, to reduce the backlog in providing concrete driveways in new residential areas? Given that there is currently a three-month delay, are these arrangements working? How does the Minister propose to ensure a target of four weeks' delay by the end of this year, as stated on 29 August, given that there are only nine weeks left in 1989?
MRS GRASSBY: The problems with the driveways were caused by the fact that we had so much rain that the contractors could not get under way to do them. This held up a tremendous amount of work. We thought at the time that we would be able to get them finished by this stage, but then we had more rain and the contractors still could not work. So they are going to go over the time, I am afraid. As soon as the contractors can get the work done they will get it done; but while it is raining they cannot work in the rain with cement.
MRS NOLAN: I ask a supplementary question. So, Minister, am I to understand that the arrangements that you put in place were to try to stop the skies from raining?
MRS GRASSBY: Mrs Nolan, I did not think I was that wonderful! I have tried many things but I have never been able to stop it from raining. I had no say in stopping it. The rain stopped the work. When the weather was fine they were able to get back to work, and while the weather stays fine - although it is not fine today - they will be able to keep on with the work. They will get it done as quickly as they possibly can.
Homebirths
MR WOOD: I direct a question to the Minister for Community Services and Health. Is the Minister aware of a story in today's Canberra Times which expresses criticism of the Canberra Hospital's admissions policy in relation to homebirths? Is the criticism justified?
MR BERRY: Thank you, Mr Wood, for the question. As I understand it, the issue arose from the admission of a
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