Page 2872 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 22 November 1989
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perspective on this matter. The truth of the matter is that I spent significantly over two hours with Mr Tony Fleming when I was preparing the motion. He made a large number of comments. I think that everybody in this Assembly would recognise the calibre of Mr Fleming as an environmentalist.
The motion sought to find a way to give certainty to developers and to environmentalists in an attempt to find a reasonable way to solve this long-term problem in the ACT. That was recognised by Mr Larry King in the Canberra Times a week or so ago, after I had discussed the matter with him. Mr King represents the Federation of Australian Construction Contractors.
I want it noted in Hansard that the Residents Rally cannot take the heat in the kitchen, to quote the Minister for Housing and Urban Services, so they have left in order not to hear this. They then went on to say that the Minister would appoint as an environmentalist one of his own nominees, who would just respond to what he wanted.
A member: A sycophant?
MR MOORE: Yes, the inference was that he would be a sycophant. Of course, that is absolute nonsense. What I suggested was that either the Conservation Council of Canberra and South-East Region or the Australian Conservation Foundation would be the body appointing them. If that is inadequate as far as the Rally is concerned in finding an appropriate conservationist, then I do not know what its demands could possibly be.
I think that what we have here is not a case of Rally members objecting to the motion at all, looking at its true face value and weighing it up, but a case of their feeling very peeved that someone they probably term their "defector" was able to come up with that motion. I feel that they did not consider it on its merits. A careful look at their contribution to the debate shows that they were looking for ways to oppose it for other reasons. I am pleased to see that Mr Collaery is now back in the chamber and I hope he has heard some of the words that I have spoken at this point. If not, I am sure he will read them in Hansard.
Canberra New Business Centre
MR HUMPHRIES (5.02): Mr Speaker, I would like to address a slightly more serious subject in my five minutes in this adjournment debate. Members will be aware that this is Canberra Business Week. I had the good fortune recently to visit the Canberra New Business Centre in Downer. I want to say a few words about that and commend it to members. I recommend that, in the next few months, they make the effort to take the trip up to Downer to have a look at it.
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