Page 2890 - Week 13 - Thursday, 23 November 1989
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This is really a motion to ensure that the ACT Government is serious in its negotiations with the Commonwealth. If they know that they have only got a certain amount of money to spend, namely 30 per cent of the $16m-odd required this year, then perhaps they will put a little vigour and a little backbone into their arguments with the Commonwealth Government.
I also feel that, if this money is taken from the asbestos removal program vote, it will sheet the problem home loudly and clearly to the citizens of the ACT and put a great amount of publicity and pressure upon the Commonwealth Government to bite the bullet and to accept their true obligations in this matter.
Accordingly, I think I have made the situation comparatively clear. The purpose of the amendment is in no way whatsoever to reduce or cease asbestos removal programs this financial year, although they are going along at a snail's pace, as we are well aware. I think the whole situation is becoming totally scandalous. What this will do is sheet the problem home loudly and clearly to the Commonwealth Government and reaffirm in the Commonwealth's eyes the view of this Assembly that asbestos removal is a Commonwealth problem. As I said, it will add greater vigour to the ACT Government's arguments with the Commonwealth on this matter. I urge support of the motion.
MRS GRASSBY (Minister for Housing and Urban Services) (11.12): Mr Speaker, I understand the motivation behind the proposal put forward by Mr Duby. However, I do not believe that it is a practical motion. The question of funds for the asbestos program has been raised by the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth at the time said that it did not feel that it had to do this. A very good argument was put up to the Commonwealth by my department to prove that they felt they should come to the party over it, but the effect of the Duby proposal would be to reduce substantially the funds available to continue the program this year and enter into legal commitments, and we all know how long this takes to do. We must ensure that the work progresses as quickly as possible pending the resolution of the Commonwealth contribution.
Therefore, whilst I have some sympathy with the views expressed, it would be quite wrong to place the removal program in jeopardy while we resolve the funding arrangements, because people's homes and their lives are in jeopardy. People cannot sell their houses or move out of Canberra when they need to, because the funding will not be there to do their houses.
I do not think that, as a responsible government, we can do this to the people that put us here to govern this city. Therefore I feel that I have to oppose this motion completely.
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