Page 721 - Week 03 - Thursday, 22 March 1990
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today? Why are they not, during this election campaign, saying to the electorate, "This is what we are going to do for you; we are going to fix the asbestos business for you"? But no, we do not hear a word from them on asbestos. I am glad you introduced them into the debate, Mr Berry, because it gives me the chance to say so.
Mr Berry: Never heard Margaret Reid. What about Margaret Reid? Tell us about her.
MR KAINE: She is not a Labor member, and we are not crowing about our candidates or representatives in the Federal Parliament. That is a separate issue altogether that has nothing to do with this debate, except that Mr Berry saw an opportunity for a cheap political bit of advertising by introducing Ros Kelly and Senator McMullan into the debate on asbestos. I am amazed that he would even consider doing it, because of their deafening silence on the subject.
I think that before, when he had his cheap little game in terms of newspapers at the expense of the Speaker, and then introduced the question of these two people in the asbestos debate, he opened himself up for a well-deserved attack. Those two people have done absolutely nothing in the debate on asbestos and on what it is now costing this community, not only in terms of their health, but in terms of the cost to rectify the problem.
MR STEFANIAK (12.05): I think the genesis of Mr Duby's asbestos removal program and ministerial statement goes back to a public meeting on 7 December, very soon after this Government took over. I attended on behalf of the Government and I think Mr Stevenson also attended. No members of the Opposition, of course, were there. As a result of that meeting, members of the Asbestos Support Group saw Mr Duby and myself within a few weeks. I am delighted to see the Minister acting so promptly in relation to the asbestos removal program, in making his statement and clearing up the grave worries and fears lots of Canberra residents have in relation to asbestos. It has given them at least some hope that their homes are going to be asbestos free in a reasonable period of time. I certainly would commend the Minister for that, and I think he has got a fair bit of support for that out there in the community.
There is another thing I want to talk about in relation to this asbestos removal program and it is something that I have mentioned before during the life of this Assembly. Between 1968 and 1980 when asbestos was put into Canberra homes we had a Federal Government administering this Territory; indeed, both Labor and Liberal, Mr Berry, during that period of time. People received a certificate of fitness which they had to have before they could go into their homes. That was issued by a Federal Government department. Once they got that they could go into their homes, but not before. I think it is quite clear that the
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