Page 1500 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 2 May 1990
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
MR CONNOLLY (11.29): Mr Speaker, I rise to support Mr Moore's motion on this issue. The closing of the Ainslie Transfer Station exemplifies the problems facing those members on the other side. It is an issue that is firmly felt in the local community; an issue relating to conservation and the environment; an issue affecting citizens who are learning now to recycle, who are using waste management facilities in the ACT intelligently, and who suddenly find when they pick up their newspaper that an announcement has been made from on high that they are to lose that facility.
There was no consultation, no discussion, no information to demonstrate that the move had to be made; they simply read about it in the Canberra Times. The important point is that lack of consultation. If Mr Moore's resolution were carried and there were the full inquiry that he has called for, at the end of the day the Ainslie Transfer Station might have a limited future. We do not know. The full information has not been before members or the Assembly, so we have not had the opportunity to consider it.
We have commented regularly on this side of the house that this demonstrates the odd motives of the No Self Government group. Perhaps we are being uncharitable. Perhaps, in fact, Mr Duby and his colleagues are standing firm to their principles and this is part of a hidden agenda to show why self-government is pointless, because the community, particularly north Canberra, may well wonder about the point of self-government when important decisions affecting them are made by the Executive, not brought to this Assembly, and when their representatives are not given the opportunity to take part in it. Perhaps, after all, Mr Duby is cleverly working to discredit self-government by taking his place in the Government ministry and making decisions which ignore the views of the community.
It is most unfortunate that Dr Kinloch is unable to be present at this debate this morning. Dr Kinloch is on record as wanting the Ainslie Transfer Station to remain open. He is on record as supporting its continued presence and opposing the Government's moves to close it. Yet when a private member moves along those lines to get the Assembly's views, the views of the community, on the issue that Dr Kinloch has supported, he is not to be seen.
I hope that Dr Kinloch will return to this Assembly chamber and will express his views on this issue. If not, one must wonder at the sincerity with which those views were held and the powers that are being wielded within this Alliance coalition to stamp out the dissent of members. We on this side of the house in the Australian Labor Party are often criticised for being subject to caucus tyranny. Well, let us see what Dr Kinloch says on this issue - if he is prepared to come into this house and make his views known.
Mr Speaker, Mrs Grassby referred to the 4,000 signatures on this petition. It was 4,000 this morning; it is probably
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .