Page 2582 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 8 August 1990
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Mr Collaery: I withdraw the word "revolting".
MR BERRY: The fact is that there has been destruction of our community assets by the conservative Government opposite. We saw Dr Kinloch stating categorically that nothing would happen to Royal Canberra Hospital. He was on the brink of tears about vicious rumours that it would close under a Labor administration which, of course, would never happen. We saw Ms Carmel Maher and Mr Duby working very hard to ensure that the Royal Canberra Hospital stayed open. I will tell you what: nobody - - -
Mr Humphries: I raise a point of order, Mr Acting Speaker. I fail to understand what this has to do with any of the debate going on in the Assembly at the moment. Mr Berry is rambling across a whole range of issues, nothing to do with anything presently before the Assembly.
MR BERRY: The point at issue is, of course, that the Royal Canberra Hospital Bill be withdrawn and that the Ainslie Transfer Station Bill be dumped as well. That is what it is all about. With one stroke of the pen, Mr Duby closed the Ainslie Transfer Station, and placed a great burden on the community of the inner north of Canberra. As a result, he also placed a burden on the Belconnen community because of the extra traffic and disruption, but most importantly, he did not save any money. What it boils down to is that all he wanted to do was give the community a kick in the pants. Mr Duby administered the kick in the pants to the community, but he will pay. His use-by date approaches!
The skill, care and attention that the Labor Party always brings into play when it deals with community assets is something which causes us to focus with intensity on this issue because there has been destruction of those community assets. The people of Canberra have been forced to bear the burden of government action. What, in effect, has happened, is that the so-called savings have been transferred to the community, and more than singlefold, I should add. I think it will cost the community many more times the $200,000 which was alleged to be saved from the closing of the Ainslie Transfer Station. It should never have been closed. That is why this Bill needs to be passed to ensure that it is against the law for that to happen. That is why the Bill in relation to Royal Canberra Hospital needs to be passed, to prevent this Government from destroying any more community assets in this Territory.
This Government is on a voyage of destruction and has no conscience about it at all. Mr Humphries is getting a little bit edgy. It is starting to sink in that people are unhappy with what he is doing. It is starting to sink in that his figures are wrong. Also, there has been a walk-out of members from the Liberal Party. Somebody said there were about 20 per cent of members left - - -
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