Page 2699 - Week 09 - Thursday, 9 August 1990
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MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Acting Speaker, I am very disappointed that Mr Moore chooses to attack in this way the public servants who give the Government advice. It is typical of his contemptuous attitude towards the way in which people are working very hard in this Government at present to produce a more cost efficient ACT. But, of course, Mr Moore does not care about that very much and so chooses to avoid it.
I have been to the Independent Living Centre at Macquarie; I have seen it. I do not know whether Mr Moore has bothered to do that; obviously not. I think that there is a large amount of exaggeration in what he says. However, I am not going to enter into the process of spelling out to him the things that I have already said I will not spell out until the budget comes down, so if he wants me to rise to that bait he can forget it.
I might point out that the question of white ant damage is something which needs to be addressed, irrespective of whether there is a school there or an Independent Living Centre or whatever. It makes absolutely no difference, so it is - - -
Mr Moore: Which is why I did not include it in the figures.
MR HUMPHRIES: It does not have to be included in the figures, Mr Moore.
Mr Moore: That is what I said. I did not include it in the figures I presented. Are they in the ball park or are they not in the ball park?
MR HUMPHRIES: Well, you mentioned it for some reason so you obviously wanted to infer that there was some cost to the Government associated with this reshaping project as a result of that white ant damage. As I said before, Mr Acting Speaker, I am confident that savings made by this reshaping and by the reorganisation of the school system will more than pay for any costs incurred in ensuring that that reshaping project is completed.
Mr Wood: But you do not want to demonstrate it.
MR HUMPHRIES: I will demonstrate it clearly and concisely at the time of the budget.
MR MOORE: I ask a supplementary question, Mr Acting Speaker. Considering the Grants Commission estimated that the recurrent costs in the first year of the previous five school closures would be $2.5m, how are you going to go anywhere near making it look as if your decision will pay for itself?
MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Moore has asked the same question in a different fashion. I can only give the same answer I gave before.
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