Page 4743 - Week 16 - Wednesday, 28 November 1990
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I well recall statements from, in particular, the Executive Deputy with responsibility for sport, Mr Stefaniak. He had a big front page lead in the Valley View shortly before the budget was announced this year, which said, "Government gives top priority to Tuggeranong pool". We had quite a debate over that at the time because the Opposition was saying that this project was not viable, was not a goer, and the people of Tuggeranong were not going to be provided with a pool; they were going to be given a very expensive and inaccessible facility, if ever it could be built.
Mr Speaker, the concerns the Opposition has long held about this project have been realised. We certainly endorse Mr Duby's decision to terminate further discussions and not proceed. It is much better that Mr Duby has cut the knot and not gone down the alternative track of further protracted negotiations. I guess I should commend the Minister for biting the political bullet and conceding that this was not a goer, rather than enter some sort of face-saving exercise of continually extending the deadlines and extending the negotiations.
From opposition we can only hope that the Government will live up to those early promises referred to by Mr Stefaniak of a top priority for Tuggeranong swimming facilities, and that it will move very quickly to provide a public facility for the people of Tuggeranong - swimming at a price that families can afford. We always said that the community of Tuggeranong would not be well served by a swimming facility that was going to charge - and this was in the public domain - in the order of $5 for people to get in. It was never a goer.
We are pleased, at least, that the Government has accepted that the project is not going ahead and we did not waste further months and get potentially embroiled in the real difficulties that would have been involved if this had proceeded and the company involved had then not been able to go ahead when it had actually started work, employing people and putting holes in the ground. At least we have saved ourselves that potentially unpleasant course. Let us now get on with the job quickly and provide a public swimming facility for the people of Tuggeranong.
MR STEFANIAK (3.23): Mr Speaker, like Mr Connolly, I would certainly commend the Minister, Mr Duby, for his prompt action, when he realised that the money was not forthcoming from Decoin. It is a great pity because, as Mr Duby has said, it was a great concept, a concept that was analysed as being quite appropriate, quite workable; it simply happened to be the wrong company. I think it is a shame for the people of Tuggeranong that this very excellent project is not able to go ahead. It is a pity.
It has been given a chance. I think it would be wrong to give it any further chance, and Mr Duby has quite correctly made this very important ministerial announcement which I do not think the other lot particularly wanted to hear,
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