Page 1842 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 1 May 1991
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MS FOLLETT (Leader of the Opposition) (3.08): I have taken great interest in Mr Kaine's remarks on the issue of the future of a casino project in the ACT. I am particularly interested in the final paragraph of Mr Kaine's statement, in which he calls upon a variety of organisations - including the Assembly, the community, the media and business leaders - to support the Government's efforts to bring this important project to a successful completion. He has left one important group out of his exhortations for support there, and that is, of course, the members of his own Alliance. It is due to the actions and statements of the Residents Rally members of the Alliance that the casino issue has been so long delayed, so uncertain and so unattractive to potential investors in the ACT.
There is no doubt that Mr Collaery, as Acting Chief Minister, is on the public record as saying that he does not support the project. Mr Kaine cannot wiggle out of that; it is on the public record. It indicates, if any further indication were necessary, that he is totally unable to exert any discipline over his Government and that once he is out of the country the members of his Government can just say and do whatever they like.
In this case, of course, what they have said and done has cost the ACT a very valuable and very important project. There is no doubt that the section 19 proposal, had it gone ahead, would have created jobs for some thousands of Canberra people. There is no doubt that that proposal would have created new opportunities for employment in the construction and building industry in the early stages and, of course, in the tourism industry once it was developed.
I know that members opposite have no interest whatsoever in jobs for other people; they are interested only in their own jobs, and they will cling to them come what may and regardless of how ridiculous they look. But it is a very sad fact, I think, that the ACT has lost that opportunity for a major employment project.
Another sad fact is that the incredible delay on this project has cost the ACT significant amounts of money. There is no doubt that the goings-on of this Government over the casino issue have wasted large amounts of ACT money. We have seen, for instance, the emptying out of the office buildings on section 19 and the relocation of ACT facilities and services in other premises. What was the cost of that? What is the cost of continuing with empty buildings over there? What has been the cost of the closing down of the Seasons restaurant on that site? And will you now compensate that restaurant if it wishes to reopen? What has been the cost of the Playhouse closing down? And what will be the cost of the required refurbishment and reopening of that facility?
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