Page 6220 - Week 19 - Tuesday, 17 December 1991
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
In relation to doubts about the planning requirement that Mr Collaery and other members of the Rally undoubtedly will comment upon, whenever there is a complicated planning argument members of the Rally are drawn to it as moths to a flame. They have this propensity to believe that planning is the be all and end all. The simple fact is that this Assembly and this Government, or the Government, whatever its complexion, have made a decision about a certain facility which will be provided for the community and it has, in my view, every right and power to declare that something shall go somewhere.
It is no good saying to me, "I am very concerned about the lease purpose clause of a particular piece of ground and whether it allows a casino to go there". It could well be that the Government, for example, decides that a hospital shall go somewhere and it just simply has to be changed. If that is what the Government and the Assembly have decided to do, that is the end of the matter.
Mr Jensen: Ha, ha! Pull the other leg.
MR DUBY: I hear mutters from the rear, but that is really and truly my view about planning. Planning legislation is not the Old Testament or the New Testament to be revisited; it is there to serve the community, and if the community, through its elected representatives, decides to do something with it, it shall be done. That is my view.
Mr Moore: I hate to say it; but I agree with you, Craig.
MR DUBY: I hear from Mr Moore that he agrees with me. This is probably the first time in history that we two agree on a planning issue. Nevertheless, that is the fact of the matter and to try to throw up, as a last resort, a planning problem as a reason why the casino should not go ahead is, frankly, grasping at straws. Of course, those who are opposed to the development of a casino are doing just that.
We have noticed the thunderous lack of public comment about a casino since the decision has been announced. I think that is indicative of the general view of the ACT population as a whole about a casino. The matter has been debated for long and in great depth for many years now. The simple fact is that the vast majority of the people I associate with are in favour of a casino.
It was put that the Rally takes the view that there should be a referendum on this matter. Well, there is a referendum coming up. It is coming up on 15 February. If Dr Kinloch and the Residents Rally wish to campaign, as I imagine they will, as the only political organisation in the Territory opposed to the development of a casino, the people will have the perfect opportunity to return not only the current Rally members but more and to provide this Territory with a majority government that will stop a casino. Of course, we all know what the result of that
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .