Page 147 - Week 01 - Thursday, 9 April 1992
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Madam Speaker, the issue of long-term accommodation for the Assembly is important, both in a practical sense and in a symbolic sense. Self-government has now reached maturity with the election of this Second Assembly and it is time to settle the Assembly's long-term location as quickly as possible. I believe that the inquiry is an essential first step in this process.
I believe also, Madam Speaker, that it is very important that we establish, as quickly as possible, the identity of this Assembly. It is too often, when you speak to people in the community, that they ask, "Where is it?". They do not know. When you try to explain in which office block amongst the many in this part of Civic we have our location, it is obvious that we have not a strong identity, and we must establish that.
For members of this Assembly who, like me, were members of the old House of Assembly before self-government, the South Building, I think, does recommend itself. It worked well in those days as a chamber and worked well, I think, in providing an identity as well. That is the reason why, in principle, I support that building, and it is in an accessible and readily identifiable location. I also support that building in principle because, Madam Speaker, whilst refurbishment would cost some money, we would not have to pay rent on it. It is a building which we own. That would be a recurrent saving of around $2m a year - not an insubstantial amount.
I commend the motion to the Assembly, Madam Speaker, and I trust that members will support it. I would like to wish the committee all the very best in considering this matter because I know that there will be a diversity of views and probably a diversity of expectations.
MR KAINE (Leader of the Opposition) (11.29): I support this motion. It is quite clear that it is time to establish the Legislative Assembly of the ACT as a body with some status in this community. It has suffered for the past three years for a number of reasons in terms of its status and its standing, and in the longer term it is imperative, I think, that it be established as a legitimate body and one which commands the respect of this community. One of the ways of doing that is to provide suitable accommodation for it. There can be little argument that the accommodation that we have occupied for the last three years is totally inadequate and unsuitable, so a change has to be made.
I endorse the proposal being put forward by the Chief Minister. The South Building on the Civic Square has been associated with elected representative bodies of the ACT certainly since 1974, up until the dissolution of the old House of Assembly in 1986. It is a location that people will recognise as one that has been associated over many years with elected bodies, whether legislative or not. So, I think it is an appropriate one.
The argument that the Chief Minister puts forward on the $2m a year rental, of course, is a persuasive one. It is far better for the Assembly to meet in a building that is owned by the community than in one that is rented at great cost. So, for those reasons I support the reference to the committee and I hope that they can come up with a quick conclusion that this is a good thing to do.
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