Page 477 - Week 02 - Thursday, 14 May 1992
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reflected in concerns about fee paying consultancy contracts relating to Ainslie Village being awarded to companies of which members of the board are principals or members. This lack of confidence is further reflected in management's decision that a resident can no longer have a vegetable garden. Here we have a recession on, people want to grow vegies, and they are told that they will have to rip up their vegetable garden and, I think, replace it with lawn.
Finally, this lack of confidence is reflected in the decision to terminate occupancy of an auto repair business - CWC Auto Services, I understand is the name - after 12 years of occupancy and a written assurance and request from a previous Minister that the business could and should remain, albeit with a possible relocation.
Mr Lamont: Which Minister?
MR CORNWELL: This was Mr Collaery, and I quote from the letter:
I am pleased to be able to inform you that following discussions between the ACT Housing Trust, ACT Public Works and the Village, any new designs for further redevelopment will examine options which will allow your current workshop to remain undisturbed, or at least to be moved to another appropriate location on site.
Secondly, it states:
I recognise the value of your work, your role in the training of apprentices and the relationship that you have built up with the Village over time and would be pleased if you could continue to operate your business on the site.
It is signed "Bernard Collaery" and dated 9 May 1991.
I suggest that these examples offer a range of issues between the important and the petty. They all, however, indicate a breakdown of communication and trust between residents of the village and the Ainslie Village Ltd board. To some extent, Madam Speaker, I think the problems are those of perception, and to support this contention I refer to a comment made in a letter to the editor in the Canberra Times yesterday by Mr Peter O'Dea.
Mr De Domenico: He does not work for ACIL, does he - Peter O'Dea?
MR CORNWELL: Former redevelopment adviser to Ainslie Village, Mr De Domenico. In the letter to the editor, Mr O'Dea said in part:
Ainslie Village board's chairman Kelvyn Enright describes the residents as "guests" and says he is running a multi-million-dollar business ... and there lies the nub of resident complaints.
Mr Enright provides a valuable insight into the management/resident relationship or, in his own terms, the company/guest relationship.
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