Page 1826 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 19 August 1992
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MR HUMPHRIES: We will lay all the cards on the table. That is obviously what this has become. It has also become a wasted opportunity. It is a wasted opportunity because this could have been a chance for us to indicate, on a bipartisan basis - hopefully, a multipartisan basis - that we were going to stand up for Canberra. That has not happened.
Mr Deputy Speaker, Ms Ellis created the very false impression that only coalition members have been into the business of Canberra bashing. She did not mention a word about any other Labor members who had made attacks on Canberra. She did not say a word about any of those members or about any of the other things which have amounted - - -
Mr Berry: You are being as precious as Trevor.
MR HUMPHRIES: I know that you are upset about this. You have to take it in your stride, Mr Berry. I know that the truth about this hurts. The fact of the matter is, Mr Deputy Speaker, that actions speak louder than words, and we have here all sorts of words about what the Federal coalition is supposed to be planning to do to the people of Canberra. Let us look at what the Federal Labor Government has actually done to the people of Canberra over the last 10 years.
Mr Lamont: Does that mean that the "frightpack" is nothing; that it is not the truth? What is the agenda, then?
MR HUMPHRIES: Let us look at the real Canberra. You can interject all you want, Mr Lamont; but the fact is that the people of Canberra have suffered a lot under this Federal Labor Government, and that is where the real attacks on the people of Canberra have come from in the last 10 years. Let us look at some of those attacks. Ms Ellis referred to the fact that some government departments were to be pared off under a Liberal government. What about the Industry Commission moving to Melbourne? Have you forgotten about that?
Mr Moore: Yes, that is disgraceful.
MR HUMPHRIES: Disgraceful indeed. Thank you, Mr Moore; it is disgraceful. What about the dismantling of the Bureau of Mineral Resources?
Ms Ellis: What dismantling?
MR HUMPHRIES: You know perfectly well what is happening to the BMR. What about the Australian Maritime College that this Labor Government shipped off to marginal Labor seats around this country? What kind of disgraceful attack on the people of Canberra was that? What about the Government denuding Canberra of training facilities for air traffic controllers that should have come to Canberra and instead have gone somewhere else? We all know about these things. Let us not pretend that these are great surprises to us. What kind of damage has that done to Canberra and to its viability - and to its employment base, might I add?
Mr Lamont: None.
MR HUMPHRIES: Those opposite say, "None". Sending public service departments to other States has done no damage to the ACT?
Mr Lamont: No; because you are wrong.
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