Page 2043 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 8 September 1992
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embarking upon the process of achieving a new Assembly building, with the way that process was originally embarked upon. I can only emphasise that the recommendations in this report reflect the lesson that was learnt in relation to the new premises in the Northern Territory.
We also visited the Brisbane City Council, and it is important to report what we found there. In a place that has been identified as having a government structure that Canberra should adopt - this is the catchphrase - - -
Mr Stevenson: It is a council.
MR LAMONT: The catchphrase has been used by people like Mr Stevenson, who has almost jumped to his feet, saying, "Council, council, council". What Mr Stevenson did not understand, and he did not let me finish, is that the Brisbane City Council wants to model itself on the style of government we have in the ACT.
Mr Humphries: Tell them no.
MR LAMONT: Mr Humphries, that really shows why we have such difficulty in coming to grips with any of your logic. I was paying you a compliment, for the first time and probably the only time in the life of this Assembly.
What they said was quite clear - that the style of government that was adopted in the ACT is a style of government that they, the Brisbane City Council, wish to adopt. They believe that their current administrative structures and so forth are restricted because of the style of government they have had foisted on them over the years. They also gave a number of very meaningful insights into the way the processes should operate, and those processes are encompassed in the recommendations on page 59 of this report. So it was extremely beneficial for the Administration and Procedures Committee to look at and learn from not only the construction of a new parliament house in the Northern Territory but also the experiences of the Brisbane City Council.
There may be some objection to this report in the Assembly. I hope that when the report comes up for adoption, hopefully later this week, 17 members of the Assembly will unanimously endorse it, reflecting the great work that has been done by all the participants on this committee. I hope that 17 members do say, "Yes, this is the best option we have before us".
There may be one of us who believes that creating a permanent home, with community interaction, for this Assembly does not sit well with the objectives that person has enunciated of trying to abolish this place. I hope that what we have been able to do and what we will do in the Assembly this week puts paid to those objectives, and that there is a realisation that this Assembly is not about to be abolished, it is not about to be done away with. This Assembly will continue to represent the people of the ACT in the way in which I believe it has done appropriately via this committee's deliberations. Madam Speaker, some of the comments of my colleagues - - -
Mr Cornwell: Modesty is not one of your strong points.
MR LAMONT: I am sorry, Mr Cornwell; I can speak but not listen to you. It is not one of the skills I have picked up. It is probably because I have not attended any Liberal Party meetings.
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