Page 2163 - Week 08 - Thursday, 10 September 1992
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them where to find the ACT Assembly. They do not know. They are surprised to know that this big white building that they often pass houses, in fact, the Legislative Assembly chamber. Having a place which is only the Assembly, and identifiably only the Assembly, would be a help in people focusing on where to go to get access and what kind of organisation we are.
MRS GRASSBY (11.00): Madam Speaker, I would like to say that the old Parliament House would be very nice, but we all know that it is not in our jurisdiction and that we would not, I am quite sure, be given it by the Federal Government. Also, I understand that the cost would be enormous because it is full of asbestos. We are spending $10m as it is and people will get upset about that. I think the less we spend the better. The fact that we are moving into one of our buildings is one of the savers. We will be saving rent for the general public. I am not sure what the rent is for this building, but if I had my way we would be paying nothing for it. I find it absolutely impossible to work in it.
It is, as Mr Humphries went on to say, also difficult to tell people where we are. When people ring up I find the same problem in explaining exactly where the building is. People do feel diffident about just walking in here off the street. It is not as though you can walk in and sit in the gallery, which people should be able to do. After all, this is their government, their Assembly, and they should be able to know what is going on. I have suggested to people that they come along on Tuesday nights and see exactly how it works. Only a couple have come, and they said that they do feel rather self-conscious because it is an odd entrance. It is an odd way to get in here and it is not very welcoming.
I understand that every member will be consulted by the committee on exactly what they think about having our own building, and I think this is important. Each of us sitting here knows exactly our thoughts on how the building should work and the way it should be for us. We may not always get what we want, but I think that if we can all have an input it will be very good. I understand from the Speaker that that is what will be done. I look forward to seeing us in a new building. I find the lifts in this building absolutely impossible. Public servants also have to work in the building. It is difficult also for them when we are trying to get up and down in the lifts. This is not the sort of place where you should have an Assembly, particularly with government offices in the same building. We should be in a building on our own.
The Government will save a lot of money by putting us in a building that we already own and in an area which will be very handy for people. They will be able to walk in off the street and find out how their government works. That is impossible now. I understand that people will not be able to drive four-wheel-drive vehicles into the new building; so we will not have any worries in that regard, Madam Speaker. We will be able to stop that sort of thing - not that I think anybody would want to drive a four-wheel-drive vehicle into our Assembly. I look forward to the new building. I have been told that it is a couple of years away. I would like to see whether we can hasten that because of the amount of rent we are paying.
Mr Kaine: I would like to see it in my time.
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