Page 2164 - Week 08 - Thursday, 10 September 1992
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
MRS GRASSBY: Exactly, Mr Kaine. I feel exactly the same way. I would like to see it in my time too. If there is any chance of hurrying that up it would be a very good idea.
I agree with Mr Humphries that we do need somewhere where we can bring people to sit down and have a cup of tea and talk. I think we also need somewhere where we can all sit down, parties aside, and talk to one another as normal human beings. We all know what goes on in the house, but that does not mean to say that we cannot walk out of the house and talk to each other as normal human beings while having a cup of coffee or a cup of tea and interact together. I think that we need that. I think that we need that sort of interaction, and at times it would cool things off.
Up on the hill they have a couple of very good places - the members dining room and the members and guests dining room. They also have an area downstairs, cafeteria style, where they just pop in and help themselves. I know that we cannot have what they have up there. With 17 members it would not be possible. But I agree, and I think the Chief Minister agrees, that there should be somewhere for us to sit down and talk to each other. She has said that in the old Assembly there were times when they had sandwiches and coffee and worked right through the night. People were able to use a room at the side if they wanted to have a cup of coffee and talk about things. We have nothing like that here. As has been said, we do have one room on the side, but it is not good. It is on one side of the house, but there is nothing on the other side of the house. This is very bad for all members. If they want to talk to one another they have to walk across the house and try to speak quietly, or they have to stand outside the house. That also makes it difficult.
There are many problems with this building. There are problems with the air-conditioning. One part of the building is freezing cold while the other half is boiling hot. It really has not worked from day one. This room itself is a dreary room. I think we all feel a lot better when we get out at lunchtime. We can feel some fresh air coming in. I hope that all this will be taken care of in the new building. As the Speaker has said, there will be a committee of all members. They can put in their bids as to how they would like to see it. Hopefully we will all get what we want. I look forward to that day. I hope that it is in my time, just as Mr Kaine hopes that it is in his time. I hope that we get a chance to be in there and enjoy something a little bit better than this, and also save the people of Canberra money, because that is what we will be doing. We will be saving rent. We will be in one of our own buildings, where we really should be. It would be all very nice to erect a brand new building, but I do not think that we should be doing that. When we are asking people to take cuts we should be trying to make as many savings as we can. By moving to one of our own buildings we will be able to do that.
MR LAMONT (11.06): Madam Speaker, if there are no further speakers from the Opposition, I seek leave to make a further short statement.
MADAM SPEAKER: Is leave granted? There being no objection, you may proceed, Mr Lamont.
Mr Kaine: In connection with what?
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .