Page 2338 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 16 September 1992
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
MADAM SPEAKER: I call Ms Ellis.
MS ELLIS: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I understand the Opposition's consternation. What I have done in my speech, if they had been courteous enough to listen, has been to draw a simile between their objections to this project and the mirror of their objections, the Federal Opposition's. I will continue. The definition of the word "deserve" is:
To merit by service, to become entitled to or worthy of. To be entitled to recompense, to merit, be worthy.
It seems that under a coalition government many workers would be faced with the use of this word rather than maintaining their basic rights as employees. This is the Liberal Party's definition of industrial relations. The Liberal Party is willing to go around telling employees that they do not deserve basic occupational health and safety standards. They do not deserve these basic rights because it is expedient to use them as political footballs.
Madam Speaker, allow me to quote from the consultant's report to the Australian Property Group on the current Administrative Building in Parkes. It said:
The findings of the project team show that the building does not comply with the building code of Australia, Australian standards nor the building standards and performance requirements for Commonwealth offices.
The report went on to state that fire escapes were totally unsatisfactory for a large office building. Also, there were unsatisfactory findings in regard to distribution boards being obsolete; inadequate exit signs; circuit-breakers reaching the end of their useful life; thermal detectors needing to be replaced; at least a third of the general cabling was obsolete and had the potential to become a fire hazard - coupled with the totally inadequate fire safety measures, this is of major concern; and the lighting did not comply with Australian standards and had the potential to cause eyestrain. The report went on to say, Madam Speaker, that the air-conditioning system is fundamentally inadequate and obsolete, and that the existing systems cannot be upgraded to comply with current standards.
The conclusion of the consultant's report on these major areas of concern was:
The building is in urgent need of refurbishment and if it remains in its current state of repair, it will deteriorate in a cumulative manner and within a period of two to three years will cease to function properly in relation to the building's basic services. It should also be noted that committing substantial additional funds to repair and maintenance will not overcome this problem, it may slow down such a deterioration by a year or so.
Madam Speaker, Mr Kaine was quoted in the Canberra Times on 26 August as saying that he was "not at odds with the general thrust" of Dr Hewson's remarks in opposition to the development of York Park but that the project would be "useful for Canberra". Also, Madam Speaker, Mr Kaine, speaking in this chamber the day after the Federal budget was brought down, was whingeing that Canberra did not get enough money spent on it. I quote from the Hansard of 19 August this year:
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .