Page 2343 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 16 September 1992
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MR KAINE (Leader of the Opposition) (11.48): Madam Speaker, the basic problem with this motion is that it is based on either a misunderstanding of the Liberal situation or a gross distortion of it. I could say that it is based on a lie, but you would rule me out of order. I will not say that, although I noticed that Mr Keating got away with the use of that word in the Parliament over the road the other night and nobody objected to that. It is only in this place that members of the Government are so sensitive and so touchy about it. Madam Speaker, I will do Ms Ellis the courtesy of suggesting that she has misunderstood. She has misunderstood the Liberal Party's position on this issue.
Mr Lamont: No, she has you on the run.
Mr De Domenico: It is like being hit over the head with a warm lettuce leaf.
MADAM SPEAKER: Order! Mr Kaine has the floor. Mr De Domenico, I am ruling in Mr Kaine's favour in this instance. He has the floor. I would like silence.
MR KAINE: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I could go further back; but I begin by referring to report No. 4 of the Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Infrastructure, dated August 1992, which concerns matters discussed by the committee during the months of May, June and July. The second recommendation, at paragraph 3.7 of the report, states:
... that the ACT Government bring all possible pressure to bear on the Commonwealth with a view to decisions being made about projects such as the refurbishment of the old Parliament House, the Museum of Australia and York Park.
The members of the committee know that that is in there because I asked for it to be put there. That is why it is in there. It reflected my view then and it reflects my view now. Which of the Labor members of the committee asked that that be put in there? Did Mr Lamont? Did Ms Ellis? Of course not. It was Trevor Kaine, the Leader of the Opposition; the person that Ms Ellis is now criticising and whose position on this issue she is misrepresenting, as I say, because she probably misunderstands my position.
I put that in there because I meant it; and it is not the first time that I have said it, either. The record will show that I have been talking about getting the Commonwealth to back up its support for Canberra in practical ways like this for a long time, and the York Park development is one of the things that I have constantly referred to. If this Government is so concerned about the Commonwealth backing up its support for Canberra, why have they not been pushing for the Museum of Australia? Why have they not been pushing for the refurbishment of the old Parliament House? No, it is only the DFAT building, because Ros Kelly jumped into the ring; so we have to get behind Ros Kelly, whether or not her position is inconsistent.
Mr De Domenico: She probably had her mouthpiece over there set this up.
Ms Ellis: I take a point of order, Madam Speaker. I do not appreciate Mr De Domenico suggesting that I am representing someone else in this house. I take personal affront at his intimation.
MADAM SPEAKER: Thank you, Ms Ellis.
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