Page 2352 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 16 September 1992
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MR DE DOMENICO: As I said before I was rudely interrupted, Madam Speaker, all this is being attempted by the members on the other side, the other mouthpieces on the other side of the chamber. And who are they talking on behalf of? Australia's rowing coach, Mrs Kelly, the person who ran alongside, issuing instructions in Barcelona, or so she told us on ABC radio when we listened to it that Saturday morning. That is what this is all about.
The Liberal Party, as Mr Kaine quite correctly said, at no time have said that we are against the development of York Park. It is a wonder that Ms Ellis did not say what I said on ABC radio. I once again agreed with my leader, Mr Kaine. Being a member of the committee that Ms Ellis is on, by the way, she should have been aware, because I am sure that she was at the meeting, that both Mr Kaine and I supported the development of York Park, two or three months in advance of what Dr Hewson, Mrs Kelly or anybody else might have said. Ms Ellis, had she done the research properly, would know that what she said here this morning was a very liberal bending of the truth.
What this motion is all about once again, Madam Speaker, is the Government's attempt to disassociate themselves from the massacre that this country has gone through with the grim reaper Keating in charge and to put it back onto us. It will not work, Ms Ellis, because your research is flawed, as your arguments are flawed. We know exactly who you represent here from time to time, because we know where you learnt your politics - from Australia's rowing coach.
Mr Connolly: She did all right. I seem to recall that she got a couple of gold medals out of that.
MR DE DOMENICO: She gave them to herself.
MS ELLIS (12.18): I have to confess to a certain amount of nonplussment following Mr De Domenico's statements. I would like to make a very strong point here, despite the interjections that I am bound to get from my Tuggeranong colleague over there - although one would never know that he is from Tuggeranong, considering the amount of time he spends down there.
I am speaking today on behalf of the public servants who work for DFAT and the population of Canberra about the great import of this project for this community. That is who I am speaking on behalf of. In relation to the amendment, I agree with paragraph (1). In fact I applaud it and welcome it. I will quote it everywhere I go. I am afraid that I do not agree with the second paragraph. It is very relevant to the motion that I have put before the house today to acknowledge the cost-effectiveness of this planned development when you talk about the options that the - - -
Mr Kaine: How do you know that it is cost-effective?
MS ELLIS: If you had listened earlier you would know the options the Federal Government had to face in deciding how to treat the problems at the DFAT building. Cost-effectiveness is very relevant here. The options were to - - -
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