Page 129 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 17 February 1993
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
and on the following amendment moved thereto by Mr Stevenson:
That all words after "block 5" be omitted, substitute "for community health services".
MR BERRY (Minister for Health, Minister for Industrial Relations and Minister for Sport) (10.55): Madam Speaker, a couple of amendments have been circulated in my name. The amendments clarify the issue in relation to Acton Peninsula, with the removal of the words ", namely sections 55 and 33, block 5, for" and the substitution of the word "as", which means that the Acton Peninsula is named. I understand that a copy of the block and section map with that part of the peninsula clarified will be circulated in due course. The first amendment seeks to omit the words "directs the Government" and substitute the words "notes the Labor Party's priority for the next three years".
That clarifies the motion as far as the Government is concerned, but there are other issues that need to be raised in relation to the matter. There are some flaws in the motion which I need to draw to the attention of members. One matter refers to the establishment of the clinical medical school, which seems to suggest in its entirety, on the Acton site. Quite frankly, Madam Speaker, that will not happen. Part of the clinical medical school may be on the Acton site, but it will be centred on the Woden Valley Hospital. We were careful when we announced our policy before the last election to make allowances for that proposition. The motion is flawed in that respect.
The Government notes the sentiment of the motion moved by Mr Moore. It mirrors in some respects the announced policy of the Labor Party, and that is a policy we will stick to. If carried, the motion will recognise our priorities as announced in that policy, and that should somewhat clarify the motion. I make those points of reservation about the motion. As I announced, the Government will support the amendments I have circulated, and will not oppose the motion in its entirety. It is essentially a political statement, and we accept that. We also have made a political statement in relation to the site.
I foreshadow those amendments, Madam Speaker. I had prepared another amendment which talked about the facilities that were to be established on the site. I think I have support for the amendments circulated, which note our own priorities. That sorts out the concerns about the establishment of a clinical medical school on that site in its entirety. I make it clear to the members of the Assembly that, practically, that will not happen. We do note the sentiments of the motion as put by Mr Moore.
MR MOORE (11.00): Mr Stevenson, in presenting his amendment, moved that all words after "block 5" be omitted and the words "for community health services" substituted. I do not wish to do that, but Mr Stevenson and later Mr Berry have identified a problem with the motion in terms of block and section numbers. To clarify this issue, I will take this opportunity to distribute to members, with your leave, Madam Speaker, part of a block and section map which identifies the part of the peninsula I am referring to. I have in front of me three block and section maps. A 1989 block and section map shows the whole area as section 33, block 5 of Acton. A 1992 block and section map shows the area around Acton Peninsula as section 33, block 5. Somewhere along the line, without any indication on the map, block 5 changes to block 17, and there is some
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .