Page 1380 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 12 May 1993
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CITY COUNCIL AND LORD MAYOR
Debate resumed.
MR CORNWELL: I took the view, and it was certainly the view of others involved in the push for self-government, that it would take something like three Assembly elections before the population settled down and accepted the inevitability of self-government. That may well have been put back by one election because of the disaster that occurred in relation to the first Assembly election, which I think took the wind out of everybody's sails. We assumed that we had an intelligent electorate, and I have to say that I think they let themselves down badly by the approach they adopted. However, I think it is also fair to say that this Assembly has improved markedly upon that performance. Indeed, I believe that one of the reasons for that is that the electorate itself realised its mistake in the first election and took action in the second to make sure that it was not repeated. I believe that they will take further action in the next election to finish the job they started last year, 1992.
We have criticised the Government, and correctly, for its lack of consultation with the community, but that is a question of the Government's approach to consultation. It is not a criticism of the capacity to do so in this Territory. We have a better opportunity here to consult the community than anywhere else in the country, and I believe that we should prize that. Mr Stevenson wants to give that away and give it back to the Commonwealth, where we would have a Minister from somewhere else in Australia who is remote and removed from the day-to-day activities and problems this city faces. I do not want to see that.
I believe that we have the opportunity to improve our consultation. It is a matter of the Government seizing the initiative. The opportunity is there, and that is one of the areas we would support you in addressing. It is one of those areas of improvement that the entire Assembly could address. I believe that there is a good deal of pretentiousness in this place, and I think that should be looked at. It is not the fault of this Assembly. It was thrust upon us, to some extent. It was not entirely the fault of the First Assembly. We have loaded ourselves up with motor cars - - -
Mr Stevenson: Speak for yourself.
MR CORNWELL: Yes, I acknowledge Mr Stevenson's interjection, to his credit. We have loaded ourselves with a quite liberal superannuation scheme. Perhaps the form of this place could be addressed.
Mr Connolly: No, it is not. It is the Public Service scheme. It is not that liberal.
MR CORNWELL: One moment. I am making these comments because I am attempting to identify attitudes that are out there in the community. You may find this sensitive, but you are going to have to listen because I have the floor. The point I am making is that these are areas that could be addressed and they are areas that we are quite happy to look at. This is what we are referring to in terms of addressing this whole question of the Assembly. Mr Stevenson's motion, however, does not talk about that. Mr Stevenson wants to replace our current State-like form of government with a city council and lord mayor.
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