Page 3583 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 19 October 1993
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The Assembly's Standing Committee on Tourism and ACT Promotion has a reference on the particular issue of the airport. As a member of that committee I am confident that we will be able to bring down a very forthright report to this Assembly over the coming months. Under the stewardship of the chairman of that committee, Mr Westende, I am confident that we will be able to help progress that matter.
In relation to the other modes of transport, some of which are outlined in this document, we have talked in general about the need for rapid mass-transit systems. One of the most interesting documents put out as adjuncts to this is the transport strategy document which is internal to the ACT. Not only are we reliant upon the external transport connections into the ACT; we also, as a community, are extremely reliant, for the achievement and attainment of a number of our social objectives, on a cost-efficient but effective internal transport network. ACTION has provided an increasingly efficient and increasingly cost-effective service. I believe that the Minister not only has quite adequately defended the record of ACTION under his stewardship, but also has gone on in this Assembly to demonstrate how that vision, which is outlined in the 2020 document, fits into the current rationale for the operation of that public transport system.
The difference between this side of the house and that side of the house, Madam Speaker, is quite clear in these matters. If it is a government organisation such as ACTION, ACTTAB, ACTEW or one of the other government instrumentalities, what those on that side of the house would like to do is to parcel it up and flog it off.
Mrs Carnell: This is just not true.
Mr De Domenico: That is not true. As usual, that is nonsense.
MR LAMONT: Despite these protestations, that really is the fundamental belief that they have. They still have that John Hewson approach to economic development as far as the ACT is concerned, irrespective of where that leads us in ripping asunder the fabric of society in the Australian Capital Territory.
Mr Kaine: I wish you would stop doing that; then we would not have to worry.
MR LAMONT: Madam Speaker, it is interesting to note the plethora of spokespersons on the other side of the house. This one today will be the economic spokesman but tomorrow will be the Treasury spokesman. At least when Mr Kaine was in charge of the Opposition we knew whom we could look to for proper and appropriate leadership from the Opposition. In those days we got it.
Mr Kaine: I like this; keep it up.
MR LAMONT: Thank you, Mr Kaine. I will write you a reference as well. Instead, these days we get a hotchpotch from people like the $26m man and his sidekick Threepence. This really is the level to which the Opposition has had to sink in order to debate and to discuss these issues. Madam Speaker, I am pleased to have been able to contribute my worthy tome to this debate this afternoon.
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