Page 1177 - Week 04 - Thursday, 21 April 1994
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Mr Cornwell: Not as many restrictions as some would like, Minister. Read some of the correspondence I have sent you.
MR WOOD: The member may take that up. Dual occupancy, as I say, is a feature of Canberra, has been and will continue to be; and I believe that it has pretty widespread support. Certainly we have to see that, as with all developments, it is of a very high quality. I note the comment about reduced valuations. I am informed that the Australian Valuation Office is monitoring that situation and has seen no evidence of declining values as a result of dual occupancy. That is the best information I have, so I do not think there is any need for people to be concerned. Dual occupancies are as likely to increase values as to decrease them. I am sure that citizens in Canberra would be confident with that and willing to pay their rates.
Assembly Members - Office Accommodation
MR WESTENDE: Madam Speaker, my question without notice is addressed to the Chief Minister. I remind the Chief Minister that in answer to a question from me last Tuesday, 19 April, she said:
... the office space Mr Berry now has appears to be about the same as that of the other backbenchers.
As we are advised that Mr Berry's office is 80.1 square metres and Mr Moore's is about 66.78 square metres, would you still claim that they are the same?
Mr Wood: The ceiling height is more on the ground floor or the first floor, so there is a greater volume - - -
MR WESTENDE: Madam Speaker, I cannot remember asking the question of Mr Wood. I asked the question of the Chief Minister.
MS FOLLETT: Madam Speaker, I have to admit to not having been down to every backbencher's office and measuring it. In fact, I have not even been to all of them. Madam Speaker, I submit that Mr Berry's new office looks about the same to me, from what I know of backbenchers' offices.
Mrs Carnell: Which is nothing.
MS FOLLETT: If that is not the case, I accept that it is not the case; but the point is, Madam Speaker, that this is one of the most petty and vindictive campaigns I have ever seen in a long political career. It really is absolutely ludicrous. Madam Speaker, I know that members opposite were resistant to the idea of anybody from this side of the chamber taking extra space on their floor, so that was obviously a difficulty. We had to do the best
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