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high in the Kingston area, and there is no indication that there is any problem with soil stability, which would be a real problem if there were indications of real flow-off into the lake. I seem to remember Mr Wood making exactly those comments when he was talking about the problems of contamination on the Burmah site.

Acton-Kingston Land Swap

MR BERRY: Noting the absolute absence of consultation by this Government in relation to the community before Mrs Carnell folded on the issue of the land swap, noting that Cabinet colleagues were not able to consider this matter - - -

Mrs Carnell: I just told you that they were.

Mr De Domenico: That is not true.

MR BERRY: There was no Cabinet discussion. I direct my question, therefore, Mr Speaker, to Mr Humphries, the Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning. Mr Humphries, were you asked to provide advice to the Chief Minister about the Kingston-Acton land swap? If you were not asked, did you provide it anyway? What was this advice in relation to those planning and environment matters?

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, the Chief Minister is more than capable of knowing where to go within the ACT Administration to get the advice that she wants to make the decision which she ultimately conveyed and discussed with her other colleagues in the Liberal Party Government. Mr Berry greatly underestimates the capacity of our Chief Minister. He thinks that she is not capable of getting that information for herself. There is no question, Mr Speaker, that the Government was perfectly capable of making this decision, based on the facts available to us at the time. The Chief Minister has outlined what those facts were on the occasion.

Mr Wood: A very illuminating answer.

MR HUMPHRIES: If those opposite are not interested in my giving this answer, they can leave the chamber. The fact is that I am going to give it.

MR SPEAKER: It is all right; you can address me. If they do not want to listen, that is their affair, Mr Humphries.

MR HUMPHRIES: Thank you, Mr Speaker. I think members opposite should be aware that, as the Chief Minister has indicated, the Commonwealth gave the ACT only a short period in which to respond to this matter.

Ms Follett: Why?

Mr Berry: Why did you accept it?

Ms Follett: Why did you agree to that?

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