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Acton Peninsula

MR WOOD: I am assuming that we are getting only one question each, as has been the practice for years; so I would ask my question - - -

MR SPEAKER: Mr Wood, you can assume nothing, my friend.

Ms Follett: Not even the standing orders?

MR SPEAKER: If you read the standing orders you will understand what I am referring to. Please continue, Mr Wood.

MR WOOD: At this stage I direct to the Chief Minister a question about the Acton Peninsula. Did you consult, Chief Minister, with the Minister for Industrial Relations about the continuing employment conditions of ACT Government Service staff at the child-care centre on Acton? Will you guarantee that no-one will lose employment as a consequence of the changes to the use of Acton Peninsula? Will you meet with the relevant unions to assure them that you will protect their rights, or instruct Mr De Domenico to do so?

MRS CARNELL: I am very pleased to take this question. The whole basis of the decision to swap Acton and the Kingston foreshore was to produce some jobs in this city. This is what it is all about. This is about two new, very important buildings on Acton Peninsula. That means substantial work in the construction industry - an industry that is in the doldrums at the moment, as we all know. I understand that building approval statistics released today show a decline of 20.6 per cent, from $47.1m in February 1995 to $37.4m in March. That is the problem that we have in this city. For the first time for a long time we have an opportunity to get the construction industry - one of the major employers in this town - up and running. We have two new guaranteed buildings. We also have a site that is bigger, as I have said before, than Circular Quay and Darling Harbour put together and that will be subject, I hope, and I believe, to one of the more unique developments that we are going to see, not just in the ACT but in Australia, in the foreseeable future. We actually have new jobs. How wonderful! I can guarantee that as a result of this swap there will be new jobs in the ACT economy. Yes, we will have discussions with the unions involved. Of course we will.

Aircraft Noise

MR MOORE: Mr Speaker, my question is for Mr De Domenico, but I understand that the Chief Minister will take it, which suits me very well. I want to give the background to the question, which is about aircraft noise.

MR SPEAKER: Perhaps you should ask it, Mr Moore, and then we will find out.

MR MOORE: It begins with a quote from a letter that the Chief Minister, who was then the Leader of the Opposition, signed on 16 February 1995. With reference to aircraft noise, she said this:

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