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Canberra Times . . Page.. 642 ..

Gungahlin is unlikely to be an option for DELP offices as was being studied in association with a John Overall Offices lease extension to 2000, since the new accommodation has to be available in 1996. However, we will continue to plan an ACT Government presence in the Gungahlin Town Centre.

Mr Speaker, as this makes clear, DELP was not being considered at that stage because it was not possible, on this advice, to have it happen. I ask the Chief Minister of the time, Ms Follett, to ask herself what her reaction to that advice was.

Ms Follett: I did not agree with it. That is what happened.

MR HUMPHRIES: I would ask her, then, to prove that by tabling the response that she had to this minute. Presumably, like any other Minister in the Government, she would have signed off this brief. She would have indicated, as she now suggests, if she opposed it, “Not agreed”, or, “I do not accept this proposition”. She has access to those documents. I invite her to put her money where her mouth was and table this document in its final form. That is my challenge to Ms Follett. I also have the ad which appeared in the Canberra Times on 25 January and which made it quite clear that this was the proposal being put forward for DELP. I think it is quite clear that this was not the process that was going to lead to the construction of a building in Gungahlin.

The other point to note, Mr Speaker, is that this Government has taken the trouble to talk to staff. Earlier today I was asked a question about speaking to people about Gungahlin. The staff at DELP are not unimportant in this equation, and they were asked what they would think about the option of moving to Gungahlin. What was their view? You do not know? I am surprised. I thought you members opposite would have spoken to the employees of DELP as well. Again, I can fill your void of ignorance by telling you that, in fact, the staff, almost to a man and a woman, were opposed to the idea of moving to Gungahlin. That is not the critical determinant of a decision; but it is important within the equation, and, Mr Speaker, it is not unimportant to this Government.

Mr Hird: Mr Speaker, could I move that those documents referred to by the Minister be tabled?

MR SPEAKER: He does not need approval to table them. If Mr Humphries wishes to table them he can do so.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I do table that minute I referred to and the advertisement in the Canberra Times of 25 January.

MR SPEAKER: Mr Whitecross, do you have a supplementary question?

MR WHITECROSS: Yes. I will wait until Mr Humphries has decided which papers he is tabling.

MR SPEAKER: There you are.

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