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The leader of the house at that time passed carriage of the proposal to the Canberra-Versailles Twin Communities Association, led by the president, Mr John Kirby, who has worked over a 10-year period to keep that association up and running. Twinning documents were exchanged in 1987 and 1988, in both Canberra and Versailles-Les Yvelines. In 1988, a group of Versailles citizens presented a three-night son et lumiere production on Aspen Island to mark Australia's bicentenary. The gift, valued at $1m, was watched by more than 100,000 Canberrans. In return, a group of Canberrans visited Versailles in 1989 as part of the bicentennial celebrations in France, presenting an exhibition of art by Sir Sidney Nolan. Since 1987, visits and exchanges have taken place in the performing arts, business, government, tourism, journalism, community services and education under the auspices of the Canberra-Versailles Twin Communities Association.

Previous Chief Ministers have supported the relationship. Mr Kaine wholeheartedly supported the work of the association, recognising the potential of cultural and business gains to both cities. Ms Follett herself recognised the relationship in 1989 by asking John Kirby, as president of the Twin Communities Association, to represent the people of the ACT at a ceremony to present the exhibition of Sir Sidney Nolan's work. In a letter to the President du Conseil General des Yvelines, written in relationship to the art exhibition, Ms Follett wrote of her hope that “the relationship between our twin communities will prosper through future exchanges”. The twinning ceremony in Versailles was attended by the Australian Ambassador to France and a former Australian Prime Minister, both of whom wholeheartedly supported the sister city relationship.

While successive Chief Ministers have supported the relationship, there had been no explicit recognition or endorsement of the relationship at government level until the reaffirmation ceremony last Tuesday, 13 June 1995. On that day, a number of Assembly members were present to acknowledge the people-to-people links and exchanges which began to develop prior to self-government. The Government recognises that sister city relationships promote awareness and understanding of each other's cultures and can offer opportunities for education, cultural, sporting and economic exchanges. The Government recognises that the people who benefit most from these sister city relationships are our children. They have the opportunity to learn about other cultures first-hand, and in the long term that understanding may help to create a far better future for us all - a future without dumb government decisions to test atomic bombs in the Pacific.

Sister city relationships also provide ongoing opportunities for people to discuss issues of mutual concern and to express their opinions on controversial and difficult issues. Closing the door on our relationship with Versailles-Les Yvelines will deprive us of this really important avenue to actually tell the people of France - certainly the people of Versailles - what we believe. It is often the people’s opinions that eventually sway government decisions. In fact, it is a pity that it is not always the people's opinions that eventually sway governments. If I hop uACp here today and ceremoniously tear up a sister city agreement, there might be some coverage on ACT television tonight; but I can promise you that there will not be any in France.

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