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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 5 Hansard (14 May) . . Page.. 1193 ..

MR DE DOMENICO (continuing):

redevelopment, Mr Whitecross. I would be very interested in seeing what your point of view is on that one. I was pleased to read comments by the ACT president of BOMA in today's Canberra Times - once again, bigger than Mr Berry's attempt at publicity. He talked about the viability of Canberra's non-residential construction industry. He was quoted as saying that he was able to list more than a dozen major construction projects in Canberra. He identified the Russell Offices redevelopment, the Lend Lease project in Garema Place, extensions to major retail centres, and the redevelopment of ACTEW's Fyshwick premises, which we opened yesterday.

Mr Speaker, Mr Berry's claim to fame is that of being the only Minister to be sacked since self-government. As Mr Kaine rightly says, Mr Berry is constantly looking for someone to join his exclusive club. It would appear from this latest stunt that the Opposition Leader in waiting is living by the dictum that any publicity is good publicity. Mr Speaker, I will continue to talk up the economy of this place. If Mr Berry does not like it, tough. We will continue to talk up the economy of this place. If Mr Whitecross does not like it, tough. I think that what Mr Whitecross should do is talk to the people who put him in his spot, people like Mr Wason from the CFMEU. Go and talk to him, Mr Whitecross - the guy who pulls the strings. Go and ask him what he believes the future of the Territory will be, and he will tell you that Kingston foreshore is something we have to go ahead with. He will also tell you that the future employment prospects in this town must rely on the private sector. Yes, Mr Berry, Mr Whitecross and Mr Kaine, we will all continue to talk up the ACT economy. You sit in your squalor over there and continue to prophesy doom and gloom. We will go ahead and do the job.

MR MOORE: Mr Speaker, my question is to the Chief Minister as Treasurer. I understand that projections indicate that the City Services Group in the Urban Services Department has blown its budget by approximately $5m. Would you indicate to the Assembly the actual projection for the end of the financial year and explain how this budget blow-out from this section of the department is going to be met?

MRS CARNELL: I am certainly unaware that City Services have blown their budget by $5m, Mr Moore, but I am extremely happy to have a look at that and get back to you with further information. Having spoken to the head of Urban Services only yesterday, I am fairly confident that they believe that they can bring their budget in.

MR MOORE: I ask a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. Chief Minister, we are talking about a very sizeable sum of money. It is quite clear that the Department of Urban Services has available to it the capital works budget. Indeed, you have taken $14m out of it just this morning. You indicated that just this morning.

MR SPEAKER: Order! This is a supplementary question, Mr Moore.

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