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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 5 Hansard (15 May) . . Page.. 1320 ..

Motion (by Mr De Domenico) proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

MS McRAE (5.00): Mr Speaker, I would like to talk about the saga of the great clean-up at the Kingston site. I do not think we can let the events of the last two days go by without comment. The Chief Minister is trying to put a spin on events that is built around her view of the world and nobody else's. May I remind members of what was wanted from the Chief Minister. In the press release of 7 May 1996 Mrs Carnell said, as I have quoted several times and will quote again accurately:

... it has been clear from the start that any cleanup would be a matter for further negotiation with the Commonwealth.

This is at odds with public information about the land swap. The land swap was announced, may I remind members, on 6 April 1995. The Chief Minister wrote to the Prime Minister on 10 April, and then press releases with details of the swap were made available on 11 April 1995. A committee of inquiry was announced in the chamber on 21 April, and the first public hearings were held on 28 April, a week later.

On 10 April, 11 April, 21 April and 28 April no mention was made of the Commonwealth picking up the tab for cleaning up any contamination. In fact, all the evidence was to the contrary. I refer to the Hansard of the committee hearings of 28 April, answers from the Chief Minister to questions put in the house on 3 May and the agreement of 10 April. The agreement itself had nothing in it about clearing the site.

Mrs Carnell: Not until 5 May; is that what you are saying?

MS McRAE: That is the back referral by someone else - and, Chief Minister, you will get your turn, as usual. I have referred to the Hansard of 28 April. If members want, I can quote from there where it is made quite clear - in fact, it is extremely clear - what the attitude was then to the contamination on the entire AGPS site. Mrs Carnell, I will get to 5 May; I am aware of that and I will get to that.

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