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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 5 (Hansard) 16 May) . . Page.. 1365 ..

MR DE DOMENICO: Mr Osborne, my information is that unless it is done properly - in other words, unless the conditions are ideal for it to be done - the problems we had in the first instance will recur. If that happened, you would be the first one standing up suggesting - - -

Mr Berry: It is only the marking of it.

MR DE DOMENICO: You do not even know where Drakeford Drive is, Mr Berry; so do not interject. Mr Osborne, I would rather see the job done properly so that it does not have to be done a third time.

Mr Osborne: It will take 30 years, will it?

MR DE DOMENICO: Mr Osborne, I would rather that it take two years and be done properly than that it be done quickly just to satisfy one or two people in this place and have to be done again.

MS McRAE: My question is to the Chief Minister. Chief Minister, in relation to the material that has been provided to the Assembly so far about the Acton-Kingston land swap, there is no indication that the Commonwealth is taking any responsibility for the clean-up of the whole of the Kingston site. In the broad agreement that we were given yesterday we see:

The ACT Government anticipates that contamination, if present, is most likely to be related to the areas occupied by ACT Electricity and Water and AGPS. The Territory will be responsible for addressing this issue. The Commonwealth will provide advice on contamination associated with AGPS operations. If major contamination is identified, the Commonwealth and the Territory will negotiate responsibility for and costs of eradication.

Before you get too excited about the possible ambiguity in that, the last paragraph was clarified in the memo that you gave to us the day before, signed by Mr Townsend, in which this was further clarified and it was said:

The draft land swap agreement which was forwarded to the National Capital Planning Authority in May 1995 indicates that the Commonwealth will provide advice on any contamination associated with the AGPS operations. If major contamination is identified, the Commonwealth and the Territory will negotiate responsibility for any costs of eradication. I will keep you informed of any additional information about the extent of contamination on the AGPS site.

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