Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 6 Hansard (23 May) . . Page.. 1660 ..

Mr Humphries: Why not?

Mrs Carnell: Why not?

MR MOORE: Because that is how you - - -

Mr Humphries: That is how most deals get done, Michael.

MR SPEAKER: Order!

MR MOORE: Because that is how you get caught out. If that is how you intend to continue, you can also expect to find this Assembly saying, "We do not like the details and the deal cannot go ahead if the details are not sorted out in a specific way". If you are going to sort out the details later, then the negotiation is clearly subject to those details. Do not forget that we have already had the Federal Government change their mind, effectively, about what is going to go on Acton Peninsula. They are talking about the Gallery of Aboriginal Australia - - -

Mr Humphries: So what?

MR MOORE: "So what?", says Mr Humphries. That summarises his attitude to the whole thing - that we must have development on Kingston, no matter what else goes on. No matter what else happens, we must have development on Kingston. Why? Because we have a Liberal government in the ACT and a Liberal government federally. They are cutting Canberra to the bone at the moment and they want to pretend that they are going to provide some jobs in some way. They see the Kingston foreshore as a big beacon to say that they are doing something. Well, bully for you! There is a lot more to it than that.

Mr Humphries is now saying "So what?" about what goes on on Acton Peninsula. "We will just leave that to the Federal Government because we are not concerned", he says. Well, I have news for you, Mr Humphries. Lots of people in Canberra, the vast majority of people in Canberra, are interested in having a say as to what goes on on Acton Peninsula.

Mrs Carnell: They will.

Mr Humphries: They will get their say. A competition will take place.

MR MOORE: You bet they will, because this Assembly is going to continue monitoring what goes on on Acton Peninsula. We are not just going to give you carte blanche to go and do this sort of thing. It was a poor deal. The crunch is that it was a poor deal. I have made my personal view public before this. Had it been to allow a Gallery of Aboriginal Australia to go on the Acton Peninsula, and that is what the Federal Government was going to pursue, then it was a poor deal that I would have been effectively prepared to wear. I think you have some problems with the deal now.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .