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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 8 Hansard (27 June) . . Page.. 2257 ..

MS HORODNY (continuing):

that is interesting; who is getting the free lunch then? -

low rents and money to fit out and, in some cases, stock a store in a centre.

Yet we keep hearing that small businesses in the ACT are just not lifting their game and what is it that they want, a subsidy? It sounds like the subsidy is for the corporate giants. This is where the money is going. David Jones's new stores, for instance, at Glen Waverley in Victoria, which opened last month, and Robina and Carindale in Queensland are "turnkey" stores; that is, the retailer's only outlay is stock. They are getting free rent. Where is the free lunch? It is obviously with the corporate giants. There is silence. There is no answer to that.

Mr Wood: I do not understand it.

MS HORODNY: You do not understand it? The point is, Mr Wood, that in order to get some of those big retail giants into those town centres they are given free rents for up to two years.

Mr Wood: Where does the free lunch bit come in?

MS HORODNY: "Free lunch" is an expression, Mr Wood, about having an unlevel playing field. We talk about playing fields all the time.

Mr Hird: Do not let them rattle you, Lucy.

MS HORODNY: No, I am not rattled. Thank you, Mr Hird.

MR SPEAKER: Order! Ms Horodny has the floor.

MS HORODNY: Ms McRae's other favourite line here is that for the residents around the Belconnen Mall there is no local shopping centre; that the Belconnen Mall is in fact the local shopping centre for those people there.

Ms McRae: That is right. You ask your constituents.

MS HORODNY: Ms McRae, just across the road is the Jamison Centre.

Ms McRae: It is not if you do not have a car. You try walking there from Totterdell Street. You try it.

MS HORODNY: Ms McRae, there is a small shop at Emu Ridge which has closed down - - -

MR SPEAKER: Order! Ms Horodny has the floor, whether it is a level playing field or not. Please go on.

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