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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 8 Hansard (27 June) . . Page.. 2421 ..

Mr Osborne: I raise a point of order under standing order 61. I would ask members on this side not to interrupt Mr Moore while he is speaking.

MR SPEAKER: I am happy to uphold the point of order.

MR MOORE: Thank you for your protection, Mr Speaker. This is lousy legislation because, on a cost-benefit analysis, it costs plenty and it has no benefits. Mr Humphries said to us, "What should we do? Should we just do nothing? What are the alternatives?". He said that nobody has ever given him any alternatives. To be fair to Mr Humphries, he said "nobody from the Opposition". I think they were the words he used. We have given him a series of - - -

Mr Humphries: You have.

MR MOORE: I have certainly given him a series of alternatives.

Mr Osborne: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Once again, it is under standing order 61. I would ask you to consider naming Mr Humphries because it is the second time he has interrupted Mr Moore while he has been speaking.

MR SPEAKER: I uphold the point of order.

MR MOORE: This is a highly complex issue. That is very clear. On first glance, one would think that Striking a Balance was an attempt to wrestle, in a complicated way, with a very complex series of problems. Indeed, in Striking a Balance, as I think Mr Whitecross pointed out earlier in the day, there was a series of positive moves. If we take away the sort of hyperbole and the arguments we get, there is wide agreement in the Assembly on probably two-thirds of the recommendations. They are sensible, positive moves to assist the small shopping centres and, I believe, would be helpful.

The Liberals genuinely know that this particular move on shopping hours is not going to help. The trouble is that they are now in a bind. They have indicated to small business that they are going to help them. They have said to the save our shops organisation, the Canberra Small Business Council and so on that they are going to help them. They have said that they are even prepared to do something about supermarket hours. Of course, we know that it is a pretence.

What are the alternatives? The first alternative that needs consideration is retail space. We know that there is a resistance by both Labor and Liberal to move on retail space because of development. For the Liberals, supporting development in Canberra is an important part of their thinking. As for the Labor Party, I know that the CFMEU continues to push for development to go ahead and create construction jobs. I understand that construction jobs are important in this environment, but it is the wrong way to lead an economy when the damage has been done. We should do a proper cost-benefit analysis and ask whether the construction of further retail space would have benefit associated with it. Of course there would be benefits, including construction jobs.

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