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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 9 Hansard (28 August) . . Page.. 2686 ..

MR BERRY (continuing):

it is convenient. What is bad is if the likes of Mrs Carnell sell off that valuable real estate and push people into the outer suburbs. I think anybody who was listening to her speech would have drawn the conclusion that that was the intention of the Government.

This motion is about stopping all that sort of nonsense and making sure that Independents like Mr Moore and Mr Osborne hold this Government to the decisions of this Assembly. If they are not prepared to support motions like this which force this Government into a position, then they have to take the responsibility for the actions of this Government that are against the interests of people in public housing, in the same way as Mr Moore has to take responsibility for the closure of schools and every other piece of damage which has been inflicted on the community by this Government opposite.

MR SPEAKER: Relevance!

MR BERRY: Mr Moore, let us have no more grandstanding. We do not want to see the headlines. We want to look at the actions. We know what they are. They are full support for what this Government does to the community. Let us not ignore those facts. I will move the following amendment:

Add the following new paragraph:

"(6) that the ACT Government use the forthcoming budget for 1996-97 to replace the $10.4 million cut in public housing funding which Mrs Carnell has handed back to the Commonwealth.".

This is about the $10.4m which was given away by Mrs Carnell. I am disappointed that the Greens are not going to support this amendment. This is the sort of money that, if retained in the ACT, would have meant more jobs for people in the Territory. It is extremely disappointing that the Greens are not prepared to support a motion that would force this Government into a position.

Mr Moore bleats that this could be something that would interfere with the Government's ability to put together a budget. We are saying to Mr Moore, "Give the Government some direction, some guidance, and tell them that if they do not take the guidance they are in deep trouble". Mr Moore would not threaten this Liberal Government opposite, because he is happy with the damage which has been inflicted on the community by this lot opposite, particularly the damage which has been inflicted upon the education system.

Mr Osborne: He cannot stop laughing. Look at him.

MR BERRY: Mr Osborne rightly points to the belly laugh over this issue. I am laughing at Mr Moore for his pretence over this issue. It is a laughable position for a politician to have. Fancy pretending that they have all these in-principle positions - - -

Mr Moore: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. This same member drew your attention again and again to relevance when I was speaking. It just demonstrates the hypocrisy of the man who would have cut 80 teacher positions, if he could have, when he was in government.

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