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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 10 Hansard (4 September) . . Page.. 3060 ..
MRS CARNELL (continuing):
Mr Moore will also be aware, as other members will be, that some clients from New South Wales access our services, and some of our clients access services in other places. The fact that this client may end up taking a package or taking some support in New South Wales will in no way undermine the fact that we will continue to pay her 47 hours a week at whatever is the current rate that is offered to all other people who could get disability support from the ACT Government and Commonwealth Government together.
The other thing that it is important to remember is that the Government did provide an extra $450,000 last year on individual support packages for people with disabilities. I think that is a pretty fair effort. That made us the first government to commit funds to the non-government sector to enhance the range of community-based disability services after the signing of the Commonwealth-State Disability Agreement in 1991. I think that was a very sensible thing to do. Obviously, it was because this particular person looks like accessing those non-government services.
MR WOOD: Mr Speaker, my question is to the Minister for Business, Employment and Tourism, Mr De Domenico, and it relates to the evaluation of a high-speed train connection to Sydney. I am sure that the Minister has been briefed on the claim by the New South Wales Minister for Transport, Mr Langton, who blames both the ACT and Federal governments for delays in the evaluation. Is Mr Langton correct?
MR DE DOMENICO: I thank Mr Wood for his question.
Mr Berry: Do you want a hand with another question, Harold?
MR DE DOMENICO: No, he will be right. Why is it, Mr Speaker, that we predicted that someone over there would ask that question? It is just amazing. The short answer to Mr Wood's question is no, but I have another two minutes and 58 seconds, according to Mr Berry. Members would be aware that a study is currently being undertaken into the high-speed rail link between Canberra and Sydney. Members might also be aware that the report is being progressed by way of a secretariat made up of representatives of the ACT Government, the Federal Government and the New South Wales Government. That report, which is to be the subject of a meeting between the Prime Minister, the Chief Minister and the New South Wales Premier, is now well and truly overdue. Whilst the reasons for the delay in bringing forward the report are perhaps less important than progressing the project itself - - -
Mr Whitecross: They are not important now.
MR DE DOMENICO: It is his question. If you want me to answer it, I will. Sit down and listen. Mr Langton raised some issues, I am advised, that I feel need to be responded to. This morning Mr Langton said, in no uncertain terms, that the ACT Government was responsible for the delay in the fast train project. I make it quite
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