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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 12 Hansard (20 November) . . Page.. 3892 ..

MR DE DOMENICO (Minister for Urban Services): I want to use standing order 46 because I claim to have been misrepresented.

MR SPEAKER: Right.

MR DE DOMENICO During the course of question time Ms Reilly asked a question of Mr Stefaniak. She said words to the effect of, "Your colleague Mr De Domenico is closing down the Dillybag Cafe". Just for the record, I would like to say that that is not true. For the edification of Ms Reilly and others, the Dillybag Cafe is located in the glass-fronted area of the Woden library. Some of you might have been there. I have. It is a wonderful cafe. The cafe is operated by the Woden Community - - -

Ms Reilly: Why are you closing it down?

MR DE DOMENICO: Just sit there and listen and you might learn a few things. You have been here for a while, but you still have not learnt. Sit down and listen. The site has been - - -

Ms McRae: Not as much as you, yes.

MR DE DOMENICO: No; you will learn something, too. The cafe is operated by the Woden Community Service. It is not operated by the Government; it is operated by the Woden Community Service. The site has been identified as the most suitable potential site for a shopfront, which is what the community wants. The co-location of the library and a shopfront at Woden is aimed at improving government information services to the community. The Woden Community Service, which runs the Dillybag Cafe, was shown preliminary drawings prepared by the architect on 23 and 28 October 1996 and was asked to comment on the proposals, to enable further design work to be undertaken. Notwithstanding that they were asked and shown plans, the Woden Community Service chose not to proceed. They wrote a letter saying, "We no longer want the lease".

Ms Follett: I raise a point of order. Mr Speaker, I think the standing order under which the Minister has leave refers to matters of a personal nature.

MR SPEAKER: Yes.

Ms Follett: I am perfectly prepared to allow the Minister to speak on this, but not under that standing order. If he wants to expand an answer which he gave, there are other provisions he might want to make use of. This is not an explanation of a personal nature.

Mr Humphries: On the point of order: Mr De Domenico was accused in question time of closing down the cafe. Mr Berry said, "Mr De Domenico" or "the Minister for Urban Services is going to close down the cafe". If that is not personal, what is?

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