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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 14 Hansard (11 December) . . Page.. 4713 ..

MRS CARNELL (continuing):

Mr Speaker, I think what is really important here is that the approach we have to take when we look at areas such as the QEII site - and I do not think anybody is doubting that we do need to go ahead and not leave what will be empty, very ageing buildings there - is to look at what would be best for the community. There is no money whatsoever in this year's budget for sales of either of those two areas; nor should there be. The reason why there is not, Mr Speaker, is, No. 1, that the QEII site will not be vacated until May-June of next year; so, it simply cannot come inside this year's budget. Most importantly, we have not made any decision whatsoever to sell, lease back, lease, or whatever, the Health Building. The reason why we did add it, though, to the expressions of interest was to see what came up. The reason why it is important to do that is - Mr Berry probably does not remember - that probably when he was Health Minister, and certainly when Mr Connolly was, it became obvious that the Health Building was going to require very significant refurbishment. I think the Estimates Committee - not the last Estimates Committee but the one before - was looking at the proposal that was put forward for a $9m refit of the Health Building. That is the sort of money that we will need to ensure that that building is brought up to scratch.

Mr Speaker, I think it is very appropriate for us to look at various ways that may exist - or may not exist - to ensure that that refurbishment is achieved or that that site is used in the best possible way. None of that has anything to do with health services in Civic. The fact is that it says quite categorically, in black and white, that, regardless of what may or may not happen with that building, those health services must stay where they are - and they might stay where they are forever, because whoever may or may not buy the building might decide that that is the way to go - or, alternatively, if they need to be relocated they must remain operational. Again, to quote the document, they must "remain operational until alternative facilities are provided elsewhere".

Mr Speaker, we have made it very clear that you cannot have a Civic Health Centre if it is not in Civic. It is just one of those basic things about a health centre. Those services do need to be in Central Canberra; there is no doubt about that. They may need to stay in the Health Building if there is no appropriate different approach. But, I think, taking into account the fact that the people of Canberra are facing a bill of some $9m for a building that has never worked very well - - -

Mr Berry: It has worked well.

MRS CARNELL: Mr Berry is saying that it does work. That is not what the unions that work there say. The unions that work there say that the building does not work very well; that, because of the actual design of the building and that central core open space, the air-conditioning and other things really do not work terribly well. I think Mr Humphries would remember, when he was Health Minister, the ongoing problems with the people who worked in that building, who were saying, "It is really just not as good as it should be. It does need significant work done on the building".

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