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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 1 Hansard (19 February) . . Page.. 178 ..

Motion (by Mr Humphries) proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn.

MR MOORE (6.50): Mr Speaker, I would like to share with members a situation where there has been what I consider to be a significant snub of the Assembly. If this had come from outside the Assembly, as somebody poking fun or whatever, the five of us who were in the First Assembly would be quite used to it, but when the snub of this Assembly comes from the Chief Minister I think we have a serious situation that the Assembly should be conscious of. This Assembly clearly rejected the so-called strategic plan of Canberra, "Canberra: A Capital Future".

Mr Speaker, I can tell you of two circumstances where I consider the Assembly's motion and the Assembly's attitude have been snubbed. The first is in reply to a letter that I wrote to the Chief Minister about a constituent who was concerned about the overdevelopment of Civic Centre. The reply came back from the Chief Minister saying, "That is all right; we have Canberra: A Capital Future". I am giving the general tone of the letter. I, in turn, sent that letter on to the constituent, with a copy of the letter I wrote back to the Chief Minister drawing attention to the fact that I considered that a snub to the Assembly and entirely inappropriate.

Then, Mr Speaker, tomorrow at 4 o'clock a public servant, the senior director of the Strategy and Information Group in the Chief Minister's Department, will be addressing the Property Council of Australia, ACT Division, on "Canberra: A Capital Future, the strategic plan for the ACT's development over the next 10 to 15 years". It is not, Mr Speaker; it is not, Chief Minister. You were told by this Assembly that it is not.

Mrs Carnell: I wrote to you and asked for input, and I have not got it.

MR MOORE: You were told it is not. Whether or not we give that to you is another question entirely. You were told that this is not the strategic plan for the ACT's development over the next 10 to 15 years. I hope this public servant is not sent along to misrepresent the view of the Assembly. It is an entirely inappropriate situation. Mr Speaker, it is a snub to this Assembly by the Chief Minister, and it ought not proceed.

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