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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 7 Hansard (24 June) . . Page.. 1919 ..

Schedule 1 - Appropriations

Part 1 - Legislative Assembly Secretariat

Proposed expenditure - Legislative Assembly Secretariat, $6,340,000 (comprising net cost of outputs, $3,264,000; and payments on behalf of Territory, $3,076,000)

MR MOORE (10.35): Mr Speaker, I thought it important to rise and speak in support of this part of the Appropriation Bill and to draw attention to the Government's response to an issue raised by the Select Committee on Estimates. The Government's response to the committee stated:

"The committee noted that the current security arrangements were necessary following a cut of $200,000 in the Assembly's 1995-96 budget."

The Government wishes to point out that there is no logical connection between the cut in the Assembly's budget and the changed security arrangements.

Wrong, Chief Minister! The response continued:

Decisions regarding security arrangements are made by the Assembly Standing Committee on Administration and Procedure.

Wrong again! The response continued:

The Government agrees that the current arrangements are unsatisfactory -

right; finally -

a point emphasised by members of the community.

In fact, this was written before some arrangements of the security system were changed. I think most members would find now that the security system is much more satisfactory. As far as I am concerned, it will never be totally satisfactory until this Assembly has an appropriate level of security 24 hours a day; and it does not. I used the word "wrong" twice. I think it is fair that I then clarify what I mean when I say "wrong". The response states:

Decisions regarding security arrangements are made by the Assembly Standing Committee on Administration and Procedure.

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