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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 8 Hansard (26 August) . . Page.. 2401 ..

MR CORBELL (3.24): Mr Speaker, I am speaking in favour of Ms McRae's motion and against Ms Horodny's amendment. I find it amazing that the Greens are prepared to move an amendment to Ms McRae's motion which they have already openly admitted will have no effect. Once again in this chamber we see the ACT Greens saying openly, "We will do something which will have no effect on the Government". Once again they miss the chance to do something substantive in this chamber. Ms Horodny has admitted publicly that a censure motion will achieve nothing. We all know that in this place. A censure motion will achieve nothing. The Minister for Land and Planning will continue to work behind the back of the Assembly to implement a perpetual leasehold system. That is why we have moved the motion of no confidence today.

We believe this has gone far enough. This Minister has deliberately worked to undermine the will of the Assembly. It is that simple. He is not competent to manage the system of land tenure in the ACT, and he should not be allowed to do so any longer. That is the substance of the motion of no confidence that the Labor Party is moving today. A motion of want of confidence is one of the most severe measures that can be taken in the Assembly.

Mr Kaine: Half an hour ago you said it was trivial, or your boss did.

MR CORBELL: It is one of the most severe sanctions that can be delivered in this Assembly. Is this Minister competent to safeguard and manage and administer Territory land on behalf of the people of the ACT? We are saying he is not. He is not, for several reasons. Can we trust the Minister to administer the land tenure system in the ACT? No. Can we trust this Minister to act in accordance with the will of the Assembly? No, we cannot. It is very clear.

Mr Kaine: Put up your evidence.

MR CORBELL: Ms McRae has already outlined it, but for the benefit of those opposite I will outline it again. The Minister undertook not to seek during the term of this Assembly to change the current system of tenure. That was in March 1996. Later, in December 1996, he says he is aware of the letter from the Chief Minister to Warwick Smith requesting that legislation be put in place to enable the change. He is aware of that letter. He admits it in questioning in the Assembly. The Government has kindly tabled that evidence. In July 1997 he says, "We have had discussions with the Federal Government".

We now have before us a letter from the Chief Minister to Warwick Smith, the Minister for Sport, Territories and Local Government in Federal Parliament, saying:

I seek your government's support to amend the Australian Capital Territory (Planning and Land Management) Act to remove the 99 year restriction on the majority of leases in the Territory ...

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