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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 8 Hansard (27 August) . . Page.. 2483 ..

MR WOOD (10.43): Mr Speaker, I move:

That this Assembly condemns the Prime Minister of Australia, John Howard, for his arrogant refusal to live in the Prime Minister's Lodge - an act which demonstrates his contempt for the Australian Capital Territory and its people.

Mr Speaker, I read in the papers today that Mr Howard is reacting angrily to some of the State Premiers for their attacks on him and the Federal Government. He does not like them attacking him; but he should consider what he is doing to the ACT. That is exactly what he has been about and what his Government has been about since their election some 18 months ago. Recently we have seen examples where John Fahey has been attacking the people of Canberra very personally. Senator Rod Kemp and, I expect, other members of the Liberal Party have been circulating literature denigrating the ACT. We have seen, over a long period now, this constant attack on the Territory and its people. It is not just a verbal attack; it is also a physical attack, as they seem set on dismantling to some considerable degree what happens in this Territory and how business is done.

It seems to me that Mr Howard has a very negative mind-set about Canberra. I do not know what occurred during those 28 years that he has been coming to Canberra as a member of the Federal Parliament; but he certainly seems to have entrenched attitudes that are not helpful to the Territory. Now that he is the elected Prime Minister, he will not even live here. That is a very significant gesture. It is the two-finger salute from John Howard to Canberra. Malcolm Mackerras informed me the other day that only Billy McMahon and John Howard, now, have declined to live in Canberra.

Mr Berry: And what a success story Billy McMahon was!

MR WOOD: Indeed, Mr Berry. What a good pair they are! I think they are very well matched - the two least likely Prime Ministers that this nation has seen.

At the time he made his statement, Mr Howard gave family matters as the reason for residing in Sydney; he did not want to disrupt his children's schooling; he thought it better if he and they stayed in Sydney. But do you recall the rhetoric from Mr Howard and the Liberals not so long ago when they advised people - not just young people, but families, mature adults with children - to travel to find a job? The rhetoric was, "If there is not a job in your area, you need to travel to get one. Relocate". But he does not observe that rule himself. He can say it, but he does not follow it.

Like others in this town, I have a good number of friends who work in the Defence Department. One was telling me the other day that they have had 28 moves. They have shifted to 28 different places around the nation and overseas, and their children have been to 15 schools. Like you, I also know people who work in the diplomatic service and who take their children around the world. Why do these Defence Department and diplomatic service people do this? The answer, of course, is that it is their job. That is what they have decided they will do. Their job requires it,

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