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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 10 Hansard (23 September) . . Page.. 3156 ..

MS REILLY (continuing):

and who are over the age of 60 are wondering where they are going to live in the future because the rates bill is going to ensure that they will have to move out of the home where they have brought up their children, move away from their support networks and friends in areas where some have lived for many, many years. Is this the way to treat people who have made a valuable contribution to our community?

Of course, if you are an older person and you need to use the bus service, the Liberals promised a number of wonderful changes. They talked about introducing a new type of bus. We are still waiting for it. But, even if they introduce the new buses so that it is easier for older people to get on and off, the cuts to the bus routes mean that most old people have considerable difficulty in being able to use the bus transport system to get around and to participate in a number of community activities. This is causing a number of difficulties for people across the suburbs. I am sure we have all had constituents coming to us asking whether the bus service can be improved. The older people out at Belconnen asked for the bus service to be improved so that they could get to the shops, so that they could bring their shopping home and so that they could attend some social activities. It was quite heart-rending. There are stories of older women trying to take their shopping home and being in tears because they could not carry it to their home from where the bus stop had moved to. These are the issues that need to be thought about. There is no point in having brand-new buses if people cannot use them. We need to listen to the older people in the ACT.

MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Wood): Order! The member's time has expired.

MS REILLY: I seek an extension of time.

Mr Kaine: No. This is a matter of public importance.

MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: We had this debate last week. Leave has been refused.

Leave not granted.

MS REILLY: Can we have a vote on whether I can have an extension of time, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker?

MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: You can move that you be granted an extension of time.

MS REILLY: I move:

That Ms Reilly be granted an extension of time.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: I think the indulgence of the Assembly is based on the fact that there is not a long list of speakers lined up today.

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