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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 2 Hansard (20 May) . . Page.. 439 ..

MR CORBELL (continuing):

It is absolutely absurd for the Chief Minister to argue that we cannot spend the money because it is not ours. We are the elected representatives of the people of the ACT, and we make decisions on their behalf, representing their views, as to how money is spent, except of course when it comes to futsal slabs, Bruce Stadium and a whole range of other things - Kinlyside, even. The Chief Minister says that we should not make decisions without knowing the cost. The Government has just done that in relation to Hall. The Government has just done that in relation to Kinlyside, the police and a whole range of other issues. This is an absurd argument. It is a contradictory argument from the Chief Minister. She clearly does not have a leg to stand on.

This is a simple proposition. It is a very straightforward proposition. This Assembly has had a debate about whether or not the union picnic day is a valid public holiday in the ACT, and a clear majority of this Assembly has decided that the union picnic day is an appropriate holiday in Canberra. The Executive have an obligation to represent and carry out the will of this Assembly where the Assembly asks it to do so. It is quite clear that the will of the Assembly, and thus the will of the Canberra community, is to have the union picnic day in place. The Chief Minister and the Executive should make the case to the Full Bench of the Federal Court that this holiday should stay in place. Indeed, they have an obligation to do so, because the Assembly has asked them to. The Assembly has supported the idea of having a public holiday. The parliament has made a decision. The Executive are obliged to defend that decision.

We want them to go into the Federal Court and argue the case on behalf of the people of Canberra, as is the will of the people of Canberra as represented through their representatives here in the Legislative Assembly. It is a simple proposition. If the Chief Minister is not willing to do that, she is clearly not willing to do what the majority of people in Canberra want her to do.

Mr Humphries: How do you know what they want?

MR CORBELL: If we believe in representative government, if we believe in representative democracy - you say that nine out of 17 is a majority - we are elected to represent the people of Canberra. Therefore, a majority of members on the floor of the Assembly, thus the people they represent, the constituency - - -

Mr Humphries: We will quote that back to you, Simon, in the future. I think you will be running away from that proposition at 100 miles an hour.

MR CORBELL: We wear it every day, Mr Humphries, so I think you should be prepared to wear it too. Unfortunately, you are not. It is a very simple argument. It is a very clear argument. It is a very straightforward proposition. This Government has no excuse. This Government should not be allowed to get out of defending what is clearly the will of this Assembly. They should go to the Federal Court, and they should argue the case for the retention of the union picnic day. It is that simple. I urge members of the Assembly to support this motion.

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