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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 1 Hansard (18 February) . . Page.. 328 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

Mr Stanhope said this morning on the radio, "Always a bit sceptical about these ad hoc beautifying of cities". He did not say "program", just "ad hoc beautifying". Mr Speaker, I would have thought that investing some money in increasing the quality of life of this city through the state of appearance of our public places was a good thing in anyone's language, but obviously - - -

Mr Stanhope: You are carving up the road to the airport. That benefits nobody. We would be better off fixing the footpaths that Mr Smyth will not fix for the pensioners who live out there and trip over.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I am getting a wall of noise from over there. Can I ask for some - - -

MR SPEAKER: Yes, it never stops, does it? I am getting very tired of it. I think somebody is going to end up being warned.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, I could understand them being unhappy if they felt that this was something which came too late or was not big enough or whatever, but they appear to have attacked the very concept of a program to beautify Canberra streets.

The extraordinary thing about that is that when I look back to the 1998 election platform of the Australian Labor Party in the ACT I see in Labor's - dare I mention it? - "Working Capital" policy a promise to create a renewing Canberra fund. I quote what this is all about:

... Labor will establish the Renewing Canberra Fund - the fund to restore pride in the state of our city.

It is a $3 million fund over three years ...

Mr Stanhope: Read it out.

MR HUMPHRIES: I just did.

Mr Kaine: I take a point of order, Mr Speaker. I have been listening patiently to the Minister's long answer to Mr Hird's supplementary question, but I think he is getting a long way from the question when he is starting to talk about the Labor Party's election platform of a year ago. It has nothing to do with the question that Mr Hird asked. I think you have to draw his attention to the point of relevance.

Mr Moore: Mr Speaker, while we are on points of order - I know Mr Kaine refers to standing order 118 - I would like to refer to standing order 202(e) with reference to Mr Stanhope and Mr Quinlan.

MR SPEAKER: Mr Humphries, I am aware, is making a comparison between then and now in terms of promises and initiatives.

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