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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 7 Hansard (30 June) . . Page.. 1894 ..
MR CORBELL (continuing):
That was a request from Mr Snow, representing the airport, to the Chief Minister. What did the Chief Minister say in reply? The Chief Minister wrote to Ms Annabelle Pegrum, the head of the National Capital Authority, on 2 September last year. She said in part:
I would appreciate your giving the issues raised sympathetic consideration.
In respect of the issues raised by the Canberra International Airport Group, she said, "I would appreciate your giving the issues raised sympathetic consideration". What issue was that, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker? That issue was the request by the Canberra International Airport Group not to extend the lease. So, we have a hypocritical approach by this Government, a very hypocritical approach by this Government.
Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, that is further highlighted by a comment that the Chief Minister has made in this place. She took a point of order against me on 25 March and she said:
I take a point of order, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker. Telling untruths in this place is, I would have thought, contrary to standing orders. If those opposite want to join with us in writing to the Commonwealth to get them to extend the lease, I would be in it.
That is what the Chief Minister said to this place. She went on to interject and say:
Okay. I will draft a letter and you will sign it with me.
The Chief Minister was saying she was going to do everything she could do to extend the dragway's lease. But she knew, back on 2 September last year, that she had asked the National Capital Authority to give sympathetic consideration to the request by the Canberra International Airport Group not to consider extending the lease for Canberra International Dragway. That is a disgraceful situation, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker.
The Canberra International Dragway has been sold down the drain by this Government because government members have been coming into this place and saying one thing, that they support the dragway, even saying they will write a letter urging for an extension of a long-term lease, yet five months previously the Chief Minister supported a request by the airport group to give sympathetic consideration to not extending the dragway's lease. I think the facts speak for themselves, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker. I think the facts speak very well for themselves.
Coming back to the points outlined in my motion, the first point that I am asking this Assembly to say today is this: Note the significant contribution the Canberra International Dragway makes to tourism activity in the Territory. Secondly, recognise the role performed by the dragway in providing a safe, controlled and professional venue for drag-racing. Recognise the fact that while we continue to have a problem with burnouts and illegal drag-racing on some streets in Canberra, the loss of this facility makes it all the more difficult to encourage people who put money into their cars to drag-race safely in a controlled activity because one currently does not exist.
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