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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 7 Hansard (2 July) . . Page.. 2117 ..

That is in light of their senior counsel's opinion; but, in light of the opinion of two other senior counsel, there is no doubt that the use of Bruce Stadium as an investment vehicle was unlawful, and remains unlawful. The Government in making that assertion, in producing that support after it had gone through a want of confidence motion which became a censure motion in this place, shows a clear lack of contrition, an absolutely fundamental lack of contrition, Mr Speaker.

Interestingly, the Government continues to say that there was an administrative failing in relation to Bruce Stadium and it goes on to say that the view about the expenditure of non-appropriated moneys is incorrect. We have had no contrition, no acceptance that they did something fundamentally wrong; just a continuing assertion that the only thing that was wrong was that there was an administrative failing. Mr Speaker, as the crossbenches have pointed out, the jury is still out on that issue and I am sure that the Assembly will revisit it at some time in the future.

Just to recap quickly on a number of the other key recommendations of the Estimates Committee report, I would like to draw to members' attention one of the recommendations in relation to rural residential development in the Territory. The committee found in its questioning of the Minister for Urban Services absolutely no justification for the Government's policy on rural residential development in the Territory. Indeed, when questioned on a range of issues, including environmental issues, issues to do with bushfire risk, land management issues, issues to do with consistency with the subregion strategy and issues to deal with the future metropolitan growth of the city and the future metropolitan structure of the city, Mr Smyth was unable to answer any of them except to say, "We think that it is a good idea".

That is the Government's entire justification for its approach to rural residential development: "It is our policy and we think that it is a good idea". That does not stand up to much scrutiny when you put the blowtorch to it in terms of the range of issues which this Assembly agreed to assess in the motion yesterday relating to an inquiry into rural residential development. The Estimates Committee report recommended an inquiry into rural residential development and that, I am glad and pleased to see, has been implemented by this Assembly.

Mr Speaker, the Estimates Committee report makes a whole series of recommendations. I think it is more appropriate to deal with those substantially when we go through the budget area by area. But I did think that it was important to put on the record that the committee has undertaken a very thorough job, has worked in a spirit of cooperation over some very difficult issues and has come to a majority report - indeed, a unanimous report amongst all non-government members - in relation to this budget. It is disappointing that we were unable to achieve completely unanimous support, if that is not a contradiction in terms, from the government member, but that would seem to be a trend which is being perpetuated in this place.

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