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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 9 Hansard (31 August) . . Page.. 2606 ..

MR SMYTH (continuing):

It is very important that we do this because you just cannot have the one rotten apple, as it were, ruining the whole bunch. The Government is quite aware of its responsibilities to places such as the ABC flats. In particular, the Government is currently spending $4.2m on upgrading the 228 two-bedroom units at Allawah and Bega courts because we do want to provide the sort of accommodation that tenants are entitled to.

MR QUINLAN: Mr Speaker, my question is to the Minister for sport and recreation, I think. Can the Minister advise the Assembly of the status of the $1.7m provided in last year's budget for the upgrade of Rugby League Park? What progress has been made towards installing the promised facilities?

MR STEFANIAK: I understand that there are still a few problems in relation to that which are being worked through, Mr Quinlan. Naturally, they have to be worked through to the satisfaction of the Government before the money will be actually released. I think that there are some matters before PALM at present which are being resolved between a number of parties. As far as I am aware, they are fairly close to fruition. I cannot comment on the exact status of those matters before another department. Certainly, the Government made that commitment at the last election, but it has to be satisfied that all the requirements are, in fact, met prior to releasing the money.

MR QUINLAN: I have a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. Has it been decided at this point to whom the funds will be entrusted to manage the development of the facilities? Is the Minister aware of any dispute between the Raiders club and the Canberra and District Rugby League over which body will have control or ownership of that grant?

MR STEFANIAK: Mr Quinlan probably is well aware that there have been considerable discussions and problems in the past in relation to that piece of real estate and some surrounding areas. The Government made the money available in last year's budget.

Ms Carnell: You should have asked Bill Wood as he had to deal with it, too.

MR STEFANIAK: Yes, it does go back, as the Chief Minister interjects, to Mr Wood's time. The Government made the money available for the Raiders, quite specifically. As I said, there are a number of problems which are still being resolved. I am hopeful that they will be resolved as soon as possible. Certainly, I am confident that that will occur.

MR HARGREAVES: My question is to the Minister for Urban Services. In 1989 the ACT adopted the intellectually disabled access plan for ACT Government departments. Earlier this year several intellectually disabled workers in CityScape lost their jobs. We have the case now of a 45-year-old intellectually disabled woman being placed in a so-called departure lounge because after nine years of loyal service her clerical

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