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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 6 Hansard (25 May) . . Page.. 1780 ..
adviser asked whether he could also put his views in writing, suggesting a letter to me, Mr Corbell and Ms Tucker so that we were all aware of the clarification. Mr Gower in fact chose to later write a clarifying statement, the one that Mr Corbell has such a problem with. My office received the fax, I think, the following Sunday.
I reiterate; I did not bully or force the Gungahlin Community Council into supporting the government's route, nor did any of my staff bully or force it to write that statement. Mr Corbell uses the words "appear to" and "may have". Well, Mr Speaker, I am not going to get involved in a who said what argument when I was not there. No-one can reasonably expect me, therefore, to comment on it.
Whether you like it or not, David Gower said this. I will read and then table this. This is not Mr Corbell's interpretation of what was said, but the words and the clarification of the person who said them. Mr Speaker, this is Mr Gower's statement. It is on the letterhead of the Gungahlin Community Council Inc. The heading is:
Gungahlin Community Council Does Not Support Calls For Smyth To Resign.
I think Mr Corbell's press statement called for me to resign. Mr Gower's statement goes on to say:
The Minister for Urban Services, Mr Brendan Smyth, did not give the Gungahlin Community Council an ultimatum on the route for Gungahlin Drive Extension or no road as expressed by Mr Corbell.
The Gungahlin Community Council is now witnessing the continued hijacking of an important debate on roads by politicians for their own political purposes.
Mr Smyth was invited to a meeting of the Community Council to discuss roads and other issues relevant to his portfolio. At the meeting he responded to a number of questions from those present relating to the proposed extension of Gungahlin Drive. Mr Smyth being aware of some of the intense hostility directed, not only at the government's preferred option, but to construction of any Gungahlin Drive Extension, encouraged the Community Council to generate more support for their preferred road from Gungahlin.
Because of the intense hostility from a number of community groups and Assembly members to the eastern alignment and in some cases the mere existence of any road, the Community Council felt compelled to enter the debate to avoid it being hijacked for narrow vested interests.
Mr Stanhope, Leader of the Opposition, entered the Standing Committee on Planning and Urban Services late. Without having the courtesy to be present for the entire submission, he accused Mr Smyth of blackmailing the Gungahlin community. We refute this! Mr Stanhope has on two occasions publicly stated opposition to a Gungahlin Drive extension ... (Maunsell Workshops and after his election to the Legislative Assembly). His only interest was political gain NOT public interest.
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