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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 6 Hansard (25 May) . . Page.. 1783 ..

But Roma Hosking from the council has hosed down claims pressure was put on the council by Mr Smyth to support the government's option of the eastern alignment, or not get a road at all.

It then crosses to Roma Hosking from the Gungahlin Community Council and says:

Then the announcer cuts in and says:

It goes back to the Reverend Roma Hosking and she said this:

I will table both Roma's letter and the transcript from this morning, Mr Speaker. Why did we ask for each of these views in writing? Because, based on the past action of those opposite, we all know that they would not have believed me if I had got up in this place, say, during question time and verbally relayed what these people's views were. I needed to be able to have that information in writing to present to the Assembly, unlike Mr Quinlan, who the other day queried Mr Humphries' use of the $344 million figure that is listed in the Auditor-General's report. Mr Quinlan resorts to the use of unsubstantiated conversations.

Mr Speaker, I have come in here with written statements supporting my version of the events. Mr Corbell comes in here with nothing more than allegations against a member of my staff-not me, Mr Speaker, but a member of my staff. Mr Speaker, I will leave it to my colleague the Deputy Chief Minister to make the points about ground hog day repeated because that is where we are back to-the Labor Party's ground hog day. (Extension of time granted.)

In relation to the allegations that departmental staff may have acted improperly, my department has looked into the issue and has been unable to identify any officers who could have been involved in any pressure tactics. Moreover, very few PALM staff appear to have had significant contact, if any, with the Gungahlin Community Council. Importantly, had Mr Corbell bothered to attend the Gungahlin Community Council meeting he too would have known exactly what I had said. In relation to my own staff, no pressure tactics have been applied in the way Mr Corbell has alleged. I spelt this out earlier in more detail. The allegations are ridiculous and are unfair. So, Mr Speaker, the evidence is clear. It is all here. What more evidence could a select committee obtain that is not already before you from the clarifications of David Gower and the Reverend Roma Hosking?

Finally, Mr Speaker, I add an important point, one that the urban services committee would have been oblivious of when Mr Corbell started this course. At the time that this was all going on the government was preparing its budget for the year 2000-2001 and in that budget we announced the extension of Gungahlin Drive. The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Now, why would we be pressuring a community group and saying that if

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