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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 7 Hansard (29 June) . . Page.. 2356 ..
MR CORBELL (continuing):
It gets better. When you have a quick flick through 1998-1999 and go to surplus assets, you see it again. There it is; it sticks out. And what does it say? It says "Sale of sports grounds". There it is for the third time and it says that the bureau has 27 low-maintenance sports grounds next to schools and other places around Canberra that are not required for sport use et cetera. And then what does it say? Oh my goodness, it says:
These grounds occupy prominent locations in suburban areas and many may be better used for residential or commercial development.
The questions have to be asked: was it just incredible bungling incompetence, was it more of a deliberate agenda to pursue this issue of sale of sports grounds, or was it a case of the department wanting to do that and the minister's office having fallen asleep on the job for three years running? The fact is that for three years-1998-99, 1999-2000 and 2000-2001-the government had in its ownership agreement signed by the chief executive of the department of education and the Treasurer-
Mr Moore: Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, I draw your attention to standing order 62. This is just incredibly repetitive. We have heard it all before.
MR CORBELL: I know the government does not like this. You got caught out big time.
Mr Moore: Standing order 62-
MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Hird ): Order! Minister, come to order. Mr Corbell.
MR CORBELL: I am not interjecting, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker.
MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: I know, Mr Corbell. What you are doing is talking to the minister. Talk through the chair. Thank you very much.
MR CORBELL: Indeed I will, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker. They got caught out. For three years running, it was a deliberate agenda. So, I argue that it beggars belief for the minister to now stand up in this place and say, "It was a mistake."
Mr Moore: Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, under standing order 62-
MR CORBELL: Sit down, Mr Moore.
Mr Moore: He is doing it deliberately. He is just saying the same thing again and again.
MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Moore, resume your seat. I would say the same thing to members of the opposition. There is no point of order. Mr Corbell, you have the call, sir.
MR CORBELL
: I am pleased to see that the minister is enjoying this. The reality is that the government was caught out on this issue. But it does not stop there. But wait, there is more. It is like one of those ads, "But wait, you also get this." Of course, this was an issue of considerable concern to many people in the community and it was an issue of considerable concern to many members in this place, particularly for members of the
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