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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 8 Hansard (31 August) . . Page.. 2750 ..
MR BERRY: Mr Speaker, that is couch, because it is frost tender. It is especially frost tender if it comes from Cairns. What mug agreed to couch-based turf for the Bruce Stadium from Cairns? Why on earth did your government ignore the specifications of your own design brief? Why did you ignore these specifications?
MS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, the design brief was for the initial redevelopment of Bruce Stadium and that is exactly what happened. That is what the grass looked like, Mr Speaker. With regard to the decision to go ahead with returfing at Bruce, surprising as this may seem I am not a turf expert, but obviously Mr Berry is.
Mr Corbell: Yes, but you are the Chief Minister.
MS CARNELL: Now, I know that that is probably a problem because the design brief for the Chief Minister just did not have in it that I had to actually-
Mr Humphries: Oh, no, Kate. You never told us.
MS CARNELL: I know, and now that my cabinet knows I know that they will feel very, very, very negative.
Mr Humphries: There will be a spill on now. That's it.
MS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, I know it is very hard to believe but when we decided to returf Bruce I did not sit down with our people and decide what grass to use. I know it is hard for anyone to believe that, but that is the reality.
Mr Stanhope: No, it is not. It is gross incompetence.
MR SPEAKER: Be quiet, please.
MS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, I am fascinated. It is gross incompetence for me not to choose the grass type at Bruce, according to Mr Stanhope. I find this a very, very interesting view from Mr Stanhope. Mr Speaker, I was briefed. I did take advice. In fact, Mr Speaker, one of the briefs that I got indicated the preferred position. In fact, I will read it. It says:
Option 3. If the inspection at the end of July deems that most of the surface is still not of an acceptable standard a complete returfing program will immediately be undertaken.
It continues:
For this program some of the turf will come from Sydney and the remainder from Cairns. 5,000 square metres of Legend Couch, which was laid some four weeks ago, will be available from Tropical Turf Farms in Cairns. This turf will be oversown with rye in mid July. We have been assured that the turf will be ready for use and can be transported to arrive at Bruce by 7 August.
Mr Speaker, I underlined that and said, "This will not work, it will burn off." As all of our members will know, the public service responds to comments we make on briefs. I got a brief back, Mr Speaker, and it said this:
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