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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 11 Hansard (28 November) . . Page.. 3289 ..

MR HUMPHRIES: It is an extraordinary claim? The fact is that the ACT government is not responsible by itself for the role of the public sector in the ACT. Of course, Mr Quinlan will be aware that the ACT government accounts for a small minority of the public sector in the ACT. The majority of the public sector is the Commonwealth government.

The figures you are quoting suggest that there had been growth in the public sector-or at least growth in productivity in the public sector-and yet you have been spending the last four years, along with your colleagues, telling us how much the federal Liberal government is ripping the guts out of the city of Canberra.

Mr Berry: And the ACT.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Berry, to respond to your interjection, if the public sector is growing in the ACT, who has the credit for that? Is it the ACT or the Commonwealth government?

Mr Quinlan: So it is them, not you.

MR HUMPHRIES: Make up your mind.

Mr Stanhope: It is the tax office and the GST.

MR HUMPHRIES: Ah, the tax office; I see, Mr Speaker. So five years of growth in the public sector have been the responsibility of the Australian Taxation Office? Is that right? Is that right Mr Stanhope? I do not suggest that the figures will confirm that kind of result. I think the opposition needs to get its line clear. Is it in favour of the private sector or is it not? This government is, and will continue to have policies that are supportive of its growth, and conducive to a more vibrant private sector in this town.

MR KAINE: My question to the Minister for Health, Housing and Community Care, Mr Moore, concerns the proposed redevelopment of public housing at Burnie Court. A rather curious situation has arisen-everything seemed to be proceeding satisfactorily with that urgently needed project until Mr Moore recently assumed portfolio responsibility for it. Ever since then it seems to have turned to custard. In fact, as far as the local residents are concerned-they are the people who stand to be most affected by this redevelopment-the government and the new minister seem to have thrown a shroud of secrecy over the project and the project seems to be taking an entirely new direction.

Minister, will you put on record, firstly, your reasons for setting aside or ignoring the interests and the agreed positions of the principal users of this project-that is, the Burnie Court Residents Association and the Lyons Community Association; and, secondly, your reasons for terminating the services of the two contractors who, by all accounts, were proceeding satisfactorily and meeting their obligations? Can you tell us why you terminated the contract? Can you tell us who now is drawing up plans for the Burnie Court redevelopment after all this time?

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