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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 2 Hansard (28 February) . . Page.. 389 ..

MR QUINLAN: Thank you, Mr Speaker. That was another of those "I know nothing" answers. Minister, I am considering naming you "Baby Schultz".

MR SPEAKER: Order! No preamble, Mr Quinlan.

MR QUINLAN: Minister, has there ever been any correspondence between you and the developer of the Manuka Plaza relating to parking restrictions in Manuka that pre-dates yesterday?

MR SMYTH: Mr Speaker, there is numerous correspondence between my office and the department and the developer of the Manuka Plaza. The construction of Manuka Plaza started after I had become planning minister.

Mr Quinlan: So you knew about it.

MR SMYTH: No, that is not what you said yesterday, Mr Quinlan. You asked and talked about secret deals. I am not aware of any secret deals, but there is a continuous stream of correspondence between PALM and the developer. I believe the latest letter I sent was in January this year when I offered Mr Gordon Davidson to continue negotiations and to look at the parking issue in Manuka.

Mr Speaker, we have done this the whole time. Throughout the Manuka Plaza development there have been temporary arrangements. Following Manuka Plaza there was then the development of Palmerston Lane. We continue to discuss with the traders, the residents, the owners and the unions on temporary and permanent parking and the loading zone arrangements at Manuka, and we will continue to do so. Mr Quinlan knows that because, like him, I was at the meeting there this morning when a representative from the department was to meet with the Manuka Traders Association to continue the conversations and negotiations on getting the parking for Manuka right.

Relocation of streetlight

MR KAINE: My question also is to the Minister for Urban Services. It is not about Manuka parking, but I have been highly entertained by the minister's attempts to avoid answering those questions. I hope I am as entertained by his answer to this one. My question is a memory jogger. Minister, on a couple of occasions early in December I asked you questions about a streetlight in Quiros Street, Red Hill that was moved. My last question on that subject was whether the approval given by the person who usually approves these things or "by someone, shall we say, in the higher level in the hierarchy". Your answer was:

I took it that that was taking the question on notice. It is now three months later, Minister. Have you found out who took that decision, and may we now be informed?

MR SMYTH: I think I came back to this place and answered that question. I am not sure that Mr Kaine was here. My memory is that Mr Kaine was not here when I gave the answer. I do not have those documents with me. I would be happy to give him the answer again.

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