Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 2 Hansard (1 March) . . Page.. 472 ..

MR HUMPHRIES: The difference between those two positions is that the government has always made clear its view about the need to restrict parking in parts of the ACT where that would have an adverse impact, if unrestricted, on the amenity of ACT residents.

Mr Corbell: It is basic to provide-

MR SPEAKER: I warn you, Mr Corbell.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, let me give an illustration of what I am talking about. I am walking down the street, going to the cinema, and I meet you on the way. You say to me, "Gary, where are you going?" I say, "Greg. I am going to the cinema." You say, "I am going to the cinema as well. I will come with you and we will go to the cinema together." We have agreed-have we not?-to go to the cinema. But am I going to the cinema because I met Mr Cornwell and because I have made an agreement with him to go to the cinema together? Am I doing it for that reason? No, I am not.

The government's position has always been clear. It wanted to have restrictions around Manuka for the purposes of alleviating the pressure on residents of that area of Canberra. Mr Speaker, that has always been the position of the government.

To support that view, let me put to members the alternative. Let us suppose, as Mr Stanhope would put it to the Assembly, today, that but for this agreement-as he puts it-there would not have been any restrictions on parking around Manuka; it was to bring people to use the parking station. If that is the view, you have to ask yourself the question: why would the government-

Opposition members interjecting-

MR HUMPHRIES: I am asked the question. I am trying to give an answer.

Mr Wood: You are waffling all over the place; you are not giving an answer. Come on!

MR HUMPHRIES: Listen and you might learn something.

MR SPEAKER: I warn you, Mr Wood.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, if Mr Stanhope's view is correct that, but for this agreement there would not have been restrictions on parking around Manuka, how does one explain the fact that, everywhere else in the ACT where there are multi-storey paid car parking structures, there are also restrictions on parking in open streets? In fact, it doesn't make any sense to have paid parking structures in the ACT if you allow beside them to exist at the same time-

Mr Moore: I am sorry, I have to take a point of order. Mr Speaker, the member you have warned, Mr Corbell, did interject again. This time he interjected, "You lie."

MR SPEAKER: Did you use that expression, Mr Corbell?

Mr Corbell: I am happy to withdraw the comment, Mr Speaker.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .