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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 7 Hansard (20 June) . . Page.. 2165 ..

MR QUINLAN (continuing):

So it is humbug to claim that this is helping battling families. It is not about that. It is not about equity. There is no equity in the process. It is not an election promise. There was no community for it. The reaction of virtually everybody in the education system has been against it, save qualified-

Mr Smyth: Except for 16,000 students.

MR QUINLAN: Yes, certainly some people are going to be bought off. I accept, Mr Smyth, that some families will be bought off. That is exactly what we are saying. That is what you are doing. But you are not picking out the families of 16,000 students who really need it. This is random. It rather depends upon whether you are sending your children out of area to school or not. It is nothing to do with need. It is typical of you and your party.

As I have said, this is a cynical vote-buying exercise. Some of us are not in this place just to be in this place. Some of us are here for the improvement of Canberra. This is a cynical method of shoring up the electoral prospects of a handful of people. It is no more than that. It offers no equity. It offers no fairness. If you have this sort of money you should invest it in education. If you do not want to invest it in education you should distribute it to those who really need it. This same government is cutting back on public education.

The Estimates Committee has said, "Don't go out there and commit $8 million of capital investment in this scheme on the eve of a caretaker period when it is quite clearly an election ploy." There is no analysis behind this. Why the rush? The rush is because you wish to divide the community, and you wish to buy votes. I think you stand condemned by this initiative. I think it is an eloquent commentary on the politics of the Humphries government, and it has a very high degree of parallel with the sorts of politics that John Howard invokes at the federal level. You seem to be a one-trick pony.

Debate interrupted in accordance with standing order 74 and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for a later hour.

Sitting suspended from 12.28 to 2.30 pm

Visitors

MR SPEAKER: I would like to recognise the presence in the gallery of the year 10 local government group from Canberra Girls Grammar. Welcome to your Assembly.

Questions without notice

Bruce Stadium-marketing contract

MR STANHOPE: My question is to the Chief Minister. The Auditor-General's Report No 3 of 2001, tabled yesterday, catalogues another sorry tale of failure of the government in relation to the redevelopment of Bruce Stadium-this time over the marketing contract. Amongst a litany of failure, the report reveals that no formal contract was ever executed between the government and the successful tenderer. The Auditor describes the process as being this:

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