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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 3 Hansard (6 March) . . Page.. 645 ..

MR STANHOPE: That is my last example, Mr Speaker. I will draw the answer to a conclusion. But how one measures the cost does bear thinking about. You cannot just say it is going to cost this much and have no regard to the benefits or the consequences.

The fact is that the Liberal Party did not engage the appropriate experts, did not do the appropriate reviews in relation to Bruce Stadium, came into this place and promised to spend $12 million and then spent goodness knows how much and broke the law-I think the Auditor-General says that-and it is costing us $5 million a year still.

Mr Smyth: Are you sure?

MR STANHOPE: Absolutely. I believe that it is still costing us $5 million a year into perpetuity. That is the legacy you have left us. So let us measure the cost of that.

To wind up, in relation to many of the issues that are occupying the mind of the opposition-their concern that we are getting on with the job, that we have got the runs on the board and we are producing-many of the things that we are doing are things that we took to the election. Mr Corbell is undertaking reviews in relation to education. We mentioned in the election campaign that we would be doing this.

Mrs Cross: Mr Speaker-

MR SPEAKER: Order! Resume your seat, Chief Minister.

MRS CROSS: Mr Speaker, I ask a supplementary question. If the Chief Minister cannot measure the cost of your reviews, then how can you give your assurance that they will cost less than $1 million, which you are quoted as saying?

MR STANHOPE: We will not engage in the sorts of activities that the previous government engaged in. You can be sure of that. The enormous costs that the Liberal Party bequeathed to this community are shown in the examples that I used: the examples of the hospital implosion, and let us not just think about the dollar cost of that; and the enormous cost that we have all had to bear in relation to Bruce stadium-as I have just said, $5 million recurrent probably forever.

I ask that further questions be placed on the notice paper.

Vocational education

MR CORBELL: Mr Speaker, yesterday Mr Pratt asked me a question relating to vocational education and the need to seek union approval when undertaking student placements with industry. I took the question on notice and am happy to clarify the issue with Mr Pratt.

There is provision for union involvement in vocational education and training in schools in the ACT. I stress to members that this is a longstanding arrangement that has gone on for many years, including when the previous government was in office.

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