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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 6 Hansard (14 May) . . Page.. 1560 ..

MR CORNWELL (continuing):

has the safest roads not only in Australia but the safest roads in the OECD and, possibly, the world. Your response, Minister, was quite interesting. I quote:

Urban Services Minister Bill Wood said the results had been achieved through quality roads, education and traffic programs.

If this is all true, Minister, would you inform the Assembly what quality roads, education and traffic programs were provided that achieved these truly amazing results and when they were achieved?

MR WOOD: Do you want me to pat you on the back? When were they achieved? Let me go back in history. The ACT began in about 1913. Do you want me to go back that far? There was self-government in 1989. Let's go back that far. It is a historical fact. Perhaps the greatest contribution was the work of the NCDC in the years it was in power. Ahead of that, I would have some reservations about Walter Burley Griffin, because it is a damn maze out there in South Canberra-some of those corners are not the most safety conscious around. So the NCDC with its hierarchy of-

Mr Stanhope: Sir Robert Menzies might have been involved.

MR WOOD: Yes, Bob Menzies. Well, he set up the NCDC of course, so let's give credit to him.

Mr Stanhope: Tom Uren.

MR WOOD: Yes, a former minister. All those people. We will go back to those. But the hierarchy of roads that allows the separation of suburbs from the major roads is perhaps the biggest part of what has given us the freeway system. Let me tell you about the problems of that. We cannot afford that system.

Mr Smyth: Separation of roads from suburbs is good planning. Thank you, Mr Wood.

MR WOOD: Well, that goes back a long way, Mr Smyth.

Mr Smyth: And you are about to undo it, Mr Wood.

MR WOOD: No, we are not, Mr Smyth. The maintenance of those roads is a big problem. But that is another issue, and you might want to ask me a question about that one day. I do not know if you want me to pat you on the back for the 80 years of government in the ACT. If you want to claim credit for your six years, all right, Mr Cornwell.

Briefings to Assembly members

MRS DUNNE: Mr Speaker, my question is directed to the police minister. Minister, on 4 May I sent a message to your office asking for an update briefing from the Chief Police Officer about police numbers and related issues and also for a brief on a spate of apparent bombings. Yesterday, Minister, I received the following reply:

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