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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 6 Hansard (16 May) . . Page.. 1718 ..

MR SPEAKER: Order, Mr Corbell! Members of the opposition, would you stop the cacophony? Other people might like to hear what is going on around the place.

MR CORBELL: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Today, director of the AIS, Mr Michael Scott, is quoted as saying, "We may have to expand our campus to the west." This raises the obvious issue: is this simply a ploy by the Australian Sports Commission to deny this government the opportunity to build the road on the western alignment?

It would appear to me that this is highly likely: Mr Scott need only look at the federal government's budget papers, which highlight that only $3.3 million will be available in the federal government's current term for any expansion at the AIS. Most of the much-vaunted figure of $60 million or so does not become available until after the next federal election. In fact, the overwhelming majority of that amount does not become available until after the next federal election.

This only raises further concerns for this government about a Commonwealth agency, aided by its Liberal cronies in the federal government, and its Liberal cronies over here on this side of the Assembly, that would seek to stop this government from implementing its election commitment to build the Gungahlin Drive extension on the western alignment.

We have news for them. The land designated for the Gungahlin Drive extension is territory land, under the control of the territory. Clearly, we believe that the priority for the use of that land is the construction of the Gungahlin Drive extension for the residents of Gungahlin, to meet the demands of that growing area of the city. It would appear that the only people seeking to hinder this government in its attempt to honour its election commitment are those people opposite-

Mr Smyth: Arrogance.

MR CORBELL: Arrogance? What do you call an election, Mr Smyth? What do you call going to the electors and saying we will build the road on this alignment? Is it arrogant to implement an election commitment? Is it arrogant to say you will honour that commitment? Is it arrogant to follow through on that commitment? No, it is not Mr Smyth. The only arrogance-

MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Corbell, resume your seat. Members, if you do not tone down your behaviour, I am going to ask Mr Corbell to do this again.

MR CORBELL: The only people who are arrogant in this debate are those who seek to hinder this government from honouring its election commitment to build the Gungahlin Drive extension on the western alignment. The finger can be firmly pointed at those opposite and their federal Liberal cronies, who have attempted to stop that from occurring.

MS GALLAGHER: Minister, what action is the government proposing to take in response to those statements from the Commonwealth?

MR CORBELL: Despite the campaign by the Liberal Party and the Australian Sports Commission to stop the Gungahlin Drive extension we will continue.

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