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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 8 Hansard (25 June) . . Page.. 2191 ..

Legal Affairs-Standing Committee

Report No 2

That report No 2 of the Standing Committee on Legal Affairs entitled Standing Order 259 and the Inquiry into the Operation of the Dangerous Goods Act 1975 with particular reference to fireworks be authorised for publication.

Sitting suspended from 11.33 am to 2.31 pm.

Questions without notice

Gungahlin Drive extension

MR HUMPHRIES: My question to the Minister for Planning, Mr Corbell, refers to the Gungahlin Drive extension. Minister, on 4 June, in answer to a question, you said:

... the intention is to complete construction of the road in accordance with the previous government's capital works timetable ... the intention is to seek to complete it by the end of 2004.

That was a statement you made in this house three weeks ago today. Yet last Thursday you made an announcement in which you stated that the Gungahlin Drive extension from the Barton Highway to Belconnen Way would be open to traffic in winter 2005-at least six months later than the original timetable; in fact, more likely a year. Minister, did you mislead the house?

MR SPEAKER: Order! I think there is an imputation in relation to these-

MR HUMPHRIES: It is a question, Mr Speaker.

MR SPEAKER: We have been through this a dozen times before. I would like you to withdraw any imputation that the minister has misled the house.

MR HUMPHRIES: I withdraw the imputation but I will ask the question: how do you account, minister, for the clear disparity between what you said three weeks ago and what you said last Thursday?

MR CORBELL: Mr Speaker, the government has always made clear its intention to seek to honour its election commitments. That was the substance of my statements in the Assembly during question time on that day. As a result of further analysis of what is needed to occur in relation to the completion of Gungahlin Drive extension-to take account of the concerns, for example, of the Australian Sports Commission-to ensure that all the necessary planning processes are completed in a timely manner, the government has adjusted that timetable to winter 2005. The government has always made very clear that its intention was to seek to implement its commitment, and we have done so in the most timely manner possible.

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