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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 11 Hansard (25 September) . . Page.. 3242 ..

MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

I take objection to a terminology used by Ms Dundas. I think she used it quite innocently and it is terminology that has been used for some time now in reference to the western route, and that is calling it the community option. I know Ms Dundas supports-I think she still does-the western route. Hopefully she might change her mind with this information, if we ever see it. But I think to call it a community option is a bit of a misnomer. I think the vast majority of Canberra citizens, the Canberra community, would be appalled if the AIS left town. I think they would also be appalled at the damage which would occur if the western route were in fact to proceed-not only the damage that would be caused if the AIS left town or even if its operations were substantially interfered with, but also the adverse effect that would have on the whole Bruce precinct; the effect it would have travelling so close to the Bruce CIT; the effect it would have on development, not only by the AIS but by Fern Hill estate and some of the other precincts around that part of Bruce if a great road was to go slicing right up the middle of what is now the car parks.

Also-and this is something I actually haven't heard much of in this debate, and we have had it a few times-the western route will go very close to Calvary Hospital. Having been there recently when my wife was ill-

MR SPEAKER: Mr Stefaniak, would you mind turning to the issue of the tabling of the report, as mentioned in the motion-relevance.

MR STEFANIAK: Yes, Mr Speaker. I have mentioned that. I think it is very important that this report be tabled, simply because we have had an inkling already through the paper of what it says, and because of that crucially important issue of which route is better, east or west. This report, which we would very much like to see to elaborate on what we have seen already in the paper, quite clearly seems to indicate-and I am only going on the newspaper article; it would be much nicer if we had the report-that the eastern route is better.

I would much rather see the report than just rely on the Canberra Times-even though Mr Stanhope regards it as a quality newspaper. I would much rather actually see the report itself. I think if that report were tabled today it may well show that the Canberra Times report is actually quite accurate in terms of saying that this report, which was commissioned by both the AIS and the government, quite clearly shows that the government's preferred option, the western route, ain't the best route; it is the eastern route. That is why I want to see the report, and I do not particularly want to await the minister tabling this report at his leisure. I would like to see the report now.

Consequently, I think Mrs Dunne has brought forward a very good motion that is deserving of the Assembly's support.

MRS DUNNE (4.42): On Ms Tucker's amendment: the Liberal Party will be opposing Ms Tucker's amendment because it does not do what the original motion intended to do. The original motion intends to bring forward the report now so that the scrutiny of the people of the ACT, through its elected representatives, can be brought to bear without, as Ms Dundas says, the spin of the government or the Institute of Sport.

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