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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 10 Hansard (23 September) . . Page.. 3483 ..

MS DUNDAS (continuing):

I would like to touch on the non-fire expenses. Other members of the committee have touched on them already, but I would particularly like to draw attention to the discussion that was had about the Griffin Centre. Money is being put forward to buy extra space in the new community centre that is being built, but it appears that the extra space is actually extra travel ways and infrastructure for extra space that was bought a couple of years ago in the Griffin Centre.

I think that it is a matter of concern that those initial negotiations for the extra space did not cover that. I think that this is one of the areas in which we can say, "Why wasn't this covered in the initial budget? Why are we discussing this at all? Why wasn't it taken into account as part of the initial negotiations that you were buying not only extra floor space, but also lift wells, stairwells and hallways around the space that you were purchasing?"I hope that, as the new Griffin Centre is developed and we move our community organisations into an up-to-date, safe, modern facility, we will be providing them with adequate space in which to grow and to build and that we will not be continually hampered by the fact that we forgot to account for lift wells, because that is not a very good way to run things and is not good for the community sector.

Mr Hargreaves raised the issue of the funding of Unions ACT to support them in the work that they do in terms of communications with government. I do think that the provision of this money is warranted. Recommendation 7 reads:

Mr Hargreaves mentioned some organisations which are already getting such money. I see no harm in asking all of the organisations whether they would benefit from or need a similar resource to participate in the great breadth of consultations that the government has initiated over the last two years. We are asking a lot of our community sector. That is barely touched on in this appropriate bill, which is a great shame. We should recognise the work being done by the community sector, thank them for it and make sure that they are continually resourced to provide this support.

Debate (on motion by Mr Quinlan ) adjourned to the next sitting.

Legal Affairs-Standing Committee

Alteration to reporting date

MR STEFANIAK (11.08): Mr Speaker, I seek leave to move a motion to alter the reporting date of the Standing Committee on Legal Affairs inquiry into the Long Service Leave (Private Sector) Bill 2003.

Leave granted.

MR STEFANIAK: Mr Speaker, I move:

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