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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 13 Hansard (26 November) . . Page.. 4704 ..

MR PRATT (continuing):

agency staff, and the experienced people of the land-did not need to wait for a McLeod report to know what needed to be done. They have been champing at the bit to fix the ACT emergency capabilities, to fix the ESB and the broader organisational structures. Hence, our tabling of legislation in August 2003 aimed at rebuilding our capabilities-indeed, an encouragement to government to get on with it and rebuild as much as possible before the 2003-04 season. That has not happened.

Additionally, well meaning MLAs seeking to organise round table discussions with stakeholders have been unable to progress much beyond talking about it. With all due respect to my crossbench colleagues, the opposition could wait no longer. Therefore, we finished our own consultations and we have planted the marker flag here today. It was time to plant it. Today is the opportunity for MLAs in this place to sign up to this plan and to pressure the government into action for the sake of the ACT community. I would suggest to my colleagues that they should not miss this opportunity as the community is depending on them.

Mr Speaker, I urge the members of this Assembly to consider what this bill will do for emergency management and the safety of the ACT community and I commend the bill to the Assembly.

Question put:

That this bill be agreed to in principle.

The Assembly voted-

Ayes 6

Noes 9

 

Mrs Burke

Mr Smyth

Mr Berry

Ms MacDonald

Mr Cornwell

Mr Corbell

Mr Quinlan

Mrs Cross

Ms Dundas

Mr Stanhope

Mrs Dunne

Ms Gallagher

Ms Tucker

Mr Pratt

Mr Hargreaves

Question so resolved in the negative.

At 5.00 pm, in accordance with standing order 34, the motion for the adjournment of the Assembly was put and was negatived.

Cyprus

MR HARGREAVES (5.03): I move:

That this Assembly recognises the strong desire of the people of Cyprus to be a unified and independent nation and calls on the Chief Minister to convey this resolution to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Mr Speaker, in raising the desire of the people of Cyprus to be a unified and independent nation today, I would like to examine the issues faced by the Cypriot community in Canberra. The Cyprus issue has had a considerable impact on the Cyprus community in Canberra-a significant impact.

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