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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 14 Hansard (10 December) . . Page.. 5133 ..
MS TUCKER (continuing):
that group any money. I assume Mr Wood included that group when he made his earlier commitment. It might not fit into the category of key funded organisations but it is an existing tenant and, as such, it deserves to be given space in that building.
Earlier I expressed concern about the internal design of the ground floor of that centre. If it is not designed to take into account the needs of particular clients we will experience ongoing problems, which would be a real shame. The government now has an opportunity to take into account the needs of those clients, in particular, access to the building and so on.
Mr Corbell expressed concern about delaying the whole development-an issue that was addressed in the amendments moved earlier by Mrs Dunne. We are concerned about the internal design-the walls and doors-of the building. It is important to these groups that those issues receive consideration right now to ensure that they do not end up with something with which they will not be able to work.
Mr Corbell also said that as the Griffin Centre will be a new, contemporary and quality building a lot of people would want to go there, which is not possible. I never suggested that this building should accommodate every community group, although I certainly said that I was concerned about the quality of the buildings in which many community groups are working. I was referring, in particular, to the state of the present Griffin Centre.
Ms Dundas and Mrs Dunne referred to the fact that other community groups were housed in buildings of an inferior standard. I refer again to Directions, which has been housed in an inferior building for many years-a scandalous situation.
Mr Corbell said that the new Griffin Centre would be better than the existing centre. I certainly hope so. A good tent would be better than the existing building. If the tent were erected in the right place people would be able to access the disabled toilet without getting mugged on the way there.
Mr Wood talked about the importance of combining community services. I acknowledge that that is a good move but many of these groups do not fall within the community services portfolio; they fall within the health or education portfolios.
His argument was not convincing. We clearly do not have a strategic approach to these problems. That is the view of people in the community sector. I acknowledge that the government has gone some way towards addressing this issue. This motion gives us an opportunity to design this centre in such a way that it will meet the needs of the clients. I thank members for their support for the motion.
Motion, as amended, agreed to.
Environmentally friendly fuel
Pursuant to standing order 128, Ms MacDonald fixed a later hour for the moving of the motion.
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