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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 14 Hansard (10 December) . . Page.. 5153 ..

MR HARGREAVES (continuing):

children at the apron strings of the NCA. Good on you! So much for a mature Assembly; so much for mature representation in this town. You people have failed miserably.

Mrs Burke: What about the people of the community, John?

MR HARGREAVES: "What about the community?"says Mrs Burke. Was the community asked what nature of celebration they would like? No, they were not.

Mrs Burke: That's a ridiculous comment, a ridiculous comment.

MR HARGREAVES: It's a ridiculous comment, she says. Asking the community what they think is a ridiculous comment, says Mrs Burke. Well, I do not suppose that is the first time we have heard it and I do not suppose it will be the last.

What we have got here, Mr Speaker, is a duplication of the federal NCA's idea of what we should do: two parties, two shows, two sets of fireworks. I ask you, Mr Speaker: does doubling something make it twice as good? And being a photocopy of the NCA, I am afraid, does not do you any credit at all.

The other states in Australia do not have somebody else putting on a party in competition to them. They do not have somebody putting on a rock band and fireworks the day before. No. Why is that? It is because the NCA stays out of their face. It is none of their business. Mr Speaker, I'm getting sick and tired of the federal government telling us-the people of the ACT-how to celebrate things like Australia Day. I am sick to the back teeth of it.

The federal government is saying, "Yes, you can have your party. But we're going to have one the day before and we're going to have a bigger one and a better one than you because we're a bigger and a better parliament than you."Guess what, guys: most of those people on the hill are not even here. They are in their constituencies in the states. They are not in town. What they are doing is saying, "This is the party you're going to have but I'm not going to stick around and watch it."These camp followers are not even here to enjoy the show. What are they doing? They are having a day off just like most people. Mr Speaker, how many people go to this national capital committee's functions? Last year how many went?

Mr Stefaniak: 20,000 to 30,000.

MR HARGREAVES: Mr Stefaniak says that it was 30,000. Any bids on that? Going once, going twice. No, I have got news for you. As many people attend the Tuggeranong Community Festival as that.

Mr Stefaniak: Good on them.

MR HARGREAVES: How's that? There are 330,000 people in this town and they can only just get 10 per cent of the people along. That is a rank failure in my view. It is a rank failure.

Mrs Burke: Perhaps if you promoted it on that day people would want to go.

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