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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 01 Hansard (Wednesday, 11 February 2004) . . Page.. 193 ..

there in whipping up a storm. He has been talking to people about personal security issues down there. (Further extension of time granted.)

I have an enormous amount of sympathy for the people in Fadden-Macarthur and we struggle with ways in which we can address that, given that there are other two issues. I do not honestly see how Ms MacDonald, Mr Wood and I could have done anything else but take their concerns the next day to the minister. I do not see how that can happen.

The minister’s use of his call-in powers has been misrepresented by Mr Smyth, and the community need to be assured that this is a trigger for a debate in this Assembly. By putting his motion forward, Mr Smyth is saying that he has no faith that this Assembly will receive all of the information and then take a position on it. He is saying, “No, let’s flick it across to planning and environment.” He has consulted the chair of the Planning and Environment Committee. Good on you, mate.

The chair says, “We’ve got plenty of time to do this sort of review.” Had the chair consulted our other committee members to find out whether we have the time to do that? Answer: no. Had she consulted the committee to see how many members would be on it at the time she intends to do it? No. Has she considered the possibility that she cannot have an inquiry at all because a third member has not got the time to attend and she could be inquorate every time she calls a meeting? No. This was appalling behaviour on the part of the chair, as well.

I can only congratulate the minister for moving so quickly and changing it. I hope that the community regards his actions in good faith. At the end of the day, if the process of consultation reveals that the centre should not go there or should be scaled down, let us address it then. Let us not try to pre-empt that thing right now. Thank you, Mr Speaker. I have used up the time Mr Pratt wasted.

MRS BURKE (12.16): As a resident of Tuggeranong and someone who has friends living on Bugden Avenue in proximity to Karralika, and on behalf of the people of Fadden and Macarthur and the people who have joined us today in the public gallery—thank you for being here—I stand to put my view forward. I do not intend to go down a personal track, like some members have; that gets us nowhere. The words that have come to me through people are “underhanded processes” and “timing very questionable” —in fact, not dissimilar to section 43. Mrs Dunne may refer to that more. At Turner the timing was over Christmas, so it was very questionable.

Having sat with the Planning Minister before the last election, I have to ask: whatever has happened to open, honest and transparent consultation? He talked about that many times when we were at meet the member forums. He promised that many times before the last election. This minister was also going to bring the community with him. It seems he caught an earlier bus and left everyone behind. Why didn’t he listen and take on board all the concerns of the community?

A couple of times this week the government has all of a sudden said, “Why aren’t you working with the government?” It makes you yawn. We have been asking to do that for months and months. It is interesting that now the government seemingly wants our advice. That is nice—seeing how Mr Cornwell put out something today that Mr Wood

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