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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 01 Hansard (Tuesday, 10 February 2004) . . Page.. 7 ..

It would be no secret to anyone in this place that the Liberal Party has an opinion on what should happen at the Belconnen markets—surprise, surprise! However, urging people to express themselves simply because you occupy the position as the opposition spokesperson on something, because you are a local member for that electorate, or because you happen to be on the committee and happen to be the chair of the committee, should not be a crime. If this goes ahead it would be an intolerable burden for all committee chairs.

Mr Speaker, there is no case established. Let’s look at the facts. Mr Hargreaves opened with the old cliche, “I do this more in sadness…”, but let’s face it, this is politics. The flyer just tells people the truth: the ACT government seems determined to stop Aldi building a supermarket next to the Belconnen markets, because it would undermine the retail hierarchy. That is a fact. The government has announced Aldi sites at Kippax and Conder, but it seems the markets will miss out. That is a fact.

The member then says:

I would like to see the markets prosper and continue to provide great service to the people of Belconnen…

There is nothing wrong in that. The flyer continues:

…a good spread of Aldi stores to provide competition in the grocery market…

I do not believe that there is contempt or a privilege issue in that. It continues:

…Aldi and the Belconnen Markets working well together, to benefit traders and customers.

It is another retail section where you could put another retail outlet.

“Many of you have signed petitions asking the Assembly to let Aldi build this supermarket”: that is a fact. We have all seen the petitions tabled here. “As a result, the Planning and Environment Committee…is holding an inquiry into the decisions”: that is a fact. The full sentence says:

As a result, the Planning and Environment Committee, which I chair—

she has declared her position, she is not hiding the fact that she is the chair, so that people can be clear about where she stands in this process, and that is a fact—

is holding an inquiry into the decisions that have obstructed this project, threatening the long-term future of the Belconnen Markets—

which many people have asserted. You have a series of facts, none of which I think would be disputed, and yet we are suddenly thrust into this issue of contempt and privilege for the sake of politics. The rest of it just talks about how you might contact the committee. We all have opinions, we all express those opinions outside committees all the time and we often express those opinions inside committees as well. Are we seriously

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