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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 03 Hansard (Wednesday, 10 March 2004) . . Page.. 1026 ..

the closing of the recovery centre. So something has happened between September/October last year, when this report was tabled, and now. Perhaps it is the quality of the consultation. Although they said in September, “Yes, it should be closed at some stage and March looks like a reasonably good idea,” now we are in March and perhaps it does not look like such a good idea.

I know that there are members of the community who have said to me, “Yes, I was asked, but it is probably an indication of the state that I was in that I did not focus on the implications until I got to this stage, and I don’t want it to happen.” When there are people who have been so adversely affected by such an absolutely catastrophic incident in the ACT, when there are people out there who are still hurting that much, I think it is time that this Assembly took the precautionary principle, waited another three months and worked out whether we are taking the community with us.

We should do this rather than relying on a large glossy report from September/October last year. We should make sure that what is said in the large glossy report is in fact the reality of what the affected community, the people who still have not got their lives back on track, are actually feeling. It is our responsibility to make sure that this happens, and that is why this motion was moved today.

Question put:

That Mrs Dunne’s amendment to Mr Stanhope’s amendment be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

Question so resolved in the negative.

MR SPEAKER: The question now is that Mr Stanhope’s amendment be agreed to.

MS TUCKER (6.26): Mr Speaker, I would now like to move the amendment to Mr Stanhope’s amendment which is circulated in my name. I move:

Paragraph (2), omit “continue to”.

I have already spoken to this amendment but I would like to briefly respond to a couple of comments that Mr Stanhope made. I want to make it quite clear that I am absolutely recognising the consultation that has occurred on the recovery centre. I did speak about that.

MR SPEAKER: You will need leave to speak, Ms Tucker. You have already spoken to Mr Stanhope’s amendment so you have to get—

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