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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 07 Hansard (Thursday, 1 July 2004) . . Page.. 3175 ..

Bill 2004, but despite that decision by a majority of the territory’s elected representatives, construction work on the road has been continually disrupted by the actions of a minority group bent on opposing a decision that was arrived at democratically.

This group cannot be permitted to continue to invoke so-called democratic rights as justification for its actions while at the same time refusing to acknowledge the truly democratic decision that reflects the wishes of the majority. That is what democracy is about. Whenever someone talks about democracy it is interesting that Ms Tucker, someone who is interested in human rights and so-called democratic rights, is never in the chamber. Democracy is the primary guiding principle of our society and it is not up for hijacking in the service of those who set out to overturn it.

At 5.00 pm, in accordance with standing order 34, the debate was interrupted. The motion for the adjournment of the Assembly having been put and negatived, the debate was resumed.

MRS CROSS: I said earlier in debate that in the case of this project it is regrettable that things had to reach a point where curtailment of certain appeal rights was necessary. That had to happen in order to break a deadlock and to serve a wider community need. I find offensive the comments Ms Tucker made earlier about the majority of people in this place ignoring human and democratic rights, as that is not the case.

This was not an easy issue for me to assess and I am sure that many members in this place did not find it easy to go down this path. However, at the end of the day, we represent the people and the majority of people who will benefit from this road said, “We want a road.” So that should be the end of the story. That is why I supported the Gungahlin Drive Extension Authorisation Bill. I am supporting the Gungahlin Drive Extension Authorisation Amendment Bill so that the minister can take the necessary action to ensure that the road is built without further disruption in order to serve the many people who need it and who have waited a long time for it.

MRS DUNNE (5.02): The Liberal opposition, in supporting this bill, places on the record its hope that, in the future, the minister does not hightail it into the chamber to ask the Assembly to again get him out of hot water. Earlier Ms Dundas asked, “When will this end?” The activists who are costing us money also have to be asked, “When will it end?” The government has to be asked, “When will it get its house in order? When will it do its homework? When will it stop popping up its head like a rabbit in the spotlight waiting for Save the Ridge to knock it down again?”

As things stand at the moment the Assembly looks pretty tawdry. This government seems to be completely unable to control the situation. A bunch of activists is able to take it to court and to take it down every time. Those activists have won every legal challenge that has arisen. When I talk to officials I know that Save the Ridge activists are just sitting there thinking, “When we have done this we will wait a little while and we will then do it again.” Officials cannot tell me when Save the Ridge activists will strike again because they do not know.

We are debating this legislation today because a lot of people who have been dealing with the territory plan for a long time have said, “This is what we think the territory plan

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