Page 2488 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 29 June 2005
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I would like to see what a couple of other groups are doing in relation to Quamby. I understand there is a group meant to be coordinating and looking at new sites. I also understand that this group was established some time last year. But as at about two months ago—late April or early May—it was doubtful whether it had consulted with anyone.
Quite clearly, I think it is crucially important—and surely the government itself recognises this—that a new Quamby be built as soon as possible. The present facility should never have been built in 1992 or 1993 in its original form. Patch-up jobs have been done ever since—reasonably effective patch-up jobs but patch-up jobs nevertheless. Now the government has an opportunity to get it right.
I again commend a couple of things to the minister. Minister, whilst it might be hard losing an area that you probably very much enjoy—an area in which you are certainly doing your best and have probably have had a few good successes with along the way—I think it does sit better with corrections.
Ms Gallagher: Well that would be going against a recommendation of the standing committee report.
MR STEFANIAK: Well, that might be. Maybe you might like to talk to the staff. Another thing you might like to think about, minister, is where exactly you locate it. Again, I think, perhaps you should talk to the staff. Indeed, you may be able to save some money by having the new prison nearby so it can utilise those facilities. There is nothing wrong with that providing, of course, it is built properly and it is separate. But there are certainly economies there. Again, I suggest you might like to talk to some of the people who know what they are talking about, the people at the coalface.
But, whatever you do, I think there is a real need to basically pull the old finger out and get it all happening as soon as possible. You need to make your bureaucrats do that because there seem to be some significant time lags, not only in setting up a working group—a very simple process, one would think—but also progressing a new site. You are going to spend a very significant amount of money that we all hope will result in a building that will do the job, that will not need to be patched up as has happened in the past with the present facility, that will conform with things like the government’s Human Rights Act, and that will be basically a very workable and better environment for everyone—not only the young people themselves but the staff and everyone else who goes there. Minister, you are not being asked to do much. Why don’t you do it?
MR SPEAKER: Order! The member’s time has expired.
MRS DUNNE (Ginninderra) (5.52): Mr Speaker, I want to dwell particularly on Mr Seselja’s motion. I will be opposing Ms Gallagher’s amendment because, as is the wont of the Labor Party here, rather than facing up to substantive motions that are slightly inconvenient for them they have to gut them and come up with their own self-congratulatory pat.
The gravamen of Mr Seselja’s motion seems to have eluded Ms Gallagher. The Minister for Education and Training is an intelligent woman but she does not seem to be able to
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