Page 936 - Week 04 - Thursday, 3 May 2007
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This is a serious issue for vulnerable members of our community. The ACT government needs the commonwealth to hold up their end of the deal. It is not even a fifty-fifty matching arrangement. It is not even what the commonwealth require us to do in every funding agreement—match what they put in. This is about getting an 80 to 20 share happening instead of what is occurring at the moment.
Arboretum
MRS DUNNE: My question is to the Chief Minister: In June 2005 you said in relation to the arboretum:
It will be something that generations of Canberrans to come will visit and view with enormous pride. It is something that will, in time, attract, of itself, significant numbers of tourists to the ACT.
In the last ACT budget, spending on the arboretum was whittled back significantly, meaning that it will take even longer before the arboretum attracts tourists. The drought not withstanding Chief Minister, when can the people of the ACT expect to see a return on your significant investment on their behalf into an arboretum?
MR STANHOPE: In the context of your determination not to ask questions on education, I am pleased at least—
Mrs Dunne: You saw the quality of the answer that Mr Barr gave to Dr Foskey.
MR STANHOPE: I was just reflecting: I think the last time was December last year.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Come back to the subject matter of the question.
MR STANHOPE: The last question by the opposition on education was December last year. I think we need to reflect on that.
Mr Mulcahy: Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Come back to the subject matter of the question.
Mr Pratt: You’re a naughty boy, Jon.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Pratt, do not tempt me. You are on a warning.
MR STANHOPE: There is a potential educational aspect to the arboretum, in addition to the tremendous benefits which the arboretum potentially presents for tourism. There are a number of aspects or potentialities in relation to the arboretum that should be acknowledged and, over time—subject to subsequent funding decisions that might be made—might be achieved; and I hope are achieved. I hope for the sake of the territory that they are achieved.
I believe strongly that, in time, the arboretum has the potential—if developed appropriately; if funded by subsequent governments—or the capacity to compete with
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