Page 988 - Week 04 - Thursday, 3 May 2007
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That is the sentiment. It could well be argued that the number of art murals and zones which are supposedly prescribed for that purpose have got a tad out of control.
Here we have the Stanhope government. Good governance? Examples of this “good governance” are, first, that the government failed to clean graffiti quickly and, second, that they failed to catch long-term recidivist offenders. We have got a couple of taggers out there who have been tagging for four years and have never been caught. For four years the same tagger has gone up and down Athllon Drive, Hindmarsh Drive and Adelaide Avenue, and he has not been caught. A third example of this “good governance” is that the government fails to ensure that hallowed ground is not affected by graffiti or graffiti art. What lunatic allowed the entrance way to Woden cemetery to be used for an art mural? A fourth example is “good governance” that encourages the graffiti art culture to thrive in this town—encourages their democratic right to spray, and stuff the rest of the community.
Nigeria—elections
MS MacDONALD (Brindabella) (6.22): Mr Speaker, you would be aware that in the last month elections have been held in Nigeria—a place that you and I both went to last year. It is important to talk about these elections; although they have no direct implication for the people of the ACT, they have major importance for perhaps some 140 million plus people living in Nigeria. That was the number in the 2005 census, but when I was there in September I heard that the population was anywhere up to 180 million people. Nigeria is a massive country, with massive wealth which is unfortunately disproportionately held by a very small number of people in the country. The United States Institute of Peace says this about why the 2007 elections are important:
The 2007 elections are critical to the future of Nigerian democracy for a number of reasons. This will be the first time a third consecutive general election has taken place in the country. The military overthrew both the First and Second Republics after heavily rigged and acrimonious second-consecutive elections took place in 1965 and 1983, respectively.
Nigeria did actually make it to the elections despite much concern about interracial tensions, inter-religious tensions and tensions between people from different parts of the country. There were fears that, because of all of those tensions, Nigeria would not make it to the elections, but they have managed to have their elections. However, there is a question as to how successful those elections are. It could well be said that the elections were not a success. The European Union—
Opposition members interjecting—
MS MacDONALD: Maybe Mr Pratt would like to take his conversation outside, Mr Speaker.
MR SPEAKER: Order, members! Ms MacDonald has the floor.
MS MacDONALD: The European Union Election Observation Mission, EUEOM, faulted the conduct of the general elections. Amongst other things, they said that the
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