Page 2612 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 25 September 2007
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MR HARGREAVES: Mr Speaker, the contract for the consultant was in fact organised—as indeed it should be—through Procurement Solutions. There is a normal procurement process which we are obliged to go through, which we did go through. That process, of course, has an influence on the introduction date of every single contract that ever goes through it. Apart from that, Dr Foskey, through the Speaker, absolutely none.
Visitor
MR SPEAKER: I acknowledge the presence in the gallery of Mr Michael Moore, a former MLA.
Questions without notice
Tharwa bridge
MR PRATT: My question is to the Minister for Territory and Municipal Services. Minister, we know that a total of $10 million has been appropriated to construct a new concrete bridge for vehicular, pedestrian and cycle traffic over the Murrumbidgee River at Tharwa. Minister, is it your intention to demolish the existing heritage-listed Allan Truss Bridge at Tharwa?
MR HARGREAVES: Mr Pratt got the first part right. With respect to the second part, I have not taken a position paper to cabinet at this stage.
MR PRATT: My supplementary question, Minister, is this: why haven’t you given the ACT community a firm decision on the fate of the existing Tharwa bridge? It has been a long time now.
MR HARGREAVES: I know that Mr Smyth is licking his chops, because if I answer “yes” to a question, he goes, “Aha!” and if I answer “no” to a question, he goes, “Aha!” So if I do not answer the question at all, he goes, “Aha!” If you put them all together, it makes him an absolute laughing stock: ha, ha!
MR SPEAKER: Come to the subject matter of the question.
MR HARGREAVES: Mr Speaker, Mr Pratt’s question—
Mr Pratt: Mr Speaker, I take a point of order as to relevance. Let us get the truth, Minister.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Come to the subject matter of the question, Mr Hargreaves, and direct your comments through the chair.
MR HARGREAVES: The existing Tharwa bridge, the four-span Allan Truss Bridge, is made out of timbers which were sourced from old-growth—
Mr Pratt: So why doesn’t the community know about its fate?
MR SPEAKER: Order, Mr Pratt!
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