Page 3979 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 5 December 2007
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Security at bus interchanges is a farce. When the current government were in opposition they led the charge against our putting security cameras in bus interchanges on the grounds of civil liberties. It is the usual thing: the liberty of the criminal is much more important than that of the victim. They had to be dragged kicking and screaming to accept it. Thank God; I think we had a couple of sensible Independents in the Assembly at that time. I am pleased to see the government taking some action on security at bus interchanges, although we do not know exactly when it is going to be properly upgraded. Again, the minister had to be dragged kicking and screaming on this issue—and it is still a huge problem. I do not think I had ever heard in the past about the number of assaults on ACTION staff, and ACTION staff are the responsibility of this minister.
The Grassby statue was very much something that the minister took on his own bat. Seventy-three thousand dollars is not a huge amount of money in the sum total of things, but when one looks at all the angst and controversy that it caused, it represents another fiasco and another real problem caused by a minister who did not take the time to consult.
Revolve is a very good case in point. And I liked Dr Foskey’s question, by the way, on the car repair place at Ainslie Village. People have been trying to get rid of that for ages, and I stopped them getting rid of it when I was a minister because the same issue came up then. It provides a wonderful service for people who otherwise would not be given a chance. About 500 or so cars go through that place. Minister, you are going to survive this, of course, on the numbers, but if you want to redeem yourself a bit, you might at least like to make sure you do not do to the car repair place at Ainslie Village what you did to Revolve.
Revolve is a classic case. The minister will not even see the Revolve people. He has not seen them, so I am told, since he was a backbench member. Again, that is indicative not only of his arrogant behaviour and attitude but of the arrogant behaviour of this government generally in terms of people who try to see them.
Mr Hargreaves: Correct it, Bill. It’s not true.
MR STEFANIAK: I hope you do, John.
Mr Hargreaves: You correct it; it’s not true.
MR STEFANIAK: They are not terribly impressed with you—
Mr Hargreaves: Don’t mislead the place, mate.
MR STEFANIAK: Why don’t you see them again? You might be able to do something to help them, because they are still being screwed.
Mr Hargreaves: It’s a procurement system, and you know how it works.
MR STEFANIAK: Yes, I do, John; I also saw people a lot more than I think you lot ever did.
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