Page 1340 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 25 March 2009
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defend the car park as the minister responsible for its construction and that Vicki Dunne, as the then chief of staff of the—
Ms Porter: It is indefensible.
MR STANHOPE: Well, Mr Coe has described it in terms that it is essentially outrageous, indefensible, a safety hazard and a safety trap. I wonder what Mr Smyth and Mrs Dunne were doing at the time that the car park was built. I think it behoves Mr Smyth, as the minister responsible for territory and municipal services at the time, to say how he allowed this outrageous car park that Mr Coe has moved this important motion on today to be built in this configuration. How did Vicki Dunne, as the chief of staff to the then minister for planning who actually approved the plan, allow this to get through?
Ms Porter: And what has she done about it in the meantime?
MR STANHOPE: And what have they done about it? But I guess at the end of the day Mr Coe is urging this government to fix the problem that his party created. We have an amendment to the motion as moved. However, we accept its good intent. We know Mr Coe is out there wanting to work with the government to right the wrongs, to fix the mess that his predecessors within the Liberal Party created through this car park. Once again, as with inquiries into road safety, the government stands ready to get out there and do the work.
So thank you, Mr Coe, for the motion. We accept that it must have been difficult for you to draw the community’s attention to the failings of Mr Smyth, your deputy leader and your one-time leader. I guess that Mr Smyth is not all-conquering. Here is a car park that he is responsible for that you describe as an absolute disgrace, a hazard and a danger to the public, and you are calling on my government to fix it. We will fix it for you, Mr Coe. It must have been doubly difficult for you to accept that Mrs Dunne, as the then chief of staff to the then minister for planning who approved it, I presume must have had the file cross her desk. It must have been hard for you, Mr Coe. I admire your integrity and your courage for raising in this place this important motion asking me, my government and Roads ACT to fix a mess that Brendan Smyth and Vicki Dunne made. I move an amendment to the motion just to refine its intent somewhat. I move:
Omit all words after “That this Assembly”, substitute:
“(1) notes:
(a) the continuing delay in upgrading the carpark at the Nicholls shops is a considerable concern and frustration to Nicholls residents and businesses; and
(b) that the Government is continuing to consult with residents and businesses in Nicholls and that there will be a public meeting on 29 April 2009 to further address these concerns; and
(2) calls on the Government to ensure the plans for the upgrades to the Nicholls shops carpark take the needs of the community into account by:
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