Page 1423 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 24 March 2010
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
cost control and there is no one to oversee them. Every time a pad of concrete is laid in this town it costs an exorbitant amount of money because no-one is good at cost control. So we have ridiculous prices for very small projects.
Spending nearly $1 million to build 800 metres worth of bicycle path is a disgrace. It is not that we should not have the bicycle path—in fact, I have been advocating that the bicycle path be upgraded for some time—but we do have to question the fact that we are spending quite an exorbitant sum of money on it. It is incumbent upon all of us in this place to look after the investment of the people of the ACT and to see whether the people of the ACT are getting value for money.
I would predict that the people who use that bicycle path through Jerrabomberra would be embarrassed and that, while they welcome the new bicycle path, they would be horrified to know that it is costing, basically, $1,100 a metre. It is a disgrace. It is a symbol of the reckless spending that we have seen by the Stanhope government in the ACT.
MS HUNTER (Ginninderra—Parliamentary Convenor, ACT Greens) (4.49): Firstly, I would like to say that it is disappointing that yet again the Assembly finds itself debating what might be described as a less than constructive motion brought by the Liberals and one that is very similar to other motions that we have seen before the Assembly within only the last six, seven months or so. There are legitimate concerns with and reasonable alternatives for a significant number of government policies and departmental actions. When these concerns arise, it is our job as non-government members to highlight these and represent the alternative views in this place. It is our job to engage constructively and present credible and well-considered alternatives for consideration by the Assembly and the community. And I think the people of Canberra see that the Liberal Party seems to be failing to do this.
This is the parliament of the ACT, and the consistent motions have had little substance and are about political point-scoring. And that is inappropriate. As I said last night in a speech, we really need to look at the tone of the Assembly and the conduct—
Mr Seselja: Madam Assistant Speaker, a point of order on relevance. I am not sure that Ms Hunter is actually speaking to the motion. The motion is about Treasury. It is about the failure to manage the budget. And I would ask you to ask Ms Hunter to be relevant rather than rambling on as she did yesterday about how she would rather be somewhere else.
MADAM ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Mrs Dunne): On the point of order, Ms Hunter, there is a motion before the Assembly that does refer to the budget and I would ask you to refer to the motion.
MS HUNTER: Certainly, Madam Assistant Speaker. I think that if they had not been talking over the top of my speech they would have actually heard me mention the motion that is about the budget. I have talked about the importance of members in this place engaging with that discussion and actually looking at alternatives, looking at solutions, looking at other new ideas. I have said all of that but, unfortunately, my
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video