Page 3562 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 18 August 2010

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So the parliament of the ACT has now said, “Because it is so unclear, because you are giving so many mixed messages to so many different constituencies, you need to clarify it.” I mention in passing that it will be difficult to believe whatever they say on this. It would be far easier to believe if they came out and told the truth and said, “Yes, that’s our plan. That’s what we always planned. We are going to cut funding to non-government schools,” and were proud of it. It would be easier to believe if they said, “We believe that funding should be taken out of non-government schools and we will do other things with it and we will have a higher mining tax and we will spend it on other things,” but they have tried to run away from it and they have got caught out. I commend the fact that the Assembly has now called the Australian Greens on it and said, “Well, put it up.” They had the opportunity before a national audience today to do it and they did not. They had the opportunity in 25 minutes of speeches on this issue today, and they did not. The running around on this issue is becoming apparent, but we can see what is happening.

I thank members for their contributions. I thank members for a spirited debate, but I think the onus is indeed now on the Australian Greens to actually put out a statement as to which way they will go. I think, though, that the people of the ACT in particular, having seen this, will look very carefully and perhaps very sceptically at whatever position the Greens end up adopting.

Question put:

That Mr Seselja’s motion, as amended, be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

Ayes 9

Noes 3

Mr Barr

Mr Hargreaves

Ms Hunter

Mr Rattenbury

Ms Burch

Ms Porter

Ms Le Couteur

Mrs Dunne

Mr Seselja

Ms Gallagher

Mr Smyth

Mr Hanson

Question resolved in the affirmative.

Motion, as amended, agreed to.

Roads—works and traffic management

MS LE COUTEUR (Molonglo) (5.37): I move:

That this Assembly:

(1) notes that:

(a) over the past 12 months the ACT Government undertook rehabilitation works on London Circuit, Northbourne Avenue and Bunda Street, which

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