Page 4287 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 22 September 2010
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MR STANHOPE: This government are applying more energy and more resources and making a greater attempt at reform of ACTION, of this particular business unit, than any other government since self-government bar none. In this year’s budget alone, we made provision for $97 million of funding to upgrade public transport infrastructure. Two years ago we made a provision of $50 million to purchase 100 new buses. Compare that with any attempt or any interplay by any other government or any other minister since self-government. We actually are currently negotiating with the transport—
Opposition members interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Order! Stop the clock. I remind members of the opposition that it is not acceptable behaviour in question time to simply drown out the minister by shouting over the top of him.
MR STANHOPE: Thank you, Mr Speaker. We have done more in the context of every aspect of the difficulties and the issues we face in raising ACTION in the minds of the people of Canberra as an efficient and effective and reliable public transport network than any other government. We have done it on a number of fronts. We have done it in the context of investing in infrastructure to a level that no other government has ever attempted. We have done it most particularly in relation to roads and all of the infrastructure for the public transport network, in the context of buses, in the context of extra routes and in the context of a brand-new bus interchange at Belconnen. We have done it in relation to adjusting issues around the push-pull factors of public transport around parking—issues in relation to parking that are too hard for the Liberal Party for which they continue to criticise us. Everybody with any interest in public transport knows that it is fundamental, and we have done it—
Mrs Dunne: On a point of order, Mr Speaker, Mr Coe asked the Chief Minister how many more adverse reports would he need before he would act. He is not answering the question. Standing orders say that he must be directly relevant to the question.
MR SPEAKER: There is no point of order. The Chief Minister has addressed what he believes he has done. There is probably a point of dispute there, but I do not think there is a point of order.
Mrs Dunne: On the point of order, Mr Speaker, the question was about how many more adverse reports. We were not asking for him to be retrospective; we were asking for him to be prospective.
MR SPEAKER: The member’s time has now expired. We will take a further supplementary question. Mr Hargreaves?
MR HARGREAVES: Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. In the context of a disability-friendly bus service and in the context of the purchase of new buses, could the Chief Minister please advise the Assembly how the purchase of those 100 new buses is proceeding?
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