Page 3411 - Week 08 - Thursday, 23 August 2012
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We will support this motion today. It is a similar arrangement that we have seen in the past with Community Housing Canberra. As I said, we need to get in now in order to take advantage of the commonwealth program. That is why the Greens will be supporting this motion today.
MR BARR (Molonglo—Deputy Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development and Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation) (3.56), in reply: I thank the shadow treasurer and the Parliamentary Leader of the Greens for their indication of support to provide certainty to the university in relation to this matter. My understanding technically is that, rather than supporting the disallowance we are, in fact, agreeing to vote no, to not disallow the instrument. That is just to make sure that when it comes to the vote that is understood, and that is a good thing.
I will not labour the points that Mr Smyth raised, other than to say that it is appropriate, in the context of a $50 million line of credit, that there be a thorough examination of a business case prior to granting such a line of credit. There are, of course, processes that are appropriate for government and for the cabinet to go through. Whilst it might provide a cheap debating point for the shadow treasurer, I think those who are familiar with the process, those who understand the development of this proposal and those who recognise that this sitting fortnight has been truncated as a result of other decisions would recognise that this would have been dealt with last week had we had sitting days, an opportunity to provide notice and Assembly business last Thursday. That would have enabled the Assembly to deal with it earlier.
In the context of time frames, the government has moved quickly once a full business case was made available and able to be analysed by the Treasury Directorate. The University of Canberra understands that and the government understands that. I am pleased that we have been able to reach an outcome that would appear to have the unanimous support of the Assembly. That will give the university the confidence it needs to undertake this important project. I thank members for their support, no matter how churlishly it has been given.
Question resolved in the negative.
Standing and temporary orders—suspension
MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Attorney-General, Minister for Police and Emergency Services and Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development) (3.59): I will be moving two motions. The first is that I move:
That so much of the standing orders be suspended as would prevent orders of the day Nos 1 and 10, Assembly business, relating to the Report of the Select Committee on Estimates 2012-2013 and the Government response, being called on and debated cognately with orders of the day Nos 5 and 6, Executive business, relating to the Appropriation Bill 2012-2013 and the Appropriation (Office of the Legislative Assembly) Bill 2012-2013.
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