Page 2389 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 5 August 2015

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too hard. It’s all too expensive. Maybe in 10 or 20 years time we’ll think about it.” But even if that does happen, even in the event that they win the election and they have a majority, they still will have squandered perhaps $100 million on this project. We know they have already spent upwards of $30 million or $40 million on this project with next to nothing in return. It is important to note that the $30 million or $40 million they have spent and the $50 million they have appropriated for the Capital Metro Agency is in addition to the $783 million construction cost which the consortia will benefit from.

I imagine there are tram manufacturers in Europe and consultants in North America that are licking their lips at the prospect of this government signing up to light rail with one of the consortia, because a huge amount of money which is collected by the government and charged through rates, fees, charges, taxes, will be going offshore to prop up an international company to deliver light rail to a city in which much more than 90 per cent will not use it. Somehow this is a good project! Somehow this stacks up!

The opposition will continue to do all we can to scrutinise this project. That is why we happily stand alongside the small business people in the city who will feel the full brunt of this government’s policy when it comes to closing car parks and taking away 255 spots in the city. That will have a devastating impact on many, many businesses.

I do not hold out too much hope that this motion will get up but, you never know, there could be a miracle. I think it is important that we put on the record today and in the future the very real concerns that Canberrans have with this disastrous project.

Question put:

That the amendment be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

Ayes 6			Noes 5
Mr Barr	Mr Corbell	Mr Coe		Mr Hanson
Dr Bourke	Mr Gentleman	Mr Doszpot		Mr Wall
Ms Burch	Mr Rattenbury	Mrs Dunne

Question so resolved in the affirmative.

Question put:

That the motion, as amended, be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

Ayes 6		Noes 5
Mr Barr	Mr Corbell	Mr Coe	Mr Hanson
Dr Bourke	Mr Gentleman	Mr Doszpot	Mr Wall
Ms Burch	Mr Rattenbury	Mrs Dunne

Question so resolved in the affirmative.

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