Page 3625 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 13 September 2017
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end result, very much like this motion. It does not actually matter who gets to the top, as long as we get to the top.
Very quickly, regarding this amendment, I say thanks to the minister and her office for reaching out to us late yesterday and genuinely attempting to make the amendment offline. In our discussions with the Fitzharris office last night I did hear the arguments that were put forward, and we have heard them here this morning, and they are practical arguments. In the end, we made the decision not to amend the original motion last night but instead to let the minister do it on the floor, for a number of reasons.
Despite the fact that we will be supporting and voting with the government, it is our job to hold the government to account, and I wanted the Canberra Liberals to go on the record as calling for these improvements to be made. We are not really interested in excuses; we just want to get things done. You could forgive a casual observer for believing that this amendment allows the government to weasel out of doing anything, because at the end of the day what this amendment does is severely weaken the original motion. But I hear what the minister has said. That is all I have to say on that. I am going to sit down so that Mr Hanson can get to lunch.
Amendment agreed to.
Original question, as amended, resolved in the affirmative.
Sitting suspended from 12.33 to 2.30 pm.
Questions without notice
Light rail—local contracts
MR COE: My question is to the Minister for Transport and City Services. Minister, which Canberra businesses have a contract with Canberra Metro for the construction of light rail?
MS FITZHARRIS: I thank Mr Coe for his question. A number of businesses have contracts with Canberra Metro to deliver stage 1 of light rail. I will take on notice the specific details of the significant number of local businesses that have been engaged not only by Canberra Metro but by Transport Canberra.
MR COE: Minister, do you receive any regular reports about the level of locally engaged contractors? If so, are you satisfied with the level of local engagement?
MS FITZHARRIS: Yes, I do and I am. I know that at different phases of the delivery of the project there are different sectors of our local economy that are engaged by Canberra Metro and by Transport Canberra and City Services.
MR MILLIGAN: Minister, can you name right now a single business that has a contract with Canberra Metro for the construction of light rail?
MADAM SPEAKER: Minister, would you like him to repeat that?
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