Page 2850 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 22 November 1989
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MR JENSEN (3.38), by leave: I heard Minister Grassby make some comments about our not having any money for the construction of a building for the ACT Assembly. I seem to recall that, during the debates that went on prior to the establishment of self-government for the ACT, a certain number of promises were made by the Federal Government, promises that have already been broken in relation to the withdrawal of $22m, the money that was set aside to enable the ACT Government to restructure its financial situation in the interim period.
I understand that one of those promises was the provision of funds for a permanent home for the Legislative Assembly for the ACT. My understanding also is that the Federal Government made a similar allocation to the new State Government of the Northern Territory to enable it to construct and establish its own Assembly. Unless we are going to continue to see the sorts of empty rhetoric and promises from the Federal Government on the hill - and the way things are going that seems to be a clear possibility - I think it is time that the Federal Government decided to honour its promises to the people of the ACT.
I know that the Chief Minister has asked the Federal Government about this. The Federal Government should make a clear and unequivocal statement on what it proposes to do about meeting the promises that it gave to the people of the ACT in the lead-up to self-government, which, as we all know, was forced upon us without any proper and appropriate discussion or consideration.
MS MAHER (3.40), by leave: As chairman of the Scrutiny of Bills and Subordinate Legislation Committee, I would just like to say that when the committee was formed - it was after the budget - the Government gave me a commitment to provide a secretary for that committee. I thank the Government and I just hope that it will follow that through.
Proposed expenditure - Chief Minister's Department, $23,989,200
MR JENSEN (3.41): I guess it is appropriate at this time to raise an issue that is very dear to my heart and which would appear to have been a major error, or at least an error, in the budget papers related to program No. 2. On page 22 of budget paper No. 5 we see an error which has been acknowledged by the Government. The Government suggests there that an amount of $2m has been allocated from the community development fund for the construction of the Tuggeranong Community Centre in 1989-90, and this funding was carried over from 1988-89. In fact, this particular facility has been carried over from 1987 to 1989. The money was allocated - $4.21m, I believe it was, which is identified in budget paper No. 6, under the capital works budget - and was supposed to be provided for the people of the Tuggeranong Valley to enable them to establish a town hall or proper community centre.
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