Page 14 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 13 February 1990
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basis and we will make the right decision. It will probably be a better decision than you would have made, despite all your talk.
Child Care Centre, Parliamentary Triangle
MS MAHER: My question is addressed to the Minister for Housing and Community Services. Mr Collaery, I refer to a press release of 11 February 1990 by Mr Berry claiming that the Alliance Government will block the establishment of a child care centre within the Parliamentary Triangle, in an attempt to cover up mismanagement of the budget. Is it true that the Alliance Government is blocking the establishment of a child care centre, and that it is proposing to transfer the funds for other use?
MR COLLAERY: Mr Speaker, I am pleased to answer this question and to give further notice that every time we see total furphies foisted on the media, a dorothy dixer will be asked in the chamber taking up question time so that we can correct those furphies. Have Opposition members got that right? They will get a dorothy dixer every time they mislead the media with this type of nonsense. Firstly, I have said on numerous occasions publicly that this Alliance Government fully supports the system of child care centres in the ACT - unlike the Opposition. Where were Opposition members last Saturday at the opening of the new Civic child care centre. Where were they?
Mrs Grassby: At the rubbish tip!
Mr Whalan: Protecting the citizens of Canberra from you rapacious moneygrabbers.
MR SPEAKER: Order!
MR COLLAERY: Returning to the real issues and not those that distract the Opposition, I stress that we in this Government recognise the urgent need for the establishment of a long-day day care centre in the area of the Parliamentary Triangle. The National Trust has expressed concerns and we are familiar with those concerns. As a Government, we do not wish to enter questions of polity between the Federal Government in its triangle and a body as august as the National Trust. There has been community disquiet about the site. Together with Ms Maher, last week I met the group which is pressing for the construction of the site and it has been made clear to those people that when site identification is resolved, the money is in the budget. There has been no attempt to move that money allocated by the former Government. It will be left there until a site is identified. The child care group has selected a second option site; I am not at liberty to indicate that because that may alter its tactical bargaining on the issue. But I can assure members that Ms Maher attended the recent public meeting, and has kept
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