Page 744 - Week 03 - Thursday, 22 March 1990
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way, I have been advised that the answer to Mr Moore's question is that $20,000 was provided from the health promotion fund.
Legislative Assembly Chamber
MR SPEAKER: Before we proceed to the next business, I wish to clear up the matter of the $250,000-plus that Ms Follett was reported to have identified in Public Eye. I had expected to get a question on this matter. Prior to the first meeting of the Assembly, it was suggested that at some later stage the back wall should be moved to allow more seating capacity for the public chamber. There was also the possibility that we put a door in the back of the Assembly chamber, behind the Speaker's chair, to accommodate transit of the Ministers' advisers. That was also costed, and there were other minor considerations for work to be carried out in the chamber, all of which I discussed with Ms Follett when she was Chief Minister and with the then Leader of the Opposition at various times.
When the Government changed we found that there were problems with the accommodation and with desks not fitting into the chamber. We looked at the possibility of having purpose-built benches installed in the chamber. However, we received a quote for $13,000 for the drawings alone. I do not want to press that further, but that sounds absolutely ridiculous. I think we should look at the source of such a ridiculous claim on funding. On the basis of that quote, the building assets management section was directed not to proceed any further with that project. So the only funding that looks like being spent on the chamber at this time is about $7,000 to remove the rear wall back 12 feet or so and a cost to instal a door on the side of the building.
As Ms Follett has been reported in the Public Eye as claiming a $250,000-plus expense, I would suggest that, as she would not perpetrate a blatant lie, either her advisers are in error or that the Public Eye reporter incorrectly reported the matter.
DEPUTY CHIEF MINISTER
Motion of Censure
MS FOLLETT (Leader of the Opposition) (3.08), by leave: I move:
That this Assembly censures the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Collaery, for:
(1) the tabling of correspondence in this Assembly which wilfully and deliberately misled this Assembly in relation to the redevelopment of the Northbourne Flats;
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