Page 1327 - Week 05 - Thursday, 26 April 1990
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
judged that there would be no detriment to anybody by closing down that transfer station. It was done by decision of the Government. That is what Government is for - to take decisions when matters like this arise. Every minor administrative decision is not referred to the public. It was not under the previous Government and it is not going to be under this Government. Only matters of policy will be so discussed.
MRS GRASSBY: Mr Speaker, I have a supplementary question. Could the Minister tell me what happened to the great consultative Government, with the people that Mr Collaery spoke about, that was going to be formed by the new Alliance when it became the Government, where people would be consulted before something was done?
MR KAINE: That is not a supplementary question and I will not give it an answer.
Gowrie Hostel
MS MAHER: My question is directed to the Chief Minister as Treasurer. Chief Minister, as you are aware, Gowrie Hostel is scheduled for auction by the Commonwealth on 2 May 1990. What steps, if any, is the Government proposing to take in relation to the outrageous land and asset sale by the Commonwealth?
MR KAINE: I thank Ms Maher for the question because it is a most timely question and one - - -
Mr Berry: You are not going to answer it, are you? This will be something new!
MR KAINE: Are we going to carry on another public debate while I answer this question?
Mr Berry: We just want to see whether you can answer the question - something new for the Assembly.
MR KAINE: I will answer the question if you will sit down and be quiet for 10 seconds.
It is a fact that the Commonwealth retained possession of Gowrie Hostel on the transfer of other assets to the Territory, in my view contrary to the spirit, if not the law, as expressed in the self-government Act and related Acts. The fact that the Government now intends to sell off that property does raise the question of what the Commonwealth's intentions were when it retained that property.
This Government has resolved to initiate appropriate legal proceedings against the Commonwealth in relation to its proposed auction. I expect that legal proceedings will resolve a number of vital questions concerning the asset
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .