Page 5342 - Week 17 - Thursday, 13 December 1990
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
If this is Mr Collaery's idea of Christmas cheer, then I would hate to see him during Lent. What next? We will probably see him gambling for their cloaks. I think poor old Mickey will end up having to give back his new Christmas watch after this.
Also, I understand that a Christmas tree is being put up in Petrie Plaza at the cost of between $30,000 and $40,000. This is quite unbelievable when a pine tree, as has been used every year, is quite sufficient. We are closing down schools and hospitals when $30,000 or $40,000 would have even paid a teacher's salary. Every year we have used pine trees for Christmas trees and at the end of the year they are sent off to the mill. I really am sorry to see that we are going to have this tree. As I say, I think it is much nicer to have a real tree there than to have some ornamental one that has cost between $30,000 and $40,000.
Anyway, thank goodness the Chief Minister is so concerned that he has refused to allow any of the senior bureaucrats to take any leave. So, instead of having the Phantom of the Opera and his mate taking care of the ACT we will have the bureaucrats.
Mr Duby: We wanted them here.
MRS GRASSBY: But, with you, Mr Speaker, I would like to thank all the staff of the Assembly for their help through the year and - - -
Mr Duby: They were not allowed to go.
MRS GRASSBY: That is right; they were not allowed to take any holidays, that is for sure. I would like to thank all the staff who have kept this Assembly going through the 12 months, and particularly my own staff and all the staff of our area on the first floor who have been wonderful through this year. I wish them all a merry Christmas - everyone who has anything to do with this Assembly and even the circus on the other side.
Australian War Memorial
MR COLLAERY (Attorney-General) (12.58 am): Mr Speaker, I rise to join fellow Australians who oppose the recent decision by the Council of the Australian War Memorial to charge an entrance fee to visit the Australian War Memorial. At the outset let me say that the War Memorial is not an exclusive Federal monument. It is our local war memorial as well. The people of the Canberra region also pay homage there to courage and sacrifice, and the resilience of our local sons and daughters who made common cause with other Australians against the invader.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .