Page 2386 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 6 August 1991

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is not aware of the continuing community requests for the reopening of that transfer station, he is deaf to the demands of the community. It has been a major issue in the area in which I live and in most of the correspondence that I have had, ever since he closed it; there is no doubt about that.

Mr Duby has also referred to the recycling arrangements that have been made, in a very belated and half-hearted attempt to correct the wrong that he did in closing the Ainslie Transfer Station. I think it ought to be said that not everybody in the community is happy having recycling bins at every local shopping centre. In some instances, they have become unsightly and a bit of a nuisance. Also, not everybody is aware of, or in a position to make use of, the Mitchell recycling facilities.

Mr Speaker, I think that reopening the Ainslie Transfer Station would be a response to a very real need in the community. It is a response which I have always been prepared to make and, now that we are back in government, which I am delighted to be implementing.

Royal Canberra Hospital

MR STEVENSON: My question also is directed to the Chief Minister, Rosemary Follett, whom I commend for reopening the Ainslie Transfer Station; indeed, it was something that the majority of people wanted reopened. My question is: Will she honour her promise and that of the ALP to reopen the hospital, which is a much more important issue for the people of Canberra?

MS FOLLETT: I thank Mr Stevenson for his question, Mr Speaker. I am afraid that he will have to wait for an answer on that very important issue, until my colleague Mr Berry is in a position to report fully to the Assembly on the findings of the study that he commissioned as soon as we got back into government.

MR STEVENSON: I wish to ask a supplementary question. If a promise was made to reopen the hospital, why do we need to wait for a report?

MS FOLLETT: Mr Speaker, I think Mr Stevenson has overstated the situation in regard to the Labor Party and Royal Canberra Hospital. Of course, I would love to make that promise. I can only repeat what I said before: You are going to have to await Mr Berry's announcement on that.


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