Page 3070 - Week 11 - Tuesday, 10 September 1991
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Mr Deputy Speaker, of all the issues, Canberrans have made their view felt very clearly on this issue. Certainly, as the Royal Canberra Hospital has gone some way down the track to being closed, it would be more difficult at this time. However, the money belongs to the people of Canberra and the money should be spent to keep the Royal Canberra Hospital open. We all understand that the Federal Government deliberately allowed the Canberra hospital to be run down so that it could then be said to be too costly to keep it open. But the money should be found; the money should be spent on keeping the Royal Canberra Hospital open. Indeed, as we are all aware, Mr Michael Moore will soon be introducing a Bill to do just that. I commend him for it.
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: The discussion is now concluded.
PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE - STANDING COMMITTEE
Report on New Capital Works Program 1991-92
MR KAINE (Leader of the Opposition): Mr Deputy Speaker, I present the report of the Standing Committee on Planning, Development and Infrastructure on the new capital works program for 1991-92, together with extracts of the relevant minutes of proceedings, and I move:
That the report be noted.
I think that there are some rather important things that need to be said about the capital works program as proposed by the Labor Government. I would just note that the membership of the committee changed during the consideration of the capital works program, as, of course, did the Government. The works program that the committee originally began to consider was later changed by the Labor Government when they took office. My comments specifically relate to the revised works program.
I would note, Mr Speaker, that this new works program put forward by the Labor Government is significantly lower in magnitude than the one which the Alliance Government had put forward.
Mr Wood: Very responsibly.
MR KAINE: We will deal with the responsibility of this and whether it is a good capital works program or not. The committee took considerable evidence on this point as to the nature of the revised works program and what its consequences are for the ACT. I would draw members' attention to page 5 of the report and the general comments that we make about this. Those general comments have to do with the consequences for the ACT economy of the changed program. I note that the expected expenditure this year
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