Page 4543 - Week 15 - Wednesday, 20 November 1991
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Mr Speaker, some further steps to protect employment prospects, particularly by examining ways in which projects can be advanced to provide employment, will no doubt be discussed in Adelaide. I am sure that members are aware that I have written to the Prime Minister specifically addressing ways in which the Federal Government could progress some nationally significant projects which I believe would protect ACT employment prospects.
Mr Speaker, they are the major areas that I see in relation to Mr Kaine's question on small business and job creation. Of course, the Premiers will be giving consideration to the Prime Minister's statement that was made last week on employment and ways of progressing employment within the States. We will also, of course, be looking at ways of, I guess, continuing the process that the Special Premiers Conference has started, and I think we need to give very full consideration to the continued and future involvement of the Commonwealth in that process. I think it will be an important meeting, and when I get back I will be happy to report fully to the Assembly on its outcome.
MR KAINE: I have a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. Since the Commonwealth is not participating in this council, and is not likely to do so, where does the Chief Minister see any funding that will be required to foster small business and unemployment coming from? I do not see the Commonwealth making any offers.
MS FOLLETT: Mr Speaker, I believe that there has been an indication from the Commonwealth that they will be looking at a further raft of proposals to do with unemployment. They were foreshadowed, I think, in Mr Howe's remarks which I saw reported over the weekend. I am not aware at this moment of what he might have in mind; but, again, I am happy to report to the Assembly as soon as I do have details on that.
Mr Kaine is quite right, though, in pointing out that at the end of the day much of what the heads of State governments are on about will be conveyed by way of request to the Commonwealth. For that reason, I have argued all along that the Commonwealth should remain involved in this process and that to engage in some kind of a confrontation or some kind of a stand-off is really counterproductive. At the end of the day it will be up to all State governments and the Commonwealth to come up with the solutions, and they have to be agreed solutions.
Canberra Bowling Club
MR JENSEN: My question is directed to the Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning, Mr Wood. In view of his comments made during the debate this morning, will he provide an undertaking to the community and this Assembly that the heritage assessment of the Canberra Bowling Club building, which I understood he indicated will be
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