Page 1472 - Week 05 - Thursday, 12 May 1994
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Parking Regulations
MR MOORE: Madam Speaker, my question is also directed to Mr Lamont, but as the Minister for Urban Services. Would the Minister advise the Assembly why parking inspectors would issue parking infringement notices in the downtowner bus-stops at 10.30 pm when the downtowner buses cease to run at 5.00 pm daily? What will the Minister be doing to resolve this sort of anomaly in the way parking regulations are implemented in the ACT?
MR LAMONT: I thank the member for his question. This matter has been raised with my office, Madam Speaker. It has been raised in relation to that service, Mr Moore. It also has been raised in relation to parking outside an establishment very close to this building. It is a place that, I am sure, warms the heart of the Opposition, the Republic Restaurant.
Mr Cornwell: What are you doing about it, though?
MR LAMONT: For you to find out, Mr Cornwell, I would have to send you pictures so as to have you understand. Mr Moore, I have been asked to give consideration to altering the signs and the regulations that apply in that area, and I am currently receiving advice as to the most appropriate way to have that occur. In addition, I have been asked to waive the fines that were imposed, and I am at the moment giving active consideration to that. I hope that during that consideration I will be able to give favourable consideration to the proposal that has been forwarded to my office.
CSIRO Staff
MR DE DOMENICO: Madam Speaker, my question without notice is to the Chief Minister. It also is about the Federal budget. Today the Federal Minister for Industry, Science and Technology, Senator Peter Cook, described the reduction by 352 in the staff of the CSIRO, which was announced in Tuesday's budget, as a "shifting of scientific priorities" and an accounting figure. Chief Minister, given that a large number of these jobs will be eliminated in Canberra, do you concur with Senator Cook that 352 people losing their jobs from the CSIRO is a simple "shifting of scientific priorities", or do you concede that it is a shifting of employment priorities?
MS FOLLETT: Madam Speaker, I am not able to answer for what was in the Federal Minister's mind, I am afraid. Indeed, I have not seen or heard the reports that Mr De Domenico has alluded to. If Mr De Domenico wants an answer in that depth it might be best if he were to address it to the person who made the comments. I have said in relation to this and similar matters, Madam Speaker, that I consider that it is perfectly legitimate for the Commonwealth and for any other government, including my own, to seek to operate as efficiently as it is humanly possible to do. We must ensure that the community gets value for its money. Operating to the maximum efficiency often necessitates reallocating priorities, or allocating the most resources to your highest priorities. If that is the general drift of what the Federal Minister was saying, I agree with him and so would any competent manager.
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