Page 3958 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 9 November 1994
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
The third reason why I am opposed to the announcement made by the Federal Government is that it has serious implications for our community's use of the site at Acton Peninsula. That site is a very important one for the ACT not just in terms of the image of the ACT and the significance of that site and its position at the centre of the city but also because of the monetary value which that site possesses and which, it appears, might be lost to the ACT as a result of this announcement.
What I have found particularly distressing about this whole process is the craven compliance of this ACT Government with this complete sell-out. A great change has come over the ACT Government. We refer to the Canberra Times of 6 February this year and the article under the very bold heading "Follett digs in over Acton site". We saw there statements that, it seems to me, were unequivocal about the Acton Peninsula and its role in the National Museum. I quote that article:
The Chief Minister, Rosemary Follett, says Acton Peninsula is worth $45 million and has warned that the Commonwealth would have to buy it as a site for the National Museum of Australia.
Demonstrating the ACT Government's increasing exasperation with the National Capital Planning Authority's attitude to Acton Peninsula and speculation that it should be used as the site for the National Museum, Ms Follett made it clear yesterday that the ACT would not simply give it away.
"If the Commonwealth wants the land, they will have to add that to the cost of the museum," she said.
"I estimate Acton is worth some $45 million at least, and it is an asset of the ACT community.".
This is interesting, Madam Speaker:
"I urge the Commonwealth to go ahead with the museum at Yarramundi Reach on the site already assigned to it ...
"Nobody could be a bigger supporter of a National Museum than I am ...
Madam Speaker, if Ms Follett is the biggest supporter of the National Museum of Australia, the museum is in deep trouble indeed, because she has cooperated in the process whereby the museum's future has been put under a very serious cloud. Members of the Liberal Party asked questions of the Chief Minister yesterday concerning the Government's commitment to the statements made in that press statement. We asked particularly whether the Chief Minister stood by her valuation of $45m for that site and whether she would fight to ensure that the ACT received $45m for the sale of that site, for their surrender of that site, whether in cash or in kind by way of, say, a land swap. Did that happen? No, Madam Speaker; there was no commitment.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .