Page 3975 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 9 November 1994

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There is no way that the area on Acton Peninsula could in any way be considered equal to that piece of land on the Kingston foreshores. I foreshadow for the Government that issue about that piece of land. I believe that it is a critical issue. It would really be selling out the Canberra community to negotiate any kind of swap along those lines. A cash settlement would be much better. Perhaps that could be arranged, using the $13m that the Chief Minister has committed to infrastructure costs and so forth.

Madam Speaker, like most members I have heard here today, we prefer Yarramundi Reach. I believe, nevertheless, that an appropriate gallery that sings the praises of the Aboriginal people of Australia is well worth while. I believe that such an establishment in the location that has been identified by the Aboriginal people themselves, by the Ngunnawal people in particular, on Acton Peninsula will be consistent with the health and community purposes that we are currently working on for Acton Peninsula. It will be consistent with a hospice. I have no problem at all with that. It will also be consistent with further health facilities as they develop and consistent with further community facilities. Hopefully, in a very short time those community facilities will include an expanded National Museum of Australia. Madam Speaker, at this point we really have to take a positive look at where we are going with the National Museum of Australia. It is not what we wanted. There is no doubt about that.

Mr Humphries: Hear, hear!

MR MOORE: Mr Humphries says, "Hear, hear!". I remind him that at the last election the Liberals made it very clear that they were not even going to deliver that.

Mr Humphries: That is not true.

MR MOORE: Mr Humphries says that that is not true. I am quite happy to be corrected by him and to talk to him about it later. That is certainly my understanding.

Mr Humphries: We did not try to win government on the basis of that promise. That is the difference.

MR MOORE: Mr Humphries also interjects to ask why I do not lambast the Government, or words to that effect, on this issue. I started by saying that I agree with all that politicking. I agree that we have been let down in this area, but I stood today to make very clear to the Government my opinion that a land swap along the lines I have mentioned would be incredibly inadequate and that we should ensure that when the negotiations for that land take place the negotiations are proper.

MADAM SPEAKER: The discussion is concluded.


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