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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 5 Hansard (14 May) . . Page.. 1197 ..

MR DE DOMENICO (continuing):

The possible relocation of Health to Gungahlin will create more jobs. The Kingston foreshore redevelopment, when it finally goes ahead, will create more jobs. The redevelopment at Woden Shopping Square will create more jobs. The building of the Gungahlin Town Centre will create more jobs. It is true that not all the millions of dollars allocated to public works have been spent so far. That is not to say that this sort of money will not be spent in the future, though.

MR OSBORNE: What was that crap, Mr Speaker? I have the answer, Mr Speaker. I was informed today by the MBA - and I am talking about the $14.2m that was taken out of capital works - that about 15 jobs are created per million dollars spent on capital works. Try very hard to answer this, Minister: Do you agree that this decision of yours to take that money out of capital works could cost the Territory in excess of 200 jobs? Do you want me to read it again?

MR DE DOMENICO: No, but I will answer the question. The answer to your question, Mr Osborne, is no.

MR HIRD: Talking about jobs, Mr Speaker, I direct my question to the Chief Minister. Mrs Carnell will recall that exactly 12 months ago every single Labor MLA stood up in this place and criticised the Government - the usual doom and gloom - for failing to attract operations of the Australian Stock Exchange to Canberra. Can the Chief Minister silence these critics and outline details of the agreement that has led to the opening in recent weeks of the National Capital Investment Centre in London Circuit, Canberra City?

MRS CARNELL: Yes, Mr Hird, I can. Mr Speaker, 12 months ago I told the Assembly that the ACT Government was negotiating with the Australian Stock Exchange to establish a presence right here in Canberra, and 12 months ago I was attacked and attacked. Those opposite protested loud and long that it would never happen, that we had missed the boat, and that we had no idea about business in this town. These comments, mind you, were from the same people whose biggest contribution to business growth over the previous four years was to send ACTTAB broke and donate $3.3m to some sort of offshore operation. I had to laugh because, as I was walking down London Circuit the other day, whom did I see standing on the pavement next to the State Bank building looking at the electronic display board but a Labor MLA. I do not know what he was doing there, Mr Speaker. I do not know whether he was saying, "Heavens, what is this board here? What do these flashing lights actually do?". That board just happened to be showing the latest prices on the share market, courtesy of - you guessed it, Mr Speaker - the Australian Stock Exchange. I presume that the reason for the MLA's interest was that he was curious to know exactly how that board had got there. Mr Speaker, if a week is a long time in politics, then 12 months must be enough time for those people opposite to have developed a very acute memory loss.

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