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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 2 Hansard (11 March) . . Page.. 584 ..

Mr Osborne

: It was a point of order. I was just saying that it was a point of order, Mr Speaker.

Mr Smyth: I will answer the road closure with your supplementary.

MR SPEAKER: He does not have to answer the question; but, if you ask your supplementary, he may answer it when he is answering the supplementary.

Mr Osborne: So, what you are saying is that my question is no longer a question; it is now a supplementary because the Minister chose not to answer it?

MR SPEAKER: No. I suggest that you ask your supplementary, thank you.

Mr Osborne: I asked my question. Can he not just answer the question?

MR SPEAKER: He does not have to answer the question. The Minister can answer the question in any way he likes; but I think he will probably answer the question about the road when he answers your supplementary, if you have one.

Mr Smyth: Paul, ask your supplementary and I will tell you about the road closure.

MR OSBORNE: Okay; I will ask my supplementary. Minister, I have noticed with interest your department's response to the concerns - I am just going to read the question again, Mr Speaker - blah, blah, blah, blah. Would it not be simpler and safer for this Government - this is my question again, but it is my supplementary - just to close the road and divert the buses, I think, along Wills Street, as suggested by the P&C at St Eddie's? That is my supplementary, but it was really my question.

MR SMYTH: Yes; it has been suggested that we would close certain streets - McMillan Street that goes between St Edmund's and St Clare's. Given the way that that would impact on the total neighbourhood and the residents of Griffith and Narrabundah, we rejected that idea. What we have done, as I promised we would, is discuss these matters with the school. It is quite amusing to me, Mr Speaker, that this morning there was a story in the Canberra Times saying that nothing has been done. Clearly, somebody has been misreported here. Work was actually done at the school yesterday replacing signs, and there is more work to be done in having the bus bays clearly marked.

There will be another meeting, I believe, next week to look at the issue of the road and possible road closures. All those things can be discussed again next week. But the process that I said would be undertaken is being undertaken. It is important to remember that at the beginning of each school year the bus figures do vary. On some days you have large numbers, on the next day you have small numbers, and it does take some time for it to settle down. It has settled down now. We are doing the extra work that we promised. It is being done now. It started yesterday. I think there are some inaccuracies in the Canberra Times story this morning.

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