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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 8 Hansard (25 August) . . Page.. 2439 ..
MR MOORE (continuing):
Mr Stanhope says, "How did the Yarralumla site get to be considered?". He said it was because somebody from the Hospice and Palliative Care Society saw it and said, "This would be a lovely site". When they first presented it to me and said, "We would like further sites", my immediate reaction was: "I am pretty sure it would be covered by the National Capital Plan, because it is so close to the lake. I would be very surprised if it were designated for community purposes but it might be, and maybe it would be worth including". So I included it. We had already made a decision not to include it, but because the Hospice and Palliative Care Society wanted it looked at, we included it in the assessment. We paid attention to them and did what they asked. We had it assessed by Bruce Dockrill, along with a series of other sites that we had prepared as back-up. It was quite clear that that site was totally unsuitable.
Then the Hospice and Palliative Care Society looked at the sites and I said that my preferred site was Lake Ginninderra. Of all the sites we have gained, this is the one that fits the parameters that were set by the Hospice and Palliative Care Society, by the hospice and by Calvary Hospital with whom I have been talking by phone and meeting very regularly over the last two or three weeks. Mr Stanhope, you really ought to withdraw this motion, because it is not a sensible motion under the circumstances. I think you just do not understand what has been going on.
What have we done to consult? The feasibility study having been done, the Hospice and Palliative Care Society came to me and said, "We have seen the feasibility study. We understand the need for urgency. We still prefer Yarralumla". I explained to them the difficulties with Yarralumla, mentioning the meeting of the Yarralumla Residents Association and the fact that quite a number of residents from Yarralumla had contacted my office and made it clear they would oppose the hospice at that site at every step of the way and that this could delay it for anything up to two years, as we know can happen with both the National Capital Plan and the Territory Plan involved.
I said, "What is the problem with the Lake Ginninderra site?". They emphasised to me that a more important parameter than being on water was a central location. I argued that for someone coming from Tuggeranong the time difference between travelling from Glenloch Interchange to Lake Ginninderra and travelling from Glenloch Interchange to Acton Peninsula would be no more than two or three minutes. The difference in time would be minimal. Lake Ginninderra would be a little bit further for people coming from the Narrabundah-Red Hill area. I can certainly see that. There would be a significant advantage for people in Belconnen, North Canberra and Gungahlin.
They still said they would prefer a central location. I said that I would see whether I could find any other central locations that were consistent with the Territory Plan, and I found two sites. Who could be more responsive than that? That is real consultation. That was a genuine response to what they asked. Yet I am accused of not doing what they asked. I did not just leave it at that. I contacted Calvary Hospital and I spoke to Sister Berenice to verify that that was what the management of the hospice wanted.
Mr Smyth: You did.
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