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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 12 Hansard (6 December) . . Page.. 3763 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

If we can be asked to do that, to go and tell our federal colleagues that we disagree with what they are doing, why can't you, Mr Berry? Why can you not do the same thing? You impose that discipline on us time and again. You tell us that these things ought to be a matter of standing up for Canberra, standing up against these nasty people in the federal government. On this occasion you have a test to meet - a test of honesty, a test of consistency, a test that says, "Because we demand this standard of the government, it should be demanded of us also in opposition."

Mr Speaker, if members opposite do not support this package, they are seriously wanting. We have had many such motions passed requiring us to confront federal Liberal colleagues in the last five or six years and we have never faltered but to respect the wishes of the Assembly when directed. Mr Speaker, I think it would become those opposite to apply to themselves the standards that they apply to us.

Motion (by Mr Berry ) put:

The Assembly voted -

Ayes, 7   	Noes, 9

Mr Berry  	Ms Carnell
Mr Corbell  	Mr Cornwell
Mr Hargreaves  	Mr Hird
Mr Quinlan  	Mr Humphries
Mr Rugendyke  	Mr Kaine
Mr Stanhope  	Mr Moore
Mr Wood  	Mr Smyth
 		Mr Stefaniak
 		Ms Tucker

Question so resolved in the negative.

MR SMYTH (Minister for Urban Services) (3.28): Mr Speaker, I thank the Assembly for its endorsement that this issue is important. Those opposite have chosen to acknowledge the link between Mr Beazley's and Mr Snowdon's comments. If I were them, I would be embarrassed as well. Mr Hargreaves asked what was being spent on roads all up in the ACT. This year it will be $29.6 million. Of course, we receive additional funding from the federal government on occasions. We got $34.6 million from the federal government to improve the Federal Highway. There is $12.5 million in the offing for the Barton Highway upgrade and, of course, we have got $20 million for rural roads.

The rural roads are an important part of the infrastructure of the ACT. For instance, recently a section of the Monaro Highway was upgraded, at a cost of $2.8 million. Tenders will go out in, I think, January for the rehabilitation of the Monaro Highway, at a cost of $3.6 million. We are already doing design work on the rehabilitation and upgrading of the Sutton Road and the Majura Road, which are both very important rural roads. I acknowledge Mr Quinlan's comments about the importance of Majura Road in

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