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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2001 Week 7 Hansard (21 June) . . Page.. 2403 ..


MS TUCKER (continuing):

It is considered appropriate to put CTEC in premium office suites at the airport, where the air-conditioning is adjustable per room. Or is that adjustable per work station? I am not sure. I would like to install them, or the Legislative Assembly perhaps, for a week in a youth centre or the Griffin Centre so they can see the difference-and put them on the same computers and make them use the same photocopiers. There is a significant divide between the community sector and everyone else. I cannot see anything in this budget that comes even close to addressing the problem here. It is another reflection of the values which underpin this government's approach, an approach which is somewhat obscured by the gloss and language of this budget and government media releases.

The proposed development of section 56 is a telling illustration. The government has sold off the land in one large lump to Queensland Investment Corporation, with an agreement that it accommodate the existing youth centre and Griffin Centre community facilities. At the same time PALM has been developing a number of strategies to revitalise and improve the safety and amenity of Civic, including an assessment of existing community facilities and an exploration of further need.

Anyone who valued community services and activities so vital to our social development would ensure the study informed the design. I have raised this exact issue at least five times with at least four ministers in the past year and a half in this Assembly, but the Education Department has only been able to negotiate on the basis of replacement floor space for Griffin Centre and youth centre tenants. The government purchased a few extra metres in this budget to cover the real needs of existing tenants.

In the estimates process, the minister advised me that he was planning to shoehorn in the Junction youth health centre as well, and maybe even ADDInc, if nowhere else could be found for them. He had no idea of the study commissioned by PALM. It was probably finished over a year ago. It must be still sitting around in draft form somewhere. I imagine it would provide some useful information to any government interested in taking a strategic approach.

If this government were committed to supporting a vibrant community sector and the active, valued and valuable community which it could support, then the new Griffin Centre would be the feature element of this new development. It would meet the broad needs of the Canberra-wide and city-based community services. It would have the highest profile position and enjoy the best street frontages. We would be so proud of that part of Canberra. This is a government that loves capital works. They have missed their chance in this budget, with these two items, to leave a positive footprint in this city for the community sector and the people with whom it works.

MR STEFANIAK (Minister for Education and Attorney-General) (9.28): Might I firstly thank Mr Berry and Ms Tucker for finishing in 10 minutes. I will try to reciprocate. I thank members for their comments. I will not go over the buses as Mr Berry did. We have had that debate. I have made my comments on the Berrynomics of the $27 million. Suffice it to say there are some big gaps there. If the Labor Party gets in, it will be interesting to see whether they live up to their promises. Their track record is not good.


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