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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 2 Hansard (21 February) . . Page.. 510 ..

At 5.00 pm, in accordance with standing order 34, the debate was interrupted. The motion for the adjournment of the Assembly having been put and negatived, the debate was resumed.

MR CORBELL: Mr Speaker, there is one thing I want to make very clear. The government will not be blackmailed by suggestions from the Liberal Party that, if we proceed with our election commitment, the AIS will leave town. We will not be blackmailed. We will not have that threat hung over us as a reason not to implement our election commitment. This is a form of political blackmail that I find distasteful and unacceptable.

The government will continue to work in a constructive manner in addressing the issues raised by all stakeholders, including the AIS. We will continue to work in a way that delivers better transport outcomes for the ACT and the residents of Gungahlin, using an approach which addresses the concerns of all parties.

MS TUCKER: I would like to speak under standing order 46. I would like to respond to something Mr Corbell said. I would like to clear up a misunderstanding by Mr Corbell.

MR SPEAKER: Yes, Ms Tucker.

MS TUCKER: I need to respond because I am concerned that Mr Corbell misunderstood a couple of my comments. First of all, he said I had claimed that his government was not pursuing any alternative means of dealing with transport issues. I am sorry if he thought I said that. If I did say that, I did not intend to say it. I, of course, know that Mr Corbell has made a commitment to looking at alternative means of dealing with transport issues such as improved public transport, employment in Gungahlin and so on. So I think he did misunderstand my statement there.

Mr Corbell seemed to be saying that he understood my position to be, basically, that Gungahlin residents would have to just deal with a stick and that there should not be any carrots offered. I find that concerning.

I want to put clearly on the record that the Greens' position is actually taking Gungahlin residents into account. The Greens' position is win-win. We see that the proposal to build either of the roads will not work. The Glenloch interchange is going to be a nightmare. Members will be here in the not too distant future-whenever this road is built-saying, "Oh dear, we do have a problem with Glenloch interchange!" This proposal is not actually going to work, in terms of traffic.

The Greens are proposing a total paradigm shift. That is a challenge which requires leadership. You cannot say you are going to shift this paradigm by building a freeway, and then you are going to be changing the road transport use. What you need to do is provide lots of carrots.

Mr Corbell: You have to bring the people with you.

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