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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 4 Hansard (10 April) . . Page.. 915 ..


MR STEFANIAK (continuing):

On election day, unless there were others under your rock at the time, most people knew exactly how many police we intended to increase the force by, which was 30 over three years.

MR QUINLAN: The answer to that question is the same, because it is the same question. I thought I had been through the numbers. I will have the numbers checked again for you. I commit to that. I will examine what you promised and what you committed in police numbers, and if you promised 10 policemen that you did not cost anywhere then we will come back and advise you that you did not cost 10 policemen you promised.

MR SPEAKER: Mr Humphries, you raised a point of order in relation to questions on notice and asked for my ruling. I draw your attention to general rules for questions under standing order 117, in particular paragraph (h).

Statesman Hotel-redevelopment

MR CORNWELL: My question is to the Minister for Planning, Mr Corbell. Minister, in the Canberra Times article about former Labor candidate Peter Conway's proposal to redevelop the Statesman Hotel into a seven-storey development, Mr Conway was quoted as saying:

Curtin is an older suburb in need of rejuvenation. There's an aging population demographic in Curtin.

At a public meeting, Mr Conway went on to say:

Curtin will change. I expect older people will sell and move out.

Minister, do you agree with your Labor colleague Mr Conway that it would be appropriate for older residents of Curtin to sell up and move out?

MR CORBELL: I am not responsible for the comments of Mr Conway.

Chinese Embassy-Falun Gong protest

MS TUCKER: My question is to the Chief Minister and relates to the right to protest. Mr Stanhope, I notice you have been critical of Foreign Minister Alexander Downer's decision to issue certificates under the Diplomatic Privileges and Immunities Regulations which proscribe the use of banners and musical instruments by Falun Gong members outside the Chinese Embassy. Could you advise the Assembly whether you have written to the Foreign Minister putting your concerns? If so, have you received any response to that correspondence?

MR STANHOPE

: Thank you, Ms Tucker, for the question. Yes, I have been critical of the decision the federal government took to effectively seek to end the demonstrations the Falun Gong had for some time maintained outside the Chinese Embassy. I should make it clear that at no stage has the ACT government supported or sought any action against the Falun Gong. It has always been my view and it has always been the view of the government-and all the advice I had in relation to that demonstration is-that the


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