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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 6 Hansard (15 May) . . Page.. 1631 ..

MRS DUNNE (continuing):

Minister, given your extraordinary attack on Mr Bartels and Mr Stanhope's extraordinary attack, can you explain to the Assembly what you mean by "good faith"? And does negotiating with the AIS amount to having the AIS believe what you believe? Are you determined to plough ahead with this ill-conceived idea no matter how much compelling evidence is compiled against it, and despite the fact that the community already has an alternative route which you could build today for the people of Gungahlin? Minister, are you staking your ministerial reputation on the route of this road, and if you fail will you resign?

MR CORBELL: Mr Speaker, if Mr Bartels means "don't build a freeway beside an institute of sport", which side is he talking about-the eastern side or the western side? Whichever way you look at it, there is going to be a road beside the Australian Institute of Sport. It is either going to be on the eastern side or the western side. So let us just make that very clear.

Mr Speaker, I think I have made clear the government's concern about Mr Bartel's comments. Mr Bartel said, "The executive of the Commission will continue to work with the ACT government to stop the road." Again, I can assure members that that comment is not correct. We are not working with anyone to stop the construction of the western alignment.

Mr Speaker, as I said clearly in response to Ms Gallagher's question, the government is undertaking a significant range of examinations in the engineering, environmental, air quality and noise areas. These are meant to properly inform the preferred final alignment of the road on the western corridor. Until the Australian Sports Commission have seen the outcomes of those studies-studies that they have agreed to participate in-it is pre-emptive of them to respond in such a way as to say the road should not be built on that alignment.

MRS DUNNE: Mr Speaker, I have a supplementary question. Minister, when will you deal in good faith with the Institute of Sport, come clean with them and tell them that their views count for nothing and that you will push this road through regardless of the national interest?

MR SPEAKER: I think that is an imputation. "When will you deal with them in good faith" is an imputation and I think you should withdraw that.

MRS DUNNE: Mr Corbell-

MR SPEAKER: Just withdraw it.

MRS DUNNE: I will withdraw.

MR SPEAKER: Thank you.

MRS DUNNE: But I should point out that Mr Corbell has demanded that the AIS deal with them in good faith. So if it is good enough for the AIS it is good enough for Mr Corbell.

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