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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 3 Hansard (13 March) . . Page.. 1032 ..


MS GALLAGHER

(continuing):

Industrial Relations Minister, I meet with the unions frequently and the broad labour movement through the Trades and Labour Council, but I also speak frequently with the CFMEU.

I said that my role was to ensure that I was accessible for those discussions with the union. I assure the workers there that, whilst decisions are being made about the future of the businesses, we will be very conscious of the need to ensure that the information provided is accurate, that it gets to them, that they are involved in dialogue and that at all times their entitlements under the law in relation to industrial relations are respected and maintained.

MRS BURKE

: I have a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. Minister, you have answered most of my question, and I thank you for that, but did the workers at yesterday's CFMEU meeting advise you of their frustration at being stuffed around by the government? What will you do to ensure that their voices are heard in cabinet and caucus?

MS GALLAGHER

: No, they did not raise that with me yesterday. I know that there are issues about the fact that Mr Quinlan has responsibility for Totalcare and I have responsibility for broader industrial relations. The approach I am going to take is that I am here to listen to their concerns. I meet with them regularly. Again, my interest in industrial relations will ensure that, certainly, the information I get from the CFMEU will be relayed to both my caucus and my cabinet colleagues.

Gungahlin Drive extension

MS TUCKER: My question is directed to the Minister for Planning, Mr Corbell. I note that the Chief Minister believes that "We have been too genuflective to so-called national capital interests", but it appears that the government is being exactly that in relation to its preferred western route for the Gungahlin Drive extension. Minister, I understand that community members have raised with you the fact that the Australian Institute of Sport is making preparations to move its residences.

Have you followed this up and, if it is true, given that a great deal of the NCA's objection to the western alignment of the Gungahlin Drive extension related to the mitigation measures the government had included to minimise the impact on the AIS residences, will you reconsider the design for the western alignment, put forward a new proposal for a cheaper, at-grade western alignment, and challenge the NCA's decision in court?

MR CORBELL

: Save the Ridge has raised with me its claim that the AIS is proposing to relocate its residences to another part of the AIS campus. I have subsequently been advised that the AIS is in the process of revising the master plan for its campus, and that this may involve the relocation of the residences to another part of the campus. However, that master plan is not yet finalised, so there is still a level of speculation about the matter, Ms Tucker.

Nevertheless, the approach by the NCA and the AIS in relation to this matter has not been a cooperative one. While the government was putting together the proposals for the western alignment, officers of the ACT government sat down with the AIS and sought its


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