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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 9 Hansard (27 August) . . Page.. 3289 ..

MR SMYTH (continuing):

The gentleman who is the lessee on 611 said that they had contacted him about a prison but never about a dragway-and the lessees of 51 and 52 had no idea. I think what we have is a government that is shambling from position to position on this, because they clearly have no commitment to the dragway at all.

We have always been interested in motor sport and the benefits it provides to the community. That can be seen through our support for the Rally of Canberra and the V8 car races-and we were always very interested in the dragway as well. However, just because you are interested does not mean you can break the law and issue a lease on something over which you have no control. In that way, the government had to be responsible to the law.

In another way, Mr Stefaniak assisted them by giving them cash to do the economic study to prove their point-to see whether it was something that should be done. At the same time, the previous government, I think starting in 1994 under the Follett/Lamont Labor government-and it was handed to the Carnell government in 1996-went looking for sites for a complete motor sports facility in the ACT. The sites picked were in the Majura Valley. So there has always been that commitment from this side of the chamber.

We heartily believe that, from a tourism point of view, there is value there. We believe, from a road safety point of view, in teaching kids to drive properly and not do burnouts in the suburbs. We believe that doing it in a controlled environment has value. We believe motor sport is one of the growing industries in Australia, because of the interest in the car in this nation-and we certainly believe Canberra has a role to play in that.

The opposition puts this motion forward because we believe it is time to get the Assembly to say, "Yes, we all agree it is time for a motor sport complex. Let's stop arguing about it-let's get on with it."

MR HARGREAVES (4.41): Mr Speaker, when you get an invitation from such an illustrious person as the Leader of the Opposition to dine frequently on the carcase of a jackal, we cannot all turn it down.

Mr Smyth: You are titchy.

MR HARGREAVES: You bet your sweet life I am titchy, Mr Smyth! I must respond to some of the efforts of the pseudologist across the chamber. Mr Smyth does not mind going into print, telling people that I have told porkies about what happened at Majura.

Mr Smyth: No. I asked for clarification. You are fessing up!

MR HARGREAVES: He does not mind doing that. Let me ignore, for the moment, the innate ramblings of idiots and tell you, Mr Speaker, exactly what is the case.

Mr Pratt: Through the Chair, Mr Hargreaves.

MR HARGREAVES: Thank you very much for your contribution, Mr Pratt. We need take no further notice of you-your contribution is sod-all.

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