Page 39 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 14 February 2006

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DR FOSKEY: I have a supplementary question. Taking on board your arguments about the cost of setting up recycling for business, what about the idea of retaining recycling bins there for the average passer-by, so well trained through recycling of household garbage collection?

MR HARGREAVES: We would love to do that; it would be a great idea. In fact, we have now got it to the point where, funnily enough, people actually embrace recycling in their own homes but, curiously, do not do that when they go to their offices. The mind-set is not as widespread as you might think, much to the disgrace of our community, I believe.

We have a bit further to go before it will be automatic for people to seek out these things. The separation of putrescible waste, something dear to the heart of Mrs Dunne, from other types of waste is a challenge. You have to understand that if we put a yellow-topped bin out there we would find in it not only paper, cardboard and plastic but also apple cores and other forms of foodstuff and putrescible waste, and when it becomes contaminated the exercise becomes much more difficult altogether. The effort at the National Folk Festival and the effort at the National Multicultural Festival are part of a process of educating people on that.

Dr Foskey: That could be assessed.

MR HARGREAVES: Mr Speaker, I do not intend to engage in conversation across the chamber with Dr Foskey. I have given my answer. If she is not happy with it, she can put it in a bin somewhere.

Prison—funding

MR STEFANIAK: Mr Speaker, my question is to the Chief Minister. Chief Minister, on 22 November last year you repeatedly told the Assembly that funding of $128 million had been appropriated to build the prison. Since the 2005-06 budget shows that only $49.346 million was appropriated, would you please clarify to this Assembly what the correct figure is for the appropriation—is it $128 million or $49.346 million?

MR STANHOPE: I would have to refer to the papers. It sounds around about right—that around about $50 million was appropriated. But certainly, in the context of all capital works projects, particularly large major projects such as this that take a number of years to bring to fruition, we do as all other governments, including Mr Stefaniak’s, have done. Any memory of when you might have been in government must by now be receding into the dim, distant past.

Of course, if one dwells on this and as one thinks about it, the major project delivered by you and your government was, of course, Bruce Stadium. My recollection is that Bruce Stadium was to be redeveloped at a cost of $12.7 million. It ended up costing $80 million and even then I am not sure that any of the $12.7 million was ever appropriated. I do remember the $10 million overnight loan on 30 June to be repaid on 1 July.


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