Page 1818 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 7 June 2006
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able to deliver an outcome that satisfies the residents and indeed other parties involved in this particular issue.
I will take the opportunity now, Mr Speaker, to formally move the amendment circulated in my name to paragraph 4 (a) of private members’ business notice No 2 as moved by Dr Foskey. I move:
Omit paragraph 4(a), substitute:
(4) (a) Consolidated Builders to work constructively with the Government to find a resolution that will ensure the residents can remain at the Longstay Park; and”.
MR STEFANIAK (Ginninderra—Leader of the Opposition) (11.37): I foreshadow that I will be moving the amendment circulated in my name. I am not going to go over history in terms of the saga of the Narrabundah Long Stay Caravan Park. I have been heartened in recent weeks to see that efforts are being made to find a solution. The park has in it many people who have been there for 15 years or more. I understand that 92 of the 102 sites are occupied. There are some elderly people there. I think that 10 people there are over 70 years of age and I think that there are a couple of people who are approaching 80 years of age, so it is terribly important that a proper solution is found.
I am pleased to hear how, from what the Chief Minister was saying, everyone seems to be working together to find a solution. That is very good. Speaking to the amendment, whilst it is probably an improvement on Dr Foskey’s motion, I just wonder whether the Assembly can call on an entity outside the Assembly to work constructively with the government to find a resolution or to do anything.
It is quite all right to call on the government to do something, or an agency that the government has some control over, but it may well be somewhat difficult to have a motion or even an amendment whereby we are calling on a totally independent outside entity to do anything—not, I am sure, that this particular entity would have any trouble working constructively with the government. Indeed, my understanding is that that is exactly what is happening. In fact, the Chief Minister alluded to that in his speech. So, in relation to the government’s amendment—obviously I will speak further in relation to my amendment—I think that that there is a difficulty with that, as there is indeed with the substantive foray of Dr Foskey’s motion.
DR FOSKEY (Molonglo) (11.39): Speaking to the amendment, I have been very pleased ever since the government announced that it was setting up a task force to grapple with the issues concerning the Narrabundah Long Stay Caravan Park. I am also heartened by the work that has been done in getting to the guts of the situation. It is a complex situation and there are a number of personalities involved. I do understand the complexities and I am certainly prepared to accept the government’s amendment, because I understand that there are sensitivities in this situation and I am very concerned that it be resolved positively for the residents.
Nonetheless, the Greens stand by the original motion because we do believe that there needs to be more pressure on businesses in this town, if they cannot do it for themselves, to take an ethical approach in their business dealings, especially when we are talking about something that is as integral to people’s lives as where they live, especially in a
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