Page 1447 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 6 June 2007
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at the Albert Hall that the government does not take this issue seriously. It clearly does not. We saw this even on the morning before the meeting. On ABC radio the Deputy Chief Minister said, “Well, look, no one is able to come because the Chief Minister is overseas, the minister for TAMS is away and our planning minister is sick. We cannot send anyone.” When asked, “Can you send a public servant?” she said, “Well, we are not sure.”
Then, helpfully, Simon Corbell called in. He was able to clarify the position by saying, “Well, look, I know a thing or two about planning. I could attend. If the planning minister is sick, I am happy to step into the breach.” He said he would be there. Of course, he said things like, “It is important that we have our ears to the ground on this issue” and “Obviously, I do not have direct portfolio responsibilities any more but if there is no other minister available—and I am familiar with the issues—I would be delighted to attend.” What could be more helpful than that? So, obviously, the former planning minister was quite helpful and was willing to attend.
After that there was a miraculous recovery by the current planning minister, who was able to attend. Although we were told that he had lost his voice—and he did not seem 100 per cent—he was able to speak and answer some of the questions. But the real issue, and the issue that concerned the hundreds of concerned Canberrans who had turned out, was that the new planning minister—and it was not his fault—was not across most of these issues because they were the direct responsibility of Minister Hargreaves. We cannot blame the planning minister, but why was a representative for Mr Hargreaves not sent?
So initially no one was going to be sent. However, once a former planning minister embarrassed the government by saying that he was prepared to attend, the government sent the current planning minister. Unfortunately, the planning minister did not know anything and was not able to answer most of the questions that were put to him. The whole handling of this matter was very disappointing to most of the people who came along and it is indicative of how the government has treated this issue. They have not responded to community concern. They sent someone who was not able to answer. Initially they were not going to send anyone, and that was their attitude to consultation.
Mr Pratt has gone over this. We have seen in relation to Griffith library, Tharwa bridge and a whole host of other issues that this government pays lip-service to consultation and does not engage in genuine consultation. How can it be genuine consultation if the minister sent out there at the last minute, once he was embarrassed into doing so, does not know about any of the substantive issues? It is not his fault but it is the government’s fault. They should have sent someone who on the night could have answered the community’s concerns.
One of the key issues, apart from the maintenance and the upgrading of Albert Hall, is community use. At the meeting it was put very strongly to the government that we need to enhance the amount of community use. The figure of 50 days that has been bandied about seems inadequate to me. This means that there would be less than one day a week for community use.
Mr Hargreaves: That is twice as much as they are using.
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