Page 1962 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 25 June 2008
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This no-confidence motion is nothing more than a political stunt. At all times the Chief Minister has acted properly in his role. He has allowed the statutory planning process to run its course. It is one that is still running its course, and must be allowed to run its course—something that the opposition do not seem to fathom.
The opposition leader should hang his head in shame at the way he has misled the ACT community and deliberately wasted valuable Assembly time. The Leader of the Opposition should hang his head in shame at deliberately driving fear into the community while remaining silent about where he actually resides—where he chose to bring his family, knowing full well what was proposed for that area.
The Chief Minister said it earlier, and I repeat it: the data centre is an outstanding investment opportunity for the ACT. To have the Leader of the Opposition sit idle during the community debate, then leave Mr Pratt to oppose the idea, then support it, then to be followed by an unjustified, unqualified motion by Mr Seselja with claims that have not been substantiated by anybody from the opposition, provides a clear indication that those opposite have no idea what they are talking about. They have no idea what they do and do not support. Clearly, they are a confused bunch of misguided Liberals, led by Mr Seselja, a lazy man with little profile and little support from the Canberra community.
Ms MacDONALD (Brindabella) (5.35): Mr Speaker, in rising to address both the motion and the amendments, I want to make this point. I have been listening reasonably closely, and I have listened reasonably closely to the events as they have occurred in estimates and the comments that have been made. My opinion from watching the process today is this; this is what occurs to me. This opposition is no real opposition; it is a rabble. What this motion really is about is the opposition scrambling around and looking for an issue in an election year. Really they could not find—
Mrs Dunne: You never found one, which is why you’re not facing another election year.
MS MacDONALD: Mr Speaker, I did not interrupt anybody on the opposite side; I ask that they pay the same respect to me and not behave in a disorderly fashion contrary to the standing orders.
MR SPEAKER: Opposition members will remain silent while Ms MacDonald has the floor.
MS MacDONALD: Thank you, Mr Speaker. What this is about is a Liberal opposition busy scrambling around for an issue in an election year. Because they could not find one during the estimates process, what they have done is to go to an issue which was well and truly announced last year—which had, I might say, absolutely nothing to do with the budget estimates process. It is irresponsible behaviour to the extreme on the part of the opposition to behave in the way that they have been behaving since the estimates committee came down.
Mr Smyth: On a point of order, Mr Speaker, I was wondering which part of the amendment or the original motion this was in reference to. Perhaps you might direct the member to point that out.
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