Page 2393 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 16 June 2009

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Refugee Week also provides an opportunity to celebrate the contribution that refugees make to our society and reminds us all how we can appreciate the diversity that they bring to our community. We must acknowledge here the support and dedication of many community groups and individuals, such as Canberra Refugee Support Inc, who pave the way to support refugees in their endeavours to build a new life. My thanks go to Geoff McPherson, the president of CRS, and to his hardworking committee and volunteers.

I have recounted my family’s story of fleeing religious and political persecution many times over. However, I feel my story resonates with so many refugees to this proud land and helps to illustrate the importance of celebrating Refugee Week. All of us newcomers to this proud land have found peace, freedom and opportunities, while our direct contribution in return has been our energy, work ethic, and values and traditions. When I was a child, my parents always impressed on me their gratitude for the opportunities that Australia, our new homeland, and our democratic system provided to them and their five children.

I encourage all members to participate in Refugee Week and I do note that Ms Bresnan, along with the Youth Coalition, is hosting a function celebrating young refugees. Again, I encourage members to show their support and spare a thought for those who have fled their homeland and are pursuing a life which reflects this year’s theme, freedom from fear.

Estimates 2009-2010—Select Committee

Refugees

MR STANHOPE (Ginninderra—Chief Minister, Minister for Transport, Minister for Territory and Municipal Services, Minister for Business and Economic Development, Minister for Indigenous Affairs and Minister for the Arts and Heritage) (6.22): Mr Speaker, I wish to take the opportunity to correct, on Mr Coe’s behalf, the mistakes of fact that he disseminated today in relation to alleged refusals by me to allow him, or to provide him with access to, departmental officials for briefings.

It is quite outrageous, and I must say particularly saddening, that a new young member of the Assembly has already got to the stage where he actually feels absolutely no concern or reluctance in issuing press releases for the world at large, claiming that the outrage of me refusing to allow him access to departmental officers within Territory and Municipal Services for briefings, particularly on municipal issues, is of concern to the community.

The facts are that Mr Coe was accorded a briefing and has been accorded a number of briefings by the most senior officers, including the chief executive officer—

Mr Coe: The ones I requested?

MR STANHOPE: Yes, you requested and I approved them. On 27 January, he had a briefing by the Chief Executive of TAMS, Mr Gary Byles, and by the head of the heritage unit, Mr Gerhard Zatschler; in February 2009, a detailed briefing by Hamish


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