Page 5213 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 18 November 2009

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I am surprised that the Liberals do not want to support the Greens’ motion today. It has been developed through consultation with groups such as the Health Care Consumers Association. Such a move would assist us in having an unencumbered debate about the hospital without the inclusion of the hospice. This is what the vast majority of submissions to the public consultation process want. Wouldn’t it be nice if the Liberal Party actually listened to the public and joined us in pushing for this to occur? These groups obviously see that there is still a negotiation process in place and believe a change can be made. Why are the Liberals not listening to what the community is saying?

Mr Hanson stated that we should be calling on the government to decouple the sale; however, Mr Stanhope stated at the public meeting last week that the government wants to drop the hospice but LCM will not. As I noted earlier in my speech today, the minister has said that LCM hold all the cards. That is why, as an Assembly, we should be calling on LCM to listen to the community and the elected representatives and do what is best for the interests of the ACT, and not themselves.

I will add one final point: the minister herself stated, in response to Ms Porter’s question today, that the decision remains open and cabinet still has to decide. I suggest that this makes my motion today extremely timely.

Question put:

That the motion, as amended, be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

Ayes 4	Noes 11
Ms Bresnan	Mr Barr	Mr Hanson
Ms Hunter	Ms Burch	Ms Porter
Ms Le Couteur	Mr Coe	Mr Seselja
Mr Rattenbury	Mr Corbell	Mr Smyth
	Mr Doszpot	Mr Stanhope
	Ms Gallagher

Question so resolved in the negative.

Motion negatived.

Financial Management (Board Composition) Amendment Bill 2009

Debate resumed from 19 August 20009, on motion by Mr Smyth:

That this bill be agreed to in principle.

MR RATTENBURY (Molonglo) (3.47): This bill today is part of the ongoing EPIC saga that should never have got this far. Back in May, when we debated in this place

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