Page 4209 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 21 September 2011

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video

I want to turn in the time remaining to me very quickly to freight. It is the case that the government is developing options for a new freight terminal in Canberra. Once again, Ms Bresnan makes the accusation that the government is not doing any work on this issue. Once again, she is wrong. The East Lake study identifies options for how we relocate freight to a better location in the Fyshwick area. The reason for that relocation is simple. It does not make sense to have a heavy freight station in the middle of a proposed residential development, both in terms of movement of dangerous goods and in terms of noise and the land take that occurs in relation to those facilities.

The East Lake planning study is investigating where the new freight terminal should go—indeed, where the new rail terminus should be. It is also looking at how that is integrated with other transport modes. That work is actually occurring. But once again, Ms Bresnan chooses to criticise rather than recognise the work the government is doing on this already.

The proposal from Ms Bresnan is once again an example of the Greens trying to have everything yesterday. My amendment seeks to take a sensible approach to this.

MR SESELJA (Molonglo—Leader of the Opposition) (3.51): I move the following amendment to Mr Corbell’s amendment:

Add:

“(3) in 2001 and 2008, ACT Labor promised to conduct feasibility studies and, under this ACT Labor-Greens alliance, there has not been any progress; and

(4) the Canberra Liberals’ policies in 2008 committed to moving Canberra closer to a rapid public transport system with the following initiatives:

(a) an engineering study of light rail routes and integrated terminals for rail and bus connections;

(b) urban and commercial planning to rezone and set aside the land required;

(d) rigorous case development to attract Federal Government support.”.

I am getting a sense from the squabbling between the Labor Party and the Greens on this issue that this is a bit of a preview of what we are going to be seeing in the coming 12 months. The Labor Party and the Greens will be looking to blame the other for why nothing has been achieved for the people of Canberra over the four years of this Labor-Greens alliance.

You do get a sense that the Greens are facing up to the reality, and that is what this motion is about, that they have been part of this government for the last three years and that people are now starting to ask questions: “What have you achieved for us? What have you actually done for us as part of this alliance? What has this alliance

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video