Page 2702 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 10 August 2016
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meeting the water needs of the community being maximised by not proceeding with the [Enlarged Cotter Dam] project once the full cost of the project was known.
In effect, how I read these paragraphs from the ICRC report of June 2010 reproduced in the Auditor-General’s report is that, when you have bad decision-making early on, it has very bad consequences down the track.
There is a very real parallel with regard to the light rail project. When you do not have the correct information or you are not using sound, evidence-based decision-making, not only do you get a bad outcome in the short term but potentially you compound the folly down the track.
I am not saying that the enlarged Cotter Dam should not have been pursued. All I am saying is that there is a lesson to be learnt in making sure that you have all the evidence up front and you make sound decisions on the basis of that because, when you start making political decisions on something as significant as a dam or a light rail project, the cost to the community is potentially huge.
Proposed expenditure agreed to.
Justice and Community Safety Directorate—Schedule 1, Part 1.14
MR HANSON (Molonglo—Leader of the Opposition) (9.14): In talking to this area tonight there are a lot of issues that I want to cover. So I will have to go through each of them probably more briefly than I would like to but I will start with an area that I think has enjoyed the unanimous support of the Assembly in this term, and that is the area of tackling family and domestic violence. It has been the subject of a number of debates in this place. We have seen motions, we have had legislation, and there was the roundtable that was subject to the motion I moved in this place that brought many members of the community together. I found it very educational, certainly, attending that roundtable. I am very glad that this is an area that we have all thought fit to work on.
Mr Gentleman, I would point out, has been a white ribbon ambassador for a notable period of time. He has been a spokesperson for that organisation. He certainly held a prominent role, amongst others who have been active in tackling the scourge of family and domestic violence.
Sadly during this term of the Assembly we have seen fatalities as a consequence of family violence in the ACT. It is a tragedy. This is an area where, in the main, I commend the government for the work that they have been doing. I think that in the main what they have done has been good, and I welcome that.
I note that in the budget there is the levy to fund the initiatives for family and domestic violence, the $30 levy. I have heard the arguments that have been put forward by the government as to why they essentially put that money in there and that it would then be hypothecated to family and domestic violence. I do not think it is playing out that way in the community, I would have to say, but I think there is broad support for tackling family and domestic violence in the community. I do not think there is any suggestion that there would not be support.
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