Thursday 17 September 2015
Hansard of the Legislative Council

PARLIAMENT SQUARE PLANNING PERMIT AMENDMENT
BILL 2015 (No. 38)

Mr FINCH  (Rosevears)- Mr President, it was interesting legislation before.  However, it was fairly obvious that the numbers were there to support the government.

From the outset I was conflicted because the matter was hastily progressed through this House.  I might say I was fully supportive because at the time I thought of Federation Square in Victoria and how it was a meeting and gathering place for people.  The function Federation Square fulfils for Melbourne is quite outstanding, remarkable.  If I were living in Melbourne, I would be so pleased to be able to go there and participate in some of the events celebrated in Federation Square.  That is what we can do here.

I had a sense of that when we dealt with the legislation.  As I say, I do not normally read the numbers, but I knew it would get support.  I was conflicted because I had opposed the process to enable the pulp mill to be transacted through this House.  It is the same principle.  I felt it would be hypocritical of me to criticise that process at that but then support this one.  So I thought that, as a matter of principle, I would not support the bill.

It was very kind of the leader at that time - I cannot remember who he was - to offer us two tent spaces in the new office space.  Remember that?  He offered us two tent spaces.

Mrs Armitage - Actually it was three.

Mr FINCH - Three - the honourable member was offered the other one.  That was a wonderful gesture on his part.

Mr PRESIDENT - I am told the offer is still open!

Mr FINCH - Again, thanks to the Leader for giving us a tour of the site.  We appreciated it last time.  It was exciting to see the site as it is now and compare it to its derelict state - with the development growing and the plans and ideas.  I was impressed today with the engineer, Barney Phillips, who conducted our tour.  He did a great job.  He scooted us along, there was no dilly-dallying .

Mr Valentine - Very passionate.

Mr FINCH - Yes, very passionate.  You cannot do all that planning, you cannot understand all the site has to offer without the malleability to be able to, in the final analysis, say, 'Well, that is not going to work there.  Now that we have done all this, that is not going to work there.  We need to do something else with this space, or this offers an opportunity to develop this in this particular space.'  It was interesting to see the flexibility of people who are developing the site, because they have been able to take up the opportunities that have come along as the development has grown.

Mr Gaffney - While the honourable member is on his feet, I wonder, through principle, if you would not accept an invitation to the opening when it -