April 14, 2003
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
Statement by the National Convenor
National Office, Sydney Australia
The Governor has been forced to move while her Macquarie St office undergoes an overdue renovation. But instead of moving her back to where Her Excellency already has her office-Government House- she is being forced into temporary accommodation at Circular Quay!
"Why doesn’t the State Government concede that it made a mistake, and just fix it up. After all, the Governor was required to use Government House as her office for the excellent photo opportunity for the ministers to recommend the dissolution of Parliament for the State election, and again to swear in the government when it was returned." said ACM National Convenor, Professor David Flint.
"Apart from the inconvenience to the Governor, who has to spend a good part of her day in traffic jams , the taxpayers have to pay the security for four places-her old and her new office, her home as well as Government House. In addition, the taxpayer has to pay rent for those extra offices , or where the office is owned by the State, the taxpayer loses the rent which a private tenant could ,and no doubt would pay." he added.
"And it discriminates against country people. It means we can never have a Governor who lives outside of Sydney, unless of course the taxpayer is expected to do the ridiculous- also pay the rent for, and the security on yet another house!. It is time to end this expensive charade. We have a superb Governor, and the Premier is to be commended on his advice that Professor Bashir be our Governor. But why must she put up with this inconvenience every day, and why must the taxpayer pay for the continuing costs of this mistake."
"Government House was set aside for the Governor’s home and office. Why not just use it for that, as every other State does?."