Community Alliance Party

"It appears that even the consultation held to examine how consultations are held is fundamentally flawed in its approach," said Mrs Tullis, Community Alliance Party Candidate for Ginninderra.

The comment was about the Citizen Centred Governance report prepared by the Chief Minister's Department. The report contains no mention of the highly controversial schools closure consultation processes – sshhh, don't mention the war!

While Mr Cappie-Wood, CEO Chief Minister's Department had 'spoken to ministers and public servants' (CT 24 July, 08, p. 4) in his quest to make recommendations on consultation processes, there was no mention of him having spoken to any one of the disenfranchised community groups who have been so vocal in slamming the current methodology.

The Community Alliance Party believes that consultation is the start of policy making, and not a way to "sell" bad policy to a shocked electorate.

"Consultation for The Ginninderra District High School closure in 2005 was around how should the school closure work, rather than should it close in the first place. And do we need to go much further than the 2006 school closures or the current power station 'consultations' to see this in evidence again?" said Mrs Tullis.

Mrs Tullis said that timing has also been an issue, and she is waiting for the Chief Minister to identify how he would improve that aspect of consultation.

"Inadequate time given to communities to respond to local issues has been seen time and time again. Purdons, GHD, and now Golders for the Data Centre-Power Station all emphasise the short time frame that they have been given by the Government. Imagine what we could achieve if everyone was given time to consider the problem and explore multiple solutions," said Mrs Tullis.

"Our expectations for radical reform of the consultation process were always low," acknowledges Mrs Tullis, "But it's still disappointing to see it unfolding this way. How can we take this 'reform' seriously when the Government has not even consulted the people so badly affected by their hopeless attempts at consultation in the past: the communities who live here?"

The Community Alliance is committed to representing the community in the Legislative Assembly and ensuring that people are not only listened to, but are involved in government decisions from the very start.

Contact: Jane Tullis