Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health and Manager of Opposition Business in the House) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Tomorrow, civilian users of the Point Cook RAAF base in my electorate will be evicted from the hangars and associated buildings that they occupy. Four bellman hangars are operated by civilian users, as well as two associated buildings. The users have been told that they must get out because the hangars are unsafe, but they have their own structural engineers report that says the hangars are safe. The civilian users need to talk to the government, most particularly Senator Sandy Macdonald, meaningfully about what should happen now. It is absurd for these eviction notices to go ahead without there being such a proper discussion. These civilian users are part of the rich life of Point Cook, an important heritage asset that is the oldest operational airstrip in the world. It is very important that these civilian users are able to continue to be a part of the life of Point Cook, and I am calling on Senator Macdonald today to revoke these eviction notices, to sit down with the civilian users and to sort out a strategy for the future.