Since October 2008, when the new Parliament building/City Gate project was presented by the Prime Minister, countless letters and opinion pieces have been published about it and the adjacent structures.

These opinions have generated further thousands of electronic responses from all sectors of society. A few have been in favour, but the majority have been against the project, especially the roofless theatre.

It strikes me as very odd that whereas the public has been expressing itself vociferously on the matter, our elected represent-atives from both sides of the House, except for a very few, have been silent on this matter. Why? Do they not have an opinion on the matter? If they do, are we to think that they are not bothered to express it in public? Are they afraid to express their opinion? Or is it perhaps that they are hedging their bets on how the project will turn out and then speak out?

What a sorry state when so few MPs can be found to speak plainly or at all on such an important matter that will have longlasting effects for all of us.