Fed: Tuckey not right person to deal with tent embassy: Labor

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Fed: Tuckey not right person to deal with tent embassy: Labor

Labor's urged Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD to find a minister other than WILSON TUCKEYto deal with the sensitive issue of the Aboriginal tent embassy.

Labor treasury spokesman BOB MCMULLAN -- whose electorate of Fraser includes the Canberratent embassy -- claims Mr TUCKEY, the Territories Minister, doesn't possess the necessarydiplomacy and tact.

But chairman of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission GEOFF CLARK sayshe's happy to continue working with Mr TUCKEY -- providing dialogue's maintained.

The tent embassy controversy came to a head this week with a fire causing minor damage.

The National Capital Authority and a local electricity company cut power to the sitefor safety reasons, and toilets have also been removed.

The embassy was first established on Australia Day 1972.

The current embassy, outside Old Parliament House, was set up in 1992.

Mr TUCKEY says the embassy's an eyesore and should be replaced by an information centre.

AAP RTV mb/jg/smb/rp

KEYWORD: TENT EMBASSY (CANBERRA)