Page 356 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 10 February 2021
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
is a major economic driver for our city. We have lost major annual events—Summernats, Floriade, the Royal Canberra Show, national and regional wine shows and the National Folk Festival, to name just a few. With respect to our hospitality sector, which relies very heavily on the Monday to Friday office foot traffic for custom, some businesses have gone or are teetering on closure. Acknowledging that the ACT has not been immune from economic pressures, it was disappointing that the ACT Labor-Greens government offered one of the leanest assistance packages of all the state offerings and took their time to announce any relief.
I place on the record the Canberra Liberals’ appreciation of those who have been at the front line of delivering tests and crucial health services and of people who have worked in supermarkets, hardware stores, takeaway food shops, service stations and pharmacies, even when the risks were not fully known. I also put on the record our appreciation of all Canberrans who have undertaken testing so that we can be confident in our COVID-free status.
I also thank everyone at the ACT Health Directorate for the monthly reporting that was established in the first of these COVID bills. They have been informative and a valuable record of how the ACT has progressed through 2020 and beyond. On that basis, it is the view not only of the Canberra Liberals but also of the Standing Committee on Economy and Gender and Economic Equality that these monthly reports should continue for at least the next full 12 months.
There is still much uncertainty in our community about the ongoing impacts of the pandemic this year, and the government has a duty to keep Canberrans updated regularly about what is going on. As we have seen over the progression of the pandemic, much can change overnight. A month is a long time in the history of this pandemic and quarterly reporting is a lifetime. Now that the COVID-19 Emergency Health Committee is not being convened, it is especially pertinent that we continue to have monthly updates.
Reports are currently required after each month that a COVID-19 declaration is in force. This bill amends the reporting periods so that reports will be made each quarter whilst the declaration is in force. In his speech, the Chief Minister suggested that quarterly reporting reflected the practical reality of zero monthly reports most of the time so far. Given that, it is surely not an onerous task to continue to report monthly to at least give effect to a full year’s record of monthly reports and, if nothing else, to give peace of mind to the Canberra community.
I note that the Chief Minister has advised the Standing Committee on Economy and Gender and Economic Equality that he does not agree with the committee that monthly reporting should be retained. The Canberra Liberals disagree with his view on this. I will move the amendment in the detail stage, but I certainly hope that the ACT Greens will live up to their rhetoric about doing things in the new normal way and not just blindly support their political partner. I urge them to support that amendment.
My amendment gives effect to retaining the status quo with respect to supporting Legislative Assembly scrutiny of the emergency response measures—a sensible and
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video