Page 75 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 24 May 1989
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We must achieve growth in the private sector as the only source of increasing revenues and increasing job opportunities. A major contribution by government to this required economic growth can and must be to provide a stable economic and financial climate, to permit the making of business and investment decisions with some degree of certainty in terms of the intentions of government. Negative incentives such as threats of increasing tax revenues from the existing business base are counter-productive and will inevitably lead to decisions not to expand on the part of existing businesses, and will dissuade new businesses from setting up in Canberra.
Tourism, of course, will play a major role in this economic development. The Canberra region must compete with other tourist destinations and it can only do so with the support of government through the revitalised Tourism Commission.
Proposals to set up publicly funded enterprises in competition with the private sector will also need to be reconsidered by the Government. There is no lack of evidence to show that publicly funded enterprises do not compete effectively and result in an increased cost burden to taxpayers - that is, tax increases will result in the longer term to prop them up.
Similarly, whilst occupational health and safety legislation is needed, it must be balanced and relate to purely health and safety issues. Legislation that unreasonably increases union power in the Territory relative to employers will be a further disincentive to business, both large and small, and will have an adverse effect on Canberra's economy.
The outcome of the ACT election and strong public sentiment generally show that the Government must place environmental issues high on the priority list. Maintenance, and even enhancement, of our habitat is demanded. Action must be taken to provide adequate legislation to ensure the preservation and regeneration of our forests, the maintenance of the general amenity of Canberra deriving from our open-space planning, the preservation of our heritage assets, the transportation, use and disposal of hazardous and toxic materials, and disposal, generally, and recycling where possible, of all waste products. It is clear that no time must be lost in addressing these and other associated matters, and I note that Mr Wood raised this question in question time yesterday.
Closely associated with these environmental issues is that of the continuing growth of the City of Canberra and the problems that flow from that growth - such matters as the proper and controlled planning of the city centre, the dispersal of business and commercial activity across the regions of Belconnen, North and South Canberra, Woden, Weston and Tuggeranong, the construction of supporting road networks, urban redevelopment and further expansion into
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