Page 80 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 24 May 1989
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tenants. The Rally simply wishes to give a mild rebuke there and point out that tenants needing protection are not simply those in residential cottages; they are the people who work extremely long hours in retailing in this Territory, who at the moment are being strangled to a great extent by very high rents.
Finally, Mr Speaker, the proposals by the Rally in this Assembly will always be directed towards the community voice. The Rally undertakes to come to this Assembly to reflect what the community is saying to it, and it will spend its days when it is not in this Assembly with community groups, working to reflect their aspirations.
MR DUBY (11.13): Before I comment, I must address the remarks made by Mr Kaine regarding a supposed Labor-No Self Government coalition, which is clearly incorrect. I remind him that it was the No Self Government Party that participated in voting him to be the Leader of the Opposition to this Government. I would like him to remember that in future.
Mr Speaker, I take this opportunity to congratulate formally Ms Follett on her elevation to the position of Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory. I think it is especially fitting that, given the pioneering nature of the type of government that this Territory is about to receive, taking into account the political make-up of this Assembly, new ground has been broken here in Canberra with the election of a woman Chief Minister. It is a good thing for this Territory in particular and the Australian political scene in general. I wish her well.
I and the other members of my party are members of this Assembly today because we represent a large proportion of the electors of Canberra who hold grave doubts as to the necessity at all for this chamber. Many, many people in the community have said that self-government, as set up under our enacting legislation, is simply not necessary.
When one looks at the lifestyle enjoyed by Canberrans today, it is not hard to understand why this feeling should be so prevalent. After 75 years of administration by the Commonwealth Government, Canberra is the showplace of the nation. Its citizens enjoy the highest standards of living in Australia. By all measures of social well-being, the Australian Capital Territory excels.
My party campaigned vigorously throughout the election on these incontrovertible facts. We felt that the old Australian adage "When you're on a good thing stick to it" particularly applied here, and we feel that, had the majority of Canberrans voted as their hearts dictated, we would now be in the position of negotiating with the Commonwealth Government over the repeal of the self-government legislation.
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