Page 81 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 24 May 1989
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Such, however, was not the case. More electors voted in favour of candidates who supported the concept of self-government than those who did not. We accept that. Nevertheless, this does not mean that we can wash our hands of the matter. We have been charged by that large slice of the electorate that supported us to ensure now that the Canberra way of life does not deteriorate. Put simply as a rule of thumb, we are here to ensure that Canberrans do not end up paying more for less.
With this in mind, the statement made by the Chief Minister regarding the nature of her Government and its objectives is reassuring in that it would appear that her Government also shares these concerns. I do not intend to comment on the Government's policy directions. My party has no mandate from its supporters either to support or oppose this Government in those matters.
I can state, however, that my party has been charged to work to provide stable, responsible and responsive government in the best interests of the people of the ACT. I here give my assurance to all members of this Assembly that we will not falter from this course. Our primary concern is that of the interests of the citizens of the Australian Capital Territory. I can only hope that this concern is shared by all members of this Assembly.
Accordingly, I say to the Chief Minister and other members of the Government: legislate, decide, but do not forget your obligation, not only to those members of the community who supported you but also to all members of the community, and that is to consult and advise. I dare say that, given the political make-up of this Assembly, you will have little opportunity to do otherwise.
MRS GRASSBY (Minister for Housing and Urban Services) (11.17): I rise to speak on my portfolio, Housing and Urban Affairs. I am pleased to have the opportunity to outline the Government's intentions within my area of responsibility.
This Government is committed to maintaining and improving the quality of life that we enjoy. We will pay particular attention to the links between people and their physical and social environment. There will be a focus on such areas as housing, parks, conservation, pollution control, waste management, animal welfare, cultural events and facilities, public transport and parking, and road safety.
Housing is a top priority for this Government. The Chief Minister has already announced that there will be a broad-ranging review of ACT housing policy. The terms of reference will be announced shortly. I thank Mr Collaery and Mr Jensen who talked to us about it last night, and I understand I am talking to the Liberal Party and the No Self Government Party on housing today. I thank them for their input into this.
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