Page 254 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 30 May 1989
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Legislative Assembly are making history as this Assembly gets down to its first weeks of sittings.
I would also like to extend my congratulations to the Chief Minister on her election, but I would also like to point out, Mr Speaker, that we women are here today on merit, I am sure, and not on gender representation. The make-up of this Assembly is somewhat unusual, and I feel it is absolutely vital that I and others remind the people of the ACT that the Northern Territory has now had self-government for 10 years and the economic and social development which has resulted from Territorians making decisions for Territorians is a matter of record.
I believe that it is the responsibility of all of us in this chamber to provide stable and responsible government, and I believe that the ACT's potential is limited only by the vision of its people. The ACT enjoys many advantages and I am very proud as a resident of 10 years to be part of the history-making process of self-government and to live in a city that does have advantages which place it in a unique position to grow and expand.
It is true that it is the centre of political life in Australia - however, until now, with much less political representation than the rest of Australia. It is the home of many of our national institutions; it has a strategic location in the Sydney-Melbourne corridor; and its people, its major resource, are the highest qualified in Australia. It also happens to have an internationally acclaimed environment, and while it is the envy of many we must take care that this continues to be the case.
Obviously there are concerns in the community about what self-government will bring. People are concerned about cost; they are concerned about employment prospects for their children; and as a mother of two school-age children I share their concerns. People fear that schools and hospital standards will drop. However, as locally elected representatives we all share those same concerns. We, too, are Canberrans.
The Liberal Party has underpinned those basic principles that set the direction for our policies. It is these principles which differentiate us from the corporalist and centralist ideas of the Labor Party, and it is these principles that set the direction of our policies.
The objective of our principles is to support and place emphasis on the family, which is the cornerstone of our society; promote freedom of choice and individual responsibility; provide incentive for people to work; encourage greater efficiency; reduce government regulation and allow businesses and individuals to get on with the job; improve competition and flexibility in the local economy; attract new industry and create new jobs in our community; strive for excellence in all spheres; and emphasise equality of opportunity.
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