Page 1650 - Week 08 - Thursday, 28 September 1989
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aware of this, and a lack of confidence in the ACT economy is being expressed by the community. This is reflected in the downturn in new business activity and consumer confidence. The latest ACT economic report published by the ACT Treasury shows reduced population growth rates, reduced employment growth, reduced building and construction and reduced retail turnover.
The only figures which showed an increase were on the housing waiting list, coupled with a dramatic increase in the number of recipients of rent relief. None of these changes are grounds for optimism and the Treasurer has not addressed these specific problems that we face. It is not only in these areas that the economy is losing confidence in the Government. The construction industry has virtually come to a halt in recent weeks, and decisive action, not discussion papers, is required of the Government to head off a major economic disaster.
Well, I can hear it now. Critics, of course, are going to ask the question, "What are you going to do about it?", so I will address that briefly. The Treasurer said yesterday that I could not produce a budget. Well, Minister, that remains to be seen. What we do know, and the community shares this view, is that you have not produced a responsible or effective budget. It is your budget, not mine. In light of the Treasurer's remarks yesterday, it is fascinating that the Government wants me now to chair its Estimates Committee, to become the de facto Treasurer of the Labor minority Government to make its budget more palatable. I say now, Minister, that I decline the invitation.
In our election campaign early this year the Liberals issued a 10-point budget strategy for the ACT. In government we will implement the actions outlined in that strategy, and they include the commissioning of an independent audit to determine what we own, what we owe, where we spend, and how effective that spending is - that is, if the Government does not accept that task now. Secondly, our strategy includes the development of a comprehensive five-year financial plan, clearly spelling out to the community the Liberal Government's priorities and intentions. It also includes the development of annual budgets derived from the five-year plan, designed to meet identified community needs in priority order and tailored to ensure that we spend only the money that is available.
We will undertake the improvement of overall efficiency and the delivery of government services by ensuring that the administration is lean and cost-effective. We will transfer to the private sector the responsibility for providing services which can be delivered more efficiently by that sector and where this will lead to a net saving without a reduction in the level of service provided.
In short, Mr Speaker, in government, in company with our Rally colleagues, we will provide responsible financial
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