Page 1670 - Week 08 - Thursday, 28 September 1989
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are currently used to will agree that the Government has wasted its opportunities to make meaningful changes to that area of revenue which has drawn many critical comments. Some of these criticisms have come specifically, I might suggest, from one of the Government's own Federal members who sought to have this matter redressed in a report that he brought down in the Federal Parliament. I refer, of course, to Mr John Langmore. I understand that the report is yet to be debated or considered by the Federal Parliament.
That was the sort of attitude that the previous Labor administration had to this particular issue. It seems to me that there is ample information available to the Government to enable it to get on with this very important job of increasing its revenue from this area and possibly, I would suggest, helping to reduce some of the cuts that we now find being put upon the people of the ACT.
I would now like to move on and draw attention to the industry and commerce program of expenditure. In summary, therein we find reference to a major projects group to assist in the fast tracking of new business proposals and an industry assistance scheme. Let me say, before anyone suggests otherwise, that the Rally fully supports schemes that will assist and promote investment in the ACT. But we are concerned that any proposal to fast track projects does not result in projects being approved or land being allocated before proper planning considerations and the public consultation processes are observed. Had we had the sort of planning appeals processes that I would suggest are important and that the Rally believes are important, the problems that we are having from an environmental point of view in relation to the so-called National Aquarium would not have taken place.
In the past administration there was no provision for proper appeals against that particular process going ahead. The maintenance of a well-planned, pleasant environment is a real asset that Canberra has in trying to sell itself as a regional centre and as an attraction to enterprises considering locating here. This will become even more important once the VFT project is under way and population pressures are increased.
Canberra can offer a pleasant lifestyle and natural environment, a minimum of traffic hassles and proximity to the Federal Government. Also we are right slap bang in the middle of the major urban area of this continent of ours. We have all the facilities of a modern, vibrant city, and it is important that we should continue to attract businesses and tourists to the city. However, we have to make sure that we do not perpetuate the sorts of problems that have been experienced by some businesses in their attempts to set up operations in the ACT.
I will refer briefly, Mr Speaker, to two such particular actions. In one case an American company was prepared and
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