Page 3000 - Week 14 - Tuesday, 5 December 1989
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MR DUBY (3.10): Mr Speaker, in March of this year members of my party were elected on the platform of opposition to imposed self-government for the ACT based on the belief that under self-government the quality of life for its citizens would suffer. Since then, given the reality of ACT self-government, we have consistently acted to ensure that Canberrans do not come out second best and that their interests always come first. Our chief concerns are, and always have been, the best interests and well-being of the Canberra community. Mr Speaker, I guess that brings us to the crux of this issue. Canberra must have a stable and effective government. The ACT economy, already under severe stress, demands it. The ACT economy is not well.
Mr Speaker, we already have in this city building and construction sectors that are extremely depressed; we have got housing forecasts at their lowest levels for years; the tourism industry, both before and after the pilots' dispute, has severely declined; employment growth in the Australian Capital Territory is at one of the lowest levels in this country; and the population growth of the ACT is now lower than the Australian average, when some years ago it was consistently the highest in the country.
Mr Speaker, the ACT economy is in trouble. As I said, what is needed now to face that problem is a stable government. The private and public sectors alike need to have confidence that the stated policies of the ACT Government can and will be implemented. Without that confidence, all Canberrans are the losers. I have outlined some of the problems that the ACT economy is facing at the moment, Mr Speaker. Those problems, and a lot of other problems facing the ACT which I have not mentioned, may not be this Government's fault. But to tackle these problems requires strong government.
Mr Speaker, this motion is not one of personalities. Indeed, I know I speak for all members in this Assembly when I say that Ms Follett is one of the most respected and admired members of this gathering. But that is simply not good enough for the ACT. The citizens of the ACT deserve better - a stable, effective and efficient government. That, Mr Speaker, can only be provided by a majority government. I believe Mr Kaine can provide the ACT with just that - a strong, stable, effective and efficient majority government that utilises the talents and abilities of all the members of this Assembly and of the community as a whole. Mr Speaker, I support the motion.
MR WOOD (3.14): I thought someone there was jumping. Are you? Well, what a lack of confidence in your no-confidence motion! Will you talk?
Mr Humphries: We will take our turn.
MR WOOD: Well, would you like to take it now?
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