Page 197 - Week 01 - Thursday, 15 February 1990
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again, it takes a great deal of courage to stand up and do what the Chief Minister, on behalf of the Alliance, has done, and I commend him for it.
MRS GRASSBY (12.01): Mr Speaker, our party takes a dim view of this. After all, we see thousands of jobs - - -
Mr Kaine: Naturally, you would.
MRS GRASSBY: I am sorry, Chief Minister, but our party sees thousands of jobs going in the next three years. There will be thousands of children leaving school in the next three years and expecting jobs in the public service which is the largest employer in this city. That is what you all forget.
Mr Humphries: The Federal public service is.
MRS GRASSBY: You forget that, whether it be Federal or the ACT - it is the largest employer, and when the Government stops employing people, this city goes downhill. It went downhill when the Fraser Government's razor gang cut the public servants in this city. Fraser had to build Parliament House to get us back on track again. But you are spending $30m on a very fast train, giving it to a private organisation, to your friends, when it could be spent on the public service, the people. You are going to cut it to make sure that there is money to give away to your friends. Is this what it is all about?
We know what you are doing to the hospital. We know that eventually you are going to cut the hospital so that it has to be closed and so that you can give away that land to your private friends to build big buildings. We know this will happen. We can see that this is exactly the way this Government is going to go. No business in this city can survive without the public service, whether it be a Federal public service or the ACT public service. We will see what happens to the business people in this city, particularly the small business people whom you on that side of the house seem to have forgotten.
Mr Kaine: You did nothing for them.
MRS GRASSBY: We did not give them late shopping hours so that they are nearly broke because of the fact that they have to be open all the time when they cannot be. You were the people who gave them that; remember that. They are crying about it now and do not want it. It was done just to keep your friends in David Jones and Grace Bros going, not for the small business people who cannot afford to stay open and who are not doing the business. Do not talk to me about it, Mr Kaine! You are like the cock who thinks the sun rises just to hear it crow. We need more than just hearing you crow; we need to see this city go ahead, rather than take away jobs from people now and from young people who will be coming into the work force.
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