Page 2295 - Week 08 - Thursday, 7 June 1990
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under self-government and the move to State-type financing of the ACT. Indeed, Mr Kaine has made similar statements on a number of occasions. In almost 13 months since self-government, the people of the ACT have seen two very different approaches to stability and predictability.
In speaking to a previous no-confidence motion last December, I indicated my belief that we needed a stated and certain agenda for the ACT. I outlined the Labor record. I traced the way in which the policies of the Labor Government could not be considered any surprise because our agenda had been outlined at the start of government, and every major action taken during those seven months could be traced directly to the proposals and the platform which we put before the people of the Territory at the 1989 election - and that platform included that there would be no school closures.
Mr Speaker, there could be no greater contrast than the present Government. Stability, predictability and social responsibility have gone out the window. Let us examine Mr Kaine's speech in this place on 7 December last when he outlined his Government's supposed program. Let us also consider the Liberal Party and the Residents Rally election promises and their actions since that time. We will see then the lack of integrity, the lack of credibility, and the extreme hypocrisy of this Government.
The first and one of the most important parts of Mr Kaine's speech on 7 December was to do with the economy and the budget. I will quote part of that. Mr Kaine said:
We will develop a comprehensive five-year financial plan, clearly spelling out to the community the Government's priorities and intentions. Our five-year plan will identify the programs which the Government will put into effect to satisfy the needs of this community. The first five-year plan ... will provide the basis for the compilation of the budget for the next financial year.
That was what this Chief Minister promised and, of course, none of it was true. There has been no five-year plan and no clear statement of the programs we may expect from this Government. All we have seen is the usual three-year forward estimates which reflect no change in government policy, plus the usual dose of Liberal rhetoric about efficiency and small government. It is absolutely clear that the next budget is being framed in the complete absence of a five-year or any other long-term budget strategy. On this matter, as on so many others, Mr Kaine and his Government lack credibility.
Mr Speaker, Mr Kaine said a lot on 7 December last about planning, development and the environment, but this Government's only real contribution has been to allow the public servants to continue with the drafting of the
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