Page 2971 - Week 10 - Thursday, 16 August 1990
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Retail Trade Turnover
MR STEFANIAK: My question is directed to the Minister for Finance and Urban Services. Is the Government concerned about the outlook for retail trade turnover in the ACT?
MR DUBY: I thank Mr Stefaniak for the question. Indeed, I am concerned, as I am sure are all members of the Assembly, over retail trading and turnover in the ACT, particularly given the enormously high interest rates which have been imposed upon us by the Federal Government and the general lack of consumer confidence in the economic outlook as a whole. Nonetheless, the recent performance of the retail sector in the Territory has been encouraging. Indeed, it has moved positively, against the national trend.
I notice that in today's Canberra Times there is an article that spells out plainly and clearly the situation in regard to retail turnover in Canberra. In New South Wales and South Australia, during the June quarter, the average weekly growth was only 0.5 per cent, and Tasmania achieved only 0.6 per cent. In the ACT, sales rose by 1.3 per cent in both May and June and 1.1 per cent in April. It is interesting to note that for the same periods in New South Wales the corresponding figures for growth were only 0.4 per cent, 0.5 per cent and 0.6 per cent respectively. Victoria, which is being touted to us as an example of the sort of economic policy which we in the Territory should be following, has experienced a negative growth trend since January.
So, all in all, whilst we are concerned for the general outlook of retail trade throughout the country, we are pleased to note that retail trade growth in the ACT exceeds that of the national average and that of the adjoining States of New South Wales and Victoria substantially.
Hospital Redevelopment
MR BERRY: Mr Speaker, my question is directed to the Minister for Health, Education and the Arts. According to public statements made by the Minister, the budget for hospital redevelopment has been cut back, or the fat has been trimmed off it, from in excess of $180m - that is, the $180m prescribed by the finance committee and the one-off recurrent costs of around $12m - to less than $154m in 1989 figures. What services will be cut as a result?
MR HUMPHRIES: The simple answer to Mr Berry's question is none. He seems to suffer under the delusion that, if governments reduce the amount that they might spend on particular services, they necessarily cut the quality or the quantity of those services. Mr Berry makes the assumption, in asking that question, that governments provide services at a uniform level of efficiency and cost effectiveness. We on this side of the chamber know that is
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