Page 3247 - Week 11 - Thursday, 13 September 1990
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Is not this what the Chief Minister said, in effect? How appalling of this Leader of the Opposition to pull the wool over the eyes of the people with that disgraceful statement in her speech. It typifies the whole ambivalence and incompetence of this person.
Mr Speaker, the 1990-91 budget provides a responsible framework within which the ACT community can have some confidence about the future. We have made a substantial start on the process of structural adjustment required as a consequence of the Commonwealth withdrawal of assistance. The circumstances have been set to facilitate micro-economic reform within the ACT public sector. It is clear that difficult decisions have been taken on revenue measures, and this has been done in a manner which treats residents of the ACT in much the same way as those who live in the region surrounding the ACT. The budget presented by my colleague the Chief Minister is deserving of support, and that was manifest today at the National Press Club.
Importantly, Mr Speaker, from my own perspective and particularly within my portfolio, we have set about a process of social justice and equity reforms that is probably unparalleled in the first budget of any new government. The Alliance Government has delivered a budget which has the interests of all residents at heart, but pays particular attention to those with the most disadvantage. It demonstrates the solidarity of the Government - I repeat, the solidarity of the Government - and illustrates the advantages that have come from a partnership of experience, trust, a preparedness for community consultation and a genuine commitment by all of us to social reform and stable government.
Our social policy reforms, which have received widespread acceptance in the community, follow a period of extensive consultation with community groups who have drawn the Government's attention to gaps in services. We have responded to these community concerns through a series of exhaustive community consultative measures and by putting together a carefully targeted package of new policy measures which are aimed at closing gaps, so that those with complex needs or those in difficult circumstances are able to be assisted.
The law reform measures announced in the budget further the aim of social justice and, taken together with our legislative program and reviews under way, will eventually catch up with the backlog of the years of Commonwealth inaction. I am determined that they will place the ACT at the forefront of law reform. It will not be knee-jerk, impulsive and opportunist reform of the type that we saw attempted to be introduced in this Assembly yesterday.
Perhaps the best illustration of this strategy in the budget is the new system for guardianship matters. It is simply not acceptable for residents of the ACT in 1990 to
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .