Page 3256 - Week 11 - Thursday, 13 September 1990
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Association for Regional Development, the Canberra Chamber of Commerce, the Housing Industry Association (ACT and Southern New South Wales Division), the Institute of Management Consultants, the Institute of Purchasing and Supply Management, the Insurance Council of Australia Ltd, the Master Builders Construction and Housing Association of the ACT - all the people that Mr Jensen now believes are the members of the community with whom he needs to consult.
I would agree that they are members of the community with whom he should consult. But, Mr Jensen, they are not the only members of the community with whom you should consult. They are going to be the winners out of this budget. The $30m basically will go their way, while the losers will be the ordinary people - those who seek to have a fair education, whether it be in their preschools or schools, and those who are entitled to neighbourhood values and neighbourhood schools.
As for the budget overall, I would like to start, if I might, Mr Speaker, by making some positive comments. The first positive comment I would like to draw attention to is the community advocate and the guardianship commitments that are made in this budget through Mr Collaery. I must say that something that I have been at one with Mr Collaery on for quite some time is a domestic violence refuge. Of particular interest to me is a quite small item that he has mentioned in the budget, and that is a community justice convention to be held at Birrigai in October and where that might lead. I think in fact it may well be something that brings a particular advantage for our young people and a particular financial advantage as well as a social advantage to us as a community.
In Mr Duby's portfolio the commitment to the findings of the commercial and domestic waste management report, I think, is a very positive thing, and I certainly have appreciated over the last year his commitment to parking controls, not only in the area in which I live but also around Lyons and other areas in which I have taken an interest.
Mr Kaine referred to community liaison with the territory planning authority. I imagine there is some credit due to Mr Jensen in this regard. To improve consultation I think is a very positive move. Clearly there also has been some real effort to make some progress on matters of conservation and environment. It is appropriate to give credit in those areas. I have chosen just a few areas because I have limited time. I also think it is appropriate to say that the philosophy of running a balanced budget and a reduction in borrowing is also a very positive overall concept or overall strategy.
My major area of concern is an issue that I have raised before, and it has to do with the police. It is in the program entitled "Maintenance of Law and Order". At some time earlier this year we were talking about an expenditure
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