Page 4628 - Week 16 - Tuesday, 27 November 1990
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
It is fair to say that there has been absolutely no consultation about the provisions of these Bills. I was unable to discover a community group or an individual with an interest in the Community Development Fund who had seen the Bill or was aware of its existence. Like most decisions of the Kaine Government, this decision was made by an edict from on high.
The Labor members will oppose these Bills because they remove the only guarantee that there is available to community groups that this Government will provide those community services and arts and sporting bodies with funding. Ever since they decided to knock off the Community Development Fund, the Government has been trying to fool community groups into feeling secure in their future funding. I feel no such security.
Once this Bill goes through, there is absolutely no guarantee that funding levels for the community groups will be maintained or that there will in fact be any funding at all. The Government's various promises about maintaining funding have to be viewed with the same suspicion with which people have learnt to view all of their decisions - and all of their broken promises for which they have become renowned. Who could forget Mr Kaine's promise on behalf of the Liberal Party during the election period not to increase taxes, at all, ever - and not to increase rates? Yet one of his first actions in government was to break that promise and, in fact, to increase every tax and every rate that he possibly could.
Mr Kaine: Come on. Just overstate the case a little, Rosemary.
Mr Wood: I rise to a point of order. Mr Speaker, you have directed in this house on more than one occasion that the correct means of address of a member is by that person's proper name, and not by a given name. On a number of occasions in the last five minutes, I have heard the use of the Leader of the Opposition's given name, and I ask that you stand by your ruling and draw that to the attention of members opposite.
MR SPEAKER: I do not believe that there are any rules in the standing orders that cover interjections - and that is what you are talking about. Where first names are used during debate, I accept your point of order; but in this circumstance we are dealing with interjections and asides, and I do not think that applies. There should be no interjections. Please proceed, Ms Follett.
MS FOLLETT: I say again that at the first available opportunity Mr Kaine completely broke his promise that he would not increase taxes or rates.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .