Page 2196 - Week 07 - Thursday, 6 June 1991
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Cabinet fell for those mere assertions. The Cabinet, doing, it would seem, no sound financial analysis, has just been driven by this nonsensical developmental dogma and has prepared a windfall.
Let me repeat, Mr Speaker: The abolition of the lease premium on the extension of commercial leases amounts to nothing less than a gift of public funds to those persons who now hold short-term commercial leases. The decision is wrong in principle and it has been implemented in a ham-fisted and amateurish manner. It must and will be rejected by a majority of this Assembly. But, of course, the concern of all members of this Assembly who share Labor's view on the leasehold issue is that, under present arrangements, this Government could implement its change in policy administratively during a recess of this Assembly.
Should members of this Assembly see fit to vote against the no-confidence motion and return a Liberal government, it is no doubt open for Labor and other interested members to prepare private members' legislation to prevent the extension of commercial leases without payment of a premium; but during the period that this Assembly is in recess it could be open slather if this Liberal dominated, minority Government has its way. I would urge members who are concerned about this issue to contemplate that. I urge all members who oppose this windfall profit to developers to join Labor in supporting this vote of no confidence in this amateurish Government.
MR COLLAERY (4.02): Mr Speaker, this is not a new-found ability to count heads. The only new-found ability in that regard was the ability to crack heads as the bells were ringing. This really is a post-mortem on a marriage breakdown. When it was originally constituted, the Alliance was a balanced model with social conscience linked with Liberal economic theory and management. It was an exciting concept, and it was one that promised much.
Mr Speaker - and I say this with respect - your recruitment to the Liberal Party, or your persuasion to the Liberal Party, upset that balance. It was a good balance prior to that. That meant that the Government turned inexorably to close advisers, who pressed a steady diet of economic rationalism on us. We did not see imaginative structural changes. Great things were done by the Government - and I will come to them in a moment - but that, indeed, was the deep underlying strain that developed in the Alliance, not these ephemeral issues, important though they are, of lease changes, education and health. There was more to it than them. The deep underlying issue was the economic management of this Territory and the clear desire of the people of this Territory for a sound economic base.
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