Page 2209 - Week 07 - Thursday, 6 June 1991
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financial footing. I doubt whether an ALP government, be it majority or minority, could deliver that. Indeed, when one looks at the dreadful track record of the Federal Labor Government and the State Labor governments, one shudders.
When the Federal Labor Government took over in 1983 I think we had a national debt of about $33 billion. That has ballooned to $170 billion. The Cain Labor Government in Victoria - that is spelt with a C and not a K - bankrupted that State. Indeed, there is a joke going around which probably most of you have heard: "What is the capital of Victoria?"; answer, "About $1.50".
South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania are also broke. Funnily enough, Queensland's much maligned National Government - half of whom seem to be in gaol - nevertheless seemed to at least get that State on a reasonable financial footing. Mr Goss has inherited a quite financially sound State there. In New South Wales, a person that the Opposition - who might soon be the Government here - like deriding a lot, Nick Greiner, has got his State back on a reasonable financial footing.
Do we want the ACT to join the ALP States? Do we want the ACT to become bankrupt? Do we want financially strong management or - especially if I understood Mr Collaery correctly - to go to a lot of borrowings which really will just take us into debt? I wonder whether we could really pay them off.
If you want to take a risk and risk the ACT's financial stability, vote for this motion, go right ahead. If you do not, and you want responsible government, vote against it. Other government speakers have touched and, indeed, further ones will touch on the achievements of this Government. I will deal with a few of the areas where I have had some involvement, and those are the areas of law and sport.
Whilst criticising Mr Collaery and his party for another of their amazing turns here, I will not be churlish. He had involvement in some of the matters, especially in these areas, and he implemented quite sensible policies. The Alliance Government, when all three groupings were in it, enacted a large amount of very good legislation for this Territory.
Our domestic violence legislation is perhaps the most comprehensive in Australia, and I think that is something we all can be proud of in this Assembly. I was pleased to see - having a very great interest in victims of crime - that our criminal injuries compensation has now been raised from $20,000 to $50,000 to bring us into line with New South Wales. Also, there has been a full review of the questions of victims and victims' rights by the ACT Community Law Reform Committee, chaired by His Honour Mr Justice Kelly.
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