Page 2287 - Week 08 - Friday, 21 June 1991
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reality. The Canberra community must have no illusions about the coming budget. My Government will tackle the problems facing Canberra and will not shirk tough decisions. I will be making a short statement after this one to outline the nature of the budget task.
Mr Speaker, I mention the very difficult financial task facing us because it creates an imperative for my Government to follow a further key element of its guiding philosophy. When difficult decisions need to be made about the allocation of resources and the future of government services and programs, it is essential that they take place within a framework that puts people first. I am talking about social justice and the creation of a fair society. I do not see social justice as an add-on, as some kind of soft option, as something to be considered only after a decision has been reached on other grounds.
Social justice considerations cannot be ignored if a government is to make the right policy decisions. There is no incompatibility between my focus on social justice and a determination to tackle economic issues head on. Indeed, a significant element of the rationale behind a social justice approach is that it has the power to release, to the benefit of society as a whole, the productive potential of many individuals who at present do not have the opportunity to participate fully in the economic life of our community.
In addition, this strategy will ensure that Canberrans, and, in particular, those Canberrans most in need, are protected from the worst impact of the budget that will be necessary to deal with our economic situation. To a large extent, my Government's immediate work program, the priorities that we have set and the decisions that we will have to make have been determined by the rebuilding task that we face after 18 or so months of the Alliance Government. That was the governing principle that I used in determining my ministry. I allocated functions to allow maximum opportunity for ministerial attention to be brought to bear on the major problem areas facing the Government.
We have inherited a health service in a shambles, and it is our task to restore that service. As for the schools closed down by the Alliance, the Government's intentions are already known. The Cook and Lyons schools will reopen, and we will listen to the community's views about the other schools. As for the leasehold system, I remind members about the concern expressed at the end of 1989 that the planning and land management package was not yet in place. The Alliance, however, was not able to get anything in place in the 18 months that followed. The Alliance argued that delays in finalising the planning and land use legislation were due to the need for further community consultation. While that objective is commendable, it is apparent that the Alliance failed to take proper account of the community's views.
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