Page 2402 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 6 August 1991
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This is not a socially just budget strategy. It is rejected by the Residents Rally for its brevity, for its omissions, not for what is in it. I think Ms Follett needs to look at that and at a whole range of issues about which the community has been active. I particularly suggest that she read again Jack Waterford's article in the ACTCOSS April news, entitled "Trading Away Welfare".
Mr Speaker, if the Labor Government says that it differs ideologically from the Alliance Government, why is its budget strategy the same as ours, bar a couple of idiosyncrasies? The short answer is that, from its time on the opposition benches, the Labor Party has learnt little innovation; it is the same dull crew. Mr Connolly, Mr Wood and Mrs Grassby are properly squirming because they are not party to the ideological Left, and they well know that the one per cent land tax is simply an indicator of knee-jerk budget strategic measures.
Mr Speaker, substance can never take the place of debate. We can debate what we like about this strategy, but the fact is that the new policy proposals - pages of them - which were handed to the Labor Government before they took power are not attended to in this document. No amount of media antics by the Labor Government can overcome the fact that this slim little document offers very little to the poor, the disadvantaged, the aged in the community who have paid taxes and rates all their lives and who need a hospice, and the first home owner community.
We need to protect the first home owners, but there is nothing here about accessibility and affordability of housing issues to come from the budget; there are no initiatives there. The Deputy Prime Minister, Mr Howe, has said that it is the next issue for the decade. So, why do we not have some reference to a Follett strategy on accessing affordable housing? Will the Follett Government tackle the question of the reserves being set for government land sales, which have resulted in significant and inaccessible home prices in Gungahlin? Will the Follett Government recognise that we need additional strategies for first home owner access, which can be done by having measures relating to stamp duty and the rest?
MR MOORE (3.30): Mr Speaker, I will begin my comments on the budget strategy by referring to cuts to capital works. It has been my considered opinion on the two previous budgets that one of the things that people in Canberra do is look around them and see that the infrastructure for Canberra is already very, very good and, when they hear that there are budget difficulties, they always say, "Why are we getting such good gutters? Why are the roads being redone? Why are those issues being allowed to go ahead full bore when we are cutting back on hospitals and health care?", and so on.
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