Page 59 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 7 April 1992
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I come from a background of business and community involvement. I am, I am told, the first southern European born or northern African born, depending on the definition - let us say southern European born - elected member of the ACT Legislative Assembly. I think this is important in itself. It reflects the great changes in the ethnic make-up of our society. Perhaps I should say, "Noi viviamo in un piccolo mondo" - we live in a very small world. I also speak French and a smattering of Spanish and Greek. My parents, in fact, are Egyptian Sicilian, and speak seven languages.
There are thousands of Canberrans with ethnic backgrounds like my own striving to contribute to this country. It is because I love Canberra and Australia that I wanted to return some of the wealth and opportunity I have experienced. I was also extremely concerned at the antics of the previous ACT Legislative Assembly, when it seemed that we had more groups than a dalmatian has spots. It made the ACT, already a beloved target for national abuse, the laughing-stock of the country. If you wanted a challenge, I guess that being an elected member of the ACT Government or the Assembly would have to be it. But it should not be this way. It is now up to us, every single one of us elected as members of this Second Assembly, to amend the situation.
The people of Canberra have given us 16 reasons to take self-government seriously. This time round the people of Canberra are to be congratulated. They have elected a Government and an Opposition from well recognised and significant parties. It is up to us now to be ambassadors for Canberra, to take this vehicle of self-government and give it credibility and authority. We have the opportunity to show the rest of Australia that we can do things a little bit better in Canberra.
As a member of the Assembly, as a member of the Liberal Party and therefore the Opposition, I applaud Liberal and Opposition Leader Trevor Kaine's position that this Opposition will not oppose for the sake of opposing. We will work together with all in this Assembly to provide effective government for Canberra. That is why I am here. It is important that we have a bipartisan approach to those issues which will benefit the community.
I believe that the future of Canberra lies with the prosperity of the private sector, and I am pleased to say that the media and the Government, as well as the Opposition, have all at some stage expressed similar views. With my shadow responsibilities of finance, employment, business, tourism and industrial relations, I would suggest that this portfolio encompasses some of the main issues which will be affecting the people of the ACT within the next three years as we go into the catch-up recession mode.
On the industrial relations front, already we see major problems with positions in the dispute with the Transport Workers Union over ACTION bus services. Strong government is needed. Today's strike - or yesterday's strike, or whenever - on a wet day will only heighten public support for privatisation, and I commend Minister Connolly for what he has had to say about that.
It will be the private sector that will provide the solutions. It will be the private sector that will create jobs, growth, opportunity and prosperity in the ACT. But it is time the talking stopped. What we need is immediate action to allow the private sector to fulfil its role in the ACT economy. If we all agree, and I believe that we do, then we need to act.
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