Page 72 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 7 April 1992
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because I think it makes for a richer, more interesting and more cooperative society if we involve the people. Let us not construct government monopolies which inhibit the involvement of the community. Let us be outcome driven in this new Assembly.
MR WESTENDE (8.53): Madam Speaker, may I firstly congratulate you on your election to this Assembly and your subsequent election as Speaker of this Assembly. May I also congratulate all other members on their election and wish them all well in the various positions they now hold. For myself, this election was the culmination of being on the fringes of politics nearly all my adult life, and I wish to thank my wife for being understanding enough to let me get involved.
Madam Speaker, I feel very honoured and privileged to be standing here today as a member of the ACT Legislative Assembly; but, more importantly, I am very conscious of the responsibilities that this honour and privilege entails. It is a responsibility that is indeed entrusted to all members of this Assembly by those who have placed us here - the people of the ACT - and we must never lose sight of this.
It is on this important matter of the responsibility of the Assembly in determining the future direction of the ACT that I wish to focus my maiden speech. The Oxford Dictionary defines the word "responsible" as liable to be called to account, answerable, capable of rational conduct, and so on. They are strong words. But, clearly, to be responsible is to be strong, and what the ACT needs right now is strength in every direction. It needs strong leadership from government and it needs a firm and strong commitment by every member of the community. We must all build the future together.
The ACT is clearly at an important crossroad and the action adopted by the ACT Government, in particular, in the next one to two years, will quite significantly determine whether, in fact, we have a future or not. I believe that the positive aspect about this crossroad is that there is a very exciting direction out of it. It is clearly one that goes forward and one that can lead the ACT, and indeed the region, into great prosperity. It is one that can provide a lasting and strong economic base, one that can provide a good future for the generations to come, one that can not only retain our excellent quality of life but also provide increased options in style of living and a greater range of employment opportunities. This direction that leads from our present crossroad is clear to me; there is no other way. Madam Speaker, we in the ACT are extremely fortunate to be poised to take advantage of some very great opportunities.
This direction, as exciting as it may sound, will not just happen. It will not be served up to us on a plate. We will have to go after it with, I trust, determination, enthusiasm and, of course, responsibility. There can be no place for dillydallying, hesitation and doubts. We must set the vision in place and go after it. I believe that we have a tremendous duty and responsibility in this Assembly to foster this approach for our future.
The ACT Government, particularly, has an important and significant role in determining the future course of the ACT. It cannot afford to blow it. But, if it does not bring about some changes quickly, it will blow it, and the situation will not be easy to retrieve, if it can be retrieved at all. We have to set in place now the policies that will encourage growth so that when we come out of the recession we will be firing on all six.
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