Page 246 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 12 May 1992
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MR DE DOMENICO: Yes, we got a charge out of that. We are allowed to plug into the national electricity grid. We are still not allowed to say anything about the Snowy Mountains scheme, though.
Ms Follett: Whose fault is that? You were working for the opposition.
MR DE DOMENICO: As Ms Follett knows, last year, at the infamous ALP National Conference, when I was lobbying for the State Electricity Commission of Victoria, they quite rightly said: "It is the Federal Government that will not allow you to have a say on this because the Federal Government owns the Snowy Mountains scheme in conjunction with Victoria and New South Wales. Prove to us why we should allow you to have a say and perhaps we might". So, her own colleague in Victoria, the lady that made other statements as well yesterday, said, "No, you do not get a say in it". But now we get a say in the national grid. Well, that is fantastic!
We are also told that our gun laws are going to continue, which is good news; but we are not told anything about micro-economic reform. We are not told about anything that the ACT might have said about youth unemployment. I remind the Chief Minister and members opposite that we do have a 25.1 per cent level of youth unemployment, but more about that later. I am sure that Ms Szuty will quite adequately describe her concerns about youth unemployment. We have not been told anything about the fact that we do tend to subsidise ACTION buses to the tune of $64m a year, and that perhaps there might be some more micro-economic reforms than the quite plausible ones that Mr Connolly is attempting to put in. We applaud him for even thinking about it and doing something about it. That is fantastic, Mr Connolly, and we hope that you continue to do that.
We are not told about the fact that this Government opposite intends to take over and get itself involved in land development. That is only going to cost a further $60m approximately. Obviously there is plenty of money in the coffers because, if they can find $60m to get back into land development, that is fantastic. I am sure that Mr Keating would have been delighted to have heard about that. At the same time, by the way, and I quote Ms Follett when she says - - -
Mr Kaine: Don't mention the word "storm-trooper" - - -
MR DE DOMENICO: No, I am only quoting. This is Chief Minister Rosemary Follett on 19 September 1991, at the launch of the Canberra Business Week. She said:
We cannot depend on the public sector. We need a diverse, vigorous, innovative and self-sufficient private sector.
I am continuing to quote:
It is growth in the private sector which is the key to providing employment and career opportunities for our young people -
she was smiling when saying this, by the way -
which will determine the extent to which our individual economic aspirations are met and which will provide the backdrop to meeting the community's social justice goals. My Government is determined to play its proper part in ensuring Canberra's future prosperity.
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