Page 290 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 12 May 1992
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MR CORNWELL: Indeed. There is no encouragement, I would suggest to members of the Assembly, for people either to buy their government homes or, indeed, to enter into this first home owners scheme. Therefore, in the 13 lines on education and the six lines on housing that I referred to, I do not really think that the Government has done much to promote any confidence in its program. I think, in fact, it has simply strung a number of words together in what I can best describe perhaps as kind cliches, but they do remain mere words.
MR WESTENDE (9.26): I am glad to have the opportunity to contribute to the debate on the Chief Minister's statement of 7 April and again today. Various other members have already made their comments, but not all points have been canvassed and thoroughly examined. The particular statement by the Chief Minister that I would like to take issue with is this:
The Labor Government recognises that there must be many strands to our recovery, and many areas where the Government must work with business, unions and the community to achieve a sustainable recovery.
This is an eminently sensible statement to make. It is imbued with high ideals and commonsense;, but in terms of the Labor Government's record on consultation, the statement has more than a tinge of imagination. We want and need actions, not words. Where is this consultation? There are so many pressing needs in the community. Not one single person, group, organisation or political party, the Government or the Opposition has all the answers for solving these problems; so let us have consultation and let us have it as a matter of urgency.
To overcome increasing youth unemployment requires agreement between various sections of the community. Where is the consultation on this matter? I must confess that I was extremely disappointed in the Chief Minister's discussion on the matter of public importance raised by Ms Helen Szuty on unemployment this afternoon. I was as much disappointed by the tone in which she made her comment as by the substance or lack of substance in what she said. She, like many others in the Government, projects this incredible air of superiority and perhaps arrogance when addressing so many matters that are affecting people's lives in such a devastating way. These matters demand compassion and at the very least they demand a sense of humility. There is certainly no room to gloat, particularly when there is nothing to gloat about.
Employment generated by the new casino, while good in itself, does not necessarily provide jobs for those currently unemployed. To make inroads into the heart of unemployment there needs to be real reform. To streamline the Tourism Commission does not generate jobs. The best way to generate jobs in the tourism industry is simple - get rid of payroll tax and get rid of penalty rates for a start. You do not need any more public servants to tell you that.
It may come as some surprise to the Chief Minister, but she does not possess all the answers; nor does her Government. Private enterprise provided some strong views in their 1991-92 budget submission through CARD, now named the Canberra Business Council. In this submission the council suggested the establishment of an advisory board and a budgetary planning board. What has the Government done about that? The answer is zilch - absolutely nothing.
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