Page 296 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 12 May 1992
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MR DE DOMENICO (9.49): Madam Speaker, may I rise to agree with what my colleagues have said?
Mr Moore: That will be an interesting change.
MR DE DOMENICO: I will ignore that. The statement made by the Chief Minister some time ago was an opportunity, I believe, for the Government to tell us what vision they had for the future of the ACT. I note what Mr Moore said in his remarks before, when he said that in his opinion the Government was too afraid to rock the boat. I always believe that we should try to avoid cliches like the plague. If I have said that, I have said it a million times.
Mr Moore: "Like the plague".
MR DE DOMENICO: Thank you, Michael; that was just to make sure that people have got the point. It is interesting to note what the Canberra Times said about vision and other important words in its editorial on 2 December. I quote:
Although ACT politicians now mouth appropriate sentiments about the importance of the private sector, their actions - or more correctly lack of action - often give lie to their words. Political instability and lack of clear government majorities means that valuable time has been lost in implementing economic development strategies which will foster private sector growth.
The Canberra Times went on to say:
... in future it will be the policies and practices of ACT Governments that primarily determine what are the economic advantages or disadvantages Canberra will have when compared to other states and regions in Australia.
Perhaps more significantly and finally, the Canberra Times went on to say:
If Canberra continues to delude itself that the public sector will provide jobs and economic growth, it will condemn itself to follow the path trodden by Wollongong and other depressed regional economies which relied too long on a major but declining industry.
There is no doubt that the public sector in the ACT and the rest of Australia is a declining industry.
The Chief Minister also said in her statement:
Madam Speaker, making the Government's legislative program available is basic to our commitment to open and accountable government.
Against this background, let us now look at what the ACT Labor Government has done to foster economic development through the private sector. As I sit here and listen, sometimes I get sick and tired of Ms Follett and other members opposite talking about what was done by prior governments. Let us have a look at what they have done when they have been in government.
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