Page 1041 - Week 04 - Thursday, 18 June 1992
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During economically difficult times small business, if given suitable encouragement and assistance, can lead the community back to growth. It is important that this Government address more thoroughly the needs of small business in our community. It is only by positive government action that our major problem of unemployment can be dealt with. The 6.6 per cent of Canberrans who are unemployed will not find jobs in the public sector, nor will they find them in the private sector until growth takes place, and that growth will not take place while the Follett Labor Government ignores the plight of small business. I notice from the EPACT report which was tabled on behalf of the Chief Minister this afternoon that somebody else agrees with me. EPACT has the view that, in the long term, the overall supply of jobs for youth and others seeking employment is dependent on increasing economic activity through the growth of a vigorous private sector. What is the Government going to do to stimulate it?
The Follett Government has to accept that the budgetary hole they are in is largely of their own making. Knowing the circumstances that existed a year ago, they spent the entire $53m transitional funding released by the Commonwealth; they spent the entire $25m transitional reserve established by the Liberals in the 1990-91 budget; they made no borrowings when prudence and the circumstances of the day would have dictated otherwise. When she talks about harsh Commonwealth outcomes, hard decisions, and how tough it is for her Government, Ms Follett needs to keep in mind that the costs of all this are not borne by the Government; they are borne by the community, they are borne by the taxpayer, both private and business.
Because of last year's decisions, the cupboard now is bare. Those were Ms Follett's decisions. No-one else is responsible. She cannot blame the Commonwealth. It is highly ironic that the Chief Minister stood here on Tuesday and said that her budget blow-out of over $70m was due to national factors rather than local developments, citing various contributing national factors as the cause. Yet the Chief Minister claims credit for expected growth forecasts and labour force projections during next year which, it can be argued, are as much the consequence of national factors as those which she claims have caused her budget blow-out. You cannot have your cake and eat it. You either cop the lot or transfer the whole onto the Commonwealth.
The fact is that the entire $78m held in trust for, or reserve by, the ACT a year ago has gone by Ms Follett's decision, in the space of one financial year. The fiscal problems of the ACT during this year's budgetary process are largely of Ms Follett's making, and what must be now of concern to the ACT community is that they will be paying in the coming years for the Follett Government's irresponsible management this year.
It is time for the Government finally, if belatedly, to confront the reality and tell the community what it intends to do. It must realise that this is not just a numbers game being played out in some play world. We are dealing with some $1.2 billion of ACT taxpayers' money; not their money, your money. The community is entitled at this stage of the budgetary process to know how big the problem is. By how much does the Government intend to cut its expenditures and where are these cuts to be applied? How much more does the Government intend to raise by way of increased rates, taxes, fees and charges? Who do they
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