Page 537 - Week 02 - Thursday, 25 February 1993
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Let us have a look at what the Government has done directly to exacerbate that situation. The Chief Minister says that she is - in her own words - working closely with business. She has written them a letter; she is working closely with business. Where was the close consultation with business when, last October, her Government put in the occupational health and safety amendments and yesterday refused to accept a repeal of them? Not one business group in this community wanted that to go ahead.
The Chief Minister waxes lyrical about tourism and the hospitality industry and the retail industry. Did the Government directly target when it put in that legislation? In the very words of the Deputy Chief Minister, those two were the tourism industry and the retail industry. That legislation actually made it more difficult for people in those industries to employ young people. It is ironic, is it not, that yesterday in this Assembly there was a 30 per cent hike for all taverns - once again by press release and letter, with no consultation? It is the very industry that employs young people and we have the highest rate of youth unemployment in the country.
Mr Lamont, who is not here now but was before - I am sorry, there he is; I acknowledge that he is here - was talking about Fightback and GST and what Liberal governments are going to do to the ACT. Let us look at the facts of what Labor governments have done to the ACT. As we all know, we have three prominent members of the Labor Party representing us here in the ACT. Let us have a look at Senator McMullan, for example. In April 1990 Senator McMullan was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasurer, with special portfolio responsibility for the Taxation Office. Last year the Taxation Office lost 4,711 jobs. How many of those job losses were in Canberra, Senator McMullan? I do not think anybody opposite can answer that.
Then, of course, we have Mr Langmore. Mr Langmore represents Fraser. In May 1991 Mr Langmore - your mate, although from a different faction - called for the defence budget to be cut in half. Mr Langmore, the member for Fraser, did that.
Mr Berry: Good thing, too.
MR DE DOMENICO: Mr Berry says, "Good thinking". This would mean a loss of 6,000 jobs in Canberra, Mr Berry. What would this mean in Mr Langmore's electorate, for example? How many jobs have we lost at the Russell and Campbell Park offices? How many jobs will be lost at the Jervis Bay naval facility? Will Fairbairn RAAF base be closed? Will ADFA be closed? This is Mr Langmore.
Last, but not least, we have that representative of Tuggeranong. She has complete control over Tuggeranong; no-one is allowed to mention the word - except Ms Ellis, of course. In February 1990 Mrs Kelly was Minister for Aviation, and what did she do? She appointed the former chairman of the board of the Civil Aviation Authority who implemented cuts which will halve the Civil Aviation Authority staff by 1995. So far 423 people have lost their jobs in Canberra alone, with the prospect of hundreds more losing their jobs in years to come, thanks to Mrs Kelly. So, thank you, Mrs Kelly; thank you, Mr Langmore; thank you, Senator McMullan. What humbug!
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