Page 2619 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 24 August 1993
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One would have assumed, given that the Chief Minister thought that Seniors Week warranted a ministerial statement, that she would then have proceeded to tell the community what this Government was doing. Surprisingly, what she proceeded to do was to tell the people what everybody else but the Government was doing. There is not one thing in this statement made by the Chief Minister that reflects anything that this Government is doing. Perhaps I can just draw upon one or two of them.
Using the usual phrases - "a socially just community" and matters of that kind - she referred to the Social Policy Committee report last year. That report was referred to in debates quite recently when Ms Ellis, the chairman of that committee, brought a recommendation to the Assembly saying that the Government should be doing something about that report, and, indeed, I agree with that. All that the Chief Minister could say in March was this:
The Government will consider these needs carefully in responding to the committee's report.
It is now August and the Government still has not responded, so it must be giving very careful consideration indeed to the recommendations - no priority, mind you, but careful consideration. This is despite the fact that, as I said, the Chief Minister thought it important that a ministerial statement be made on the subject. So we have a committee report, going back to last year, on which the Government is still considering carefully its response.
At one stage the Chief Minister said:
... I opened a new retirement village in Weston Creek. I mention this especially because it is an excellent example of a successful cooperative venture ...
That particular retirement village was produced by private enterprise. There was no government involvement at all in that. It was an old school closed by the Labor Government before self-government that had sat there for four years, completely disintegrating. Eventually the property was sold and a private developer built a retirement village on it. The Chief Minister opened it; but, by the Chief Minister's approach, if she is associated with it in any way by osmosis it becomes a government project. In no way was the Government associated in any way with that particular project, except that the Chief Minister opened it.
She went on to talk about the seniors card. I hate to be immodest, Madam Speaker, but the seniors card was introduced by Mr Trevor Kaine, Chief Minister. Now, here we are, three years downstream, and this Chief Minister is talking about how great the seniors card is. It was not introduced by this Government at all. Three years downstream they are still considering concessions that might be granted under the seniors card.
Mr Humphries: You cannot rush these things, Trevor.
MR KAINE: You cannot rush them. This is real progress! I note with great pleasure that in March 1993 the Chief Minister said:
The Government is presently finalising a major review of concessions ...
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