Page 2771 - Week 09 - Thursday, 26 August 1993
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In respect of community safety and the level of rates and charges, which I note the Chief Minister did not mention in relation to this survey, in previous surveys, except for community policing - and that is an interesting point - the majority of households responding did not indicate a willingness to pay higher rates and charges. That was in the previous survey prior to the recent hikes in rates and charges. One wonders what the people of Curtin think, now that their rates have gone up - some of them by 61 per cent. Many pensioners, superannuants, single parent families and other low income earners are saying that they had difficulty paying the present level of rates. In relation to the Housing Trust, previous surveys have said that tenants indicated a significant concern about the time taken to get maintenance work done.
In relation to the efficiency of the ACT Government - something else that the Chief Minister did not mention - previous surveys have suggested that there were numerous complaints about the large number of ACT public servants and that the same jobs should be done with a smaller and more productive ACT work force. Complaints of improper use of government vehicles come up from time to time, as do the use of vehicles for private purposes and excessive numbers of government vehicles. In relation to the roads and road maintenance, the previous surveys showed numerous comments about instances of money being wasted on unnecessary works, and that was actually damaging traffic arrangements. One wonders now, since this survey, whether anything has been said about that wonderful edifice, the $6.9m one-and-a-quarter kilometre lane on Athllon Drive. Many suggestions were put forward, Madam Speaker, for improving government administration, including the use of cost-efficient private contractors and the corporatisation of government authorities. We know that since that survey the Government has done the opposite by taking the ACTTAB. So, that is good consultation and really doing what the community wants you to do!
The survey said that there should be more corporatisation of government authorities. What did the Government do in light of this wonderful consultative thing? They brought things back into statutory authorities and into the public service. The surveys have also said that the Government should improve the efficiency of the Housing Trust. Mr Berry should take note that the surveys have said that there is megabureaucracy and megainefficiency in Health. But, once again, Mr Berry, about 10 minutes ago, stood up and said that he is doing all these wonderful things. The community is telling you that there is megabureaucracy and megainefficiency in Health.
The very people whom you are asking questions of are telling you what is wrong. Mr Connolly should take note because the surveys have said to Mr Connolly that he should be continuing to improve ACTION work practices - smokos, card playing, roster arrangements, overtime payments and strikes. These are words out of the survey. It also says to sell high priced Housing Trust sites in inner areas and to buy sites in outer areas.
Mr Connolly: Yes, they were Liberals that were responding to the survey.
Mrs Carnell: Oh, so they are no use. We do not consult them. We consult only the ones who agree with us.
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