Page 3138 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 15 September 1993
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reports now, two of which made many recommendations which would help business in a tangible way and would help business to employ our young people. All I can do is hope that Ms Follett implements more of the recommendations of this report, the business development report, than they did of EPACT's youth employment report, which was abysmal.
MR WESTENDE (4.48): Madam Speaker, the Chief Minister, in bringing down her budget yesterday, has placed further stifling disincentives on the ACT business community. In her mini-budget in June the Chief Minister increased land taxes and increased rates, as well as further increasing the ACT government levy on petrol tax. Now the Follett Government budget has hit out again at the business community by, once again, increasing the levy on petrol by half a cent a litre, bringing the ACT Government's petrol tax to 7c a litre, and fuel is a very important part of the cost of a business.
I wrote to the Chief Minister on 12 May 1993 suggesting that she seek input from businesses which are in daily contact with clients and who operate cash flows in the true sense of the word - in short, the real world, real business; not some airy-fairy, make-believe situation. Although I believe that some consultations do occur with the business community, mostly through EPACT and others, as advised in the Chief Minister's reply which I received on 11 June, I indicated to the Chief Minister that, while EPACT is made up of eminently suitable people, they are not out there at the coalface. For example, EPACT does not have to run a business or make a profit in order to employ more people. Further, EPACT does not have to put its hands in its own pocket, risk its own capital and put its equity on the line.
Why then, in the 1992-93 budget, did the Chief Minister make so much noise about setting up a Supply and Tender Agency? Can the Chief Minister tell me why, 12 months later, businesses in Fyshwick, Mitchell and Hume are not even aware that the agency exists, let alone being given the opportunity to tender for goods and services required by the Government? The ACT business community does not want any special treatment or preference. It would be pleased just to have the opportunity to quote and to show how effective they are, to compete against interstate tenderers; but they are not given the opportunity. In fact it seems that this Government shows a preference to let tenders to interstate companies, thus ignoring local payroll tax paying companies. Is it not extremely foolish that the Government does not support companies that actually help to fill the coffers - local companies, not those where the benefits are going interstate?
In my letter of 12 May I also asked whether the Chief Minister might consider setting up a business portfolio. I have yet to see any moves in that direction. I note with dismay that this has not been taken into account in this year's budget. It is obvious that this Government considers that business does not need its own voice and that it is of no consequence to Canberra or this Territory. Madam Speaker, why does the Chief Minister not follow up on our suggestion? Why does she not set up a business portfolio, just as my party has a special portfolio on business? Is the Chief Minister afraid that the business community might discover that the Government is not really concerned with the ACT business community? If not, why has there been so very little reaction or so few positive moves in that direction? Could it be that the Chief Minister relies on the business community's resilience to actually succeed in spite of adversity?
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