Page 430 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 2 March 1994
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Instead of subsidising a local transport system to the tune of $50m or $60m a year, maybe we could find a way whereby people would be prepared to pay a bit more to use transport. If we did not have to subsidise it to the same extent, then just maybe, if we had an imaginative government, we could use some of that money to provide an international airport. That would create jobs, it would enhance this city even more, and it would allow us to target international tourism.
As we all know, international tourism could be enhanced by having a better and more vibrant business community. Mr Minister, I am not whingeing. If you have a vibrant business community they can pay taxes. Taxes come only from profitable businesses. A business that loses money does not pay taxes. So what do we do? We are building a new Assembly and we are giving the joinery to a Melbourne firm. On checking with Confact, there are at least eight local joiners that would be capable of doing the job, but they were not asked. The eight do not include an organisation I have something to do with. If we are serious and we want to create money, does not charity begin at home? Should we not look after our own first? Having said that, business does not expect charity; business only wants opportunities. The charity comes after that. Business will be able to be charitable and pay taxes if they are given an opportunity.
Mr Berry: There were a number who were given an opportunity and some who could not measure up. There were none who could deliver over the Christmas period.
MR WESTENDE: There were at least eight organisations that I know of - - -
Mr Berry: But they could not deliver over Christmas.
MR WESTENDE: Just a minute. Those eight people were not asked.
Mr Berry: They were not up to it.
MR WESTENDE: They were good enough to build on the hill. Anyhow, I am saying to you, irrespective of the interjections, that charity begins at home. If you give business the opportunity, they will contribute to your coffers. All they want is the opportunity to quote. They want the opportunity to participate, and they want the opportunity to prove that they are competitive. How can you prove your competitiveness if you are not even asked to quote? We have had a tender board for 15 months, but we have one person on the tender board. I have heard the Minister for Urban Services say that they have no money. Has it ever occurred to the Minister to ask the business community to provide another person? I know some businesses that would contribute to that. But no, that is too innovative; that is too daring. It cannot be done. But it happens in other places. Then maybe we would have two people on the tender board and maybe we would send out some local tenders.
Mr Minister, the only way you are going to get money into your coffers is to get the money where it is made, and that is in productive industries. We know that we have very good public servants and they are hard workers, but they do not actually produce anything. The money you are going to get comes from productive industries. That will allow you to give local employment. Interstate companies do not provide local employment.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .