Page 1511 - Week 05 - Thursday, 12 May 1994
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Both these statements seem to me to be very tall orders, particularly in view of the Government's lack of consultation with the private sector over policies, pricing mechanisms and regulations. Many of those policies, regulations and pricing mechanisms are invented by the public sector without regard to the private sector, and often the end result is the demise of small business through strangulation by bureaucratic red tape. In its move to make changes in the way it does its own business, the Government has listed initiatives by using words such as "review", "amend", "recognise", "consider", "provide", "develop" and "implement". They are wonderful words, but what about consultation with the business sector and the rest of the community?
The paper goes on to address issues such as consumption of water and transport fuel being closely linked with Canberra's spacious design. For years Canberrans have watched as school grounds, government building grounds and median strips, et cetera, have been saturated on a daily basis, even during periods of heavy rain, whilst the Government publicly condemns the waste of water by the community. The Government's attitude is, "Do as I say, but do not do as I do". As for the consumption of fuel, as long as the Government provides a costly and inadequate transport service such as ACTION, Canberrans will continue to use cars; and as long as the Government insists on building more and more car parks, such as those we see surrounding Civic, of course Canberrans will continue to drive to work.
On the matter of the Government's land development policy of 50 per cent urban renewal and 50 per cent greenfields development, Canberra is fast becoming a city as large as Sydney but with only a handful of people. Urban renewal came about as a necessity. Canberra was growing outwards at such a pace that the older areas of inner Canberra were being neglected. Existing infrastructures such as schools, electricity, water reticulation and transport were, and are, being underutilised. Infrastructure costs for transport, roadworks, electricity and water are steadily mounting, whilst Government spending is being cut back somewhat. On the other hand, taxes on the business sector are steadily rising, which in turn contributes to higher unemployment.
With these cutbacks has come a wider choice in housing types. While this might be good in one way, probably it has gone a bit too far. One is beginning to question the Government's wisdom in allowing and promoting these small blocks and small housing types. The Government talks about living and working in a pleasant environment; but, when you look around you, Canberra's newer suburbs leave a lot to be desired. They have narrow, winding streets that are barely wide enough to fit two small cars alongside each other. The houses remind you of the song by Peter, Paul and Mary - "Little boxes, little boxes on a hillside".
On the matter of waste management, those in the business community believe that charging for spoil by weight rather than by volume is a way of hitting them. What of spoil from government works? Is the Government charging itself and its small business entities? There are many more criticisms I could level against the Government on these papers; but, rather than go on, I believe that it would have been in the best interests of everyone concerned had the Minister discussed these concerns with the community at large, and with the business community in particular, on which many of these environmental issues will impact. The message is to be user friendly, not only in writing
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