Page 1599 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 17 May 1994
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As soon as a progressive approach is taken to providing training opportunities for young people and others within the industry, the Liberals start screaming because it has a cost impact on those business elements that take so much out of the profitable aspects of construction within the ACT. The community will not thank you, and you will be remembered for your stinginess on this score. There is no doubt that this proposal is about the collection of significant funding - - -
Mr De Domenico: Taxes.
MR BERRY: Taxes. There is nothing wrong with taxes.
Mr De Domenico: More than the national tax collection from the same industry?
MR BERRY: There is nothing wrong with collecting more. You take the view that taxes are bad. That is the approach that the Liberals have always taken. The facts of the matter are that the taxes, if you like to call them that - the levy - which provide training opportunities for young people and people within the construction industry are taxes that are welcomed because - - -
Mr De Domenico: By whom?
MR BERRY: By the community at large, Mr De Domenico, because they mean that there will be better skill levels in the community. Nobody amongst you would argue that an increase in skill levels is something that we ought to avoid. In fact, it is something that we ought to aim to achieve, because it means that we will end up with a more productive nation, to use the Liberal rhetoric.
Mr De Domenico: So you disagree with your Federal Labor colleagues, do you?
MR BERRY: Mr De Domenico says, "You disagree with your Federal Labor colleagues". I was not elected as a Federal politician; I was elected to represent people here in the ACT. I represent the young people who are out of work and in need of training. I represent the people involved in the construction industry, who deserve the very special treatment that can be provided by this sort of levy. I do not care if the people of the ACT get more than the national average. It does not bother me a bit, because I am elected to make sure that they do better. This Labor Government has so far ensured that they do better, and we have fended off some of the nonsense attacks by the Liberals on issues which affect the social infrastructure in the ACT.
Madam Speaker, in my view it is most important that we support these sorts of initiatives, because at the end of the day we will have a more skilful and competitive work force, particularly in the construction industry - a work force whose members can seek employment not only in the Territory but also outside the Territory and are better equipped than most. There is nothing wrong with the collection of a levy which may be more than is collected outside the Territory, if it provides a better resource.
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