Page 4077 - Week 13 - Thursday, 10 November 1994
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Mr Connolly: You tell us what the Liberals would slash.
MR STEFANIAK: The only glimmer of hope, Mr Connolly, in this bleak picture was a substantial commencement of the restructuring of the hospital service commenced by the Alliance Government. He continues:
Put simply, I believe the ACT Government is hostage to various interest groups in the community who will not allow it to make any meaningful reduction in expenditure levels and prefers to force on the community an increased revenue burden and long term debt.
Whilst written last year, that has continued to be the case this year. Mr Stevenson mentioned some problems a particular industry is facing - 22 weeks for its current application, but I understand that that goes back about 18 months. Complaints we get from business, including the business Mr Stevenson mentioned, amongst others, highlight a number of problems this Government has not cared about and has done nothing much about. It would not take too much to do something about them.
Business people constantly complain about a cumbersome regulation structure which necessitates multiple handling within multiple departments and agencies, resulting in the flow of information being completely disjointed. That is certainly the case in relation to Earthcare Industries, which Mr Stevenson mentioned, and it is the case in so many applications for good sensible ideas that will help ACT business. There is poor communication and a system that is not user friendly. Business, especially small business, feels that there is no encouragement to it, only hurdles. There is no understanding by the relevant government bodies of timeframes and of the fact that lengthy waiting times mean loss of money for business. The Government needs to streamline its system. Perhaps the leasing and planning regulations and legislation need to be simplified. That is a criticism too, as is overregulation of the planning legislation and slow and costly design and siting procedures. Mr Stevenson used the example of the carport, and Mr De Domenico raised the issue of a carport that took four months. I do not think that could possibly occur anywhere else in Australia. There is also criticism of the slow and costly procedures in the building section.
Innovative local businesses such as the Chameleon Icecreamery have experienced difficulties. I am glad to know that Mr Wood thinks there may have been some problems there and that he is going to investigate; if he does not, we certainly will in 1995. That is one of several local businesses that seem to be passed over in favour of multinationals and had red tape put in the way of their very sensible proposals. I wonder what answers this Government has. I wonder how much it really does appreciate what business is all about. Being a government of leftist persuasion, perhaps it does not really appreciate the very simple maxim that businesses, especially small businesses, need to operate effectively, because if they are operating effectively the economy in the area is doing well, employment will rise, and we will all be better off. Profit is not a dirty word. Profit equals investment and investment equals growth and growth equals jobs. Without profit, you do not have business.
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