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The Commonwealth budget handed down on Tuesday night outlines the new programs for the coming year and the plans for the future. This gives the Canberra construction industry certainty for years ahead. The capital outlays in the ACT for 1995-96 include the following: The redevelopment of Defence at Russell will cost $56m; $13m will be spent on the refurbishment of Old Parliament House; and the same amount will be spent on the second stage of the Duntroon redevelopment. The NCPA will spend $12.6m over the next three years on the redevelopment of Department of Defence facilities, and the restoration and maintenance of public facilities within the parliamentary zone. East Block will be upgraded, starting with an expenditure of $3.5m in the coming year. Importantly, Mr Speaker, expenditure will also include plans for the future. Over $1.5m will be spent on the design and documentation for the refurbishment of the Administrative Building in Parkes; $700,000 will be spent to analyse the options for the future upgrade of Benjamin and Cameron Offices in Belconnen; and over $3m will be spent on the plans for new offices in Barton for the Australian Federal Police and the Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories. So, the Federal Labor Government also delivers jobs for Canberra.

Some opposite may be quite cynical about this claim; but, again, Mr Speaker, I would refer members, including members of the Government, to the briefing that was provided to all MLAs by the current ACT Treasurer. This is Mrs Carnell's own document. It says:

In addition, there are a number of other minor capital works, bringing the total capital works for 1995-96 -

this is from the Commonwealth budget -

to $106.7m, with a direct employment impact of over one thousand jobs.

That is not my analysis, Mr Speaker, but that of Mrs Carnell's own Treasury. That takes no account of the flow-on impact of those jobs directly in the construction industry.

If we are really concerned, Mr Speaker, about the ACT economy, what is clearly more important than the past is the future. Those opposite really do have far less to fear from the Labor Party than from their so-called allies. It is the Liberal Party who should give them the most cause for concern. I would ask them to recall the recent actions of their Liberal colleague Mr Kennett. Mr Kennett has taken the formula one grand prix from South Australia, the motorcycle grand prix from New South Wales, and Thomson Radar from the ACT. If you members opposite are concerned about jobs for our young people, I suggest that you be very wary of Liberal Party advisers who fly into town to help you and leave with the jobs that rightly belong to young people of the ACT.

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