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Canberra Times . . Page.. 490 ..

Those opposite do not like it. We were in the black. The socialist people over there were running a red budget. It is their colour, and that was what they were running - a red budget. Let us go to an article in the Canberra Times on 9 May. The Canberra Times told them this: “Adding to Public Debt”, “Overstated revenues - own sources”, “Treasury estimates revenue shortfall of $18m, most in own-source revenues. (Lease sales down $6m. ACTEW dividend down $5m)”.

Let us talk about the you-beaut businesses that they were going to bring to the Territory; and we will talk about only the last 12 months. They have lost between $70m and $100m in business opportunities. They have had business opportunities and have turned their backs on them. Business enterprises have tried to come to this Territory, and those opposite have turned their backs on them. I will tell you something about Thomson Radar. Someone referred to Jeff Kennett “stealing the silver”. Thomson Radar left us because that crew over there could not persuade themselves to make up their minds. Thomson Radar went to a progressive State government which gave them an indication that it would make a decision. This group sat on their hands, spent money and did absolutely nothing; and the Carnell Government has to clean it up. I tell you, Mr Speaker, that we will put it right.

Corporatisation is something that they seemed to turn their back on. If you are in the Federal Parliament you have a licence to do just that. What is corporatisation? Business continues to be owned by government but is run along commercial lines. They do not like things to be run along commercial lines; that is pretty evident. Because the business remains in government ownership, profits are paid to government in the form of dividends. Billions of taxpayers' dollars are invested in government enterprises. ACTEW’s asset base is $1,454m of taxpayers’ money.

Mr Kaine: They would rather sell it off.

MR HIRD: They would rather sell it off. Taxpayers deserve a commercial return on this investment, and that can best be achieved by allowing the business to operate on commercial lines. That was one of the Carnell Government's promises. They go on with this nonsense - and I notice that, with the exception of Mr Connolly, all of them have left the chamber - - -

Mr Connolly: Someone has to sit through this nonsense.

MR HIRD: I know. Exposing the business to competition - which is a word that they do not know anything about or have not looked up in the dictionary - forces it to focus on the needs of the customer. A corporatised enterprise remains fully accountable to government - the shareholders - via a board.

What is the track record of corporatisation? I would draw your attention, Mr Speaker, to the track record of corporatisation in the Federal arena. It began in 1983. There is a myriad of organisations that the Federal Government moved to corporatise and has gone even further on. This Federal Government is a socialist Labor government.

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