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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 9 Hansard (27 August) . . Page.. 2644 ..

MRS CARNELL (continuing):

tender for the provision of work being contracted out. In fact, just the other night the Prime Minister gave me an undertaking to have such meetings. Canberra's skilled work force and the fact that ACT businesses are right on the Federal Government's doorstep are real competitive advantages that we can use to generate new jobs in the private sector. Mr Speaker, the agreement that I signed with Unisys this week is an example of the type of business that can be attracted to Canberra by our highly skilled work force. It is also an example of the type of business that this Government will be pursuing in order to generate new jobs for Canberra.

Returning to the budget, Mr Speaker, I am disappointed about the decision to discontinue funding for the Commonwealth dental health program. This will have a serious impact upon waiting times for Canberrans seeking public dental treatment. The decision amounted to a cut of more than $1.1m in money available to the ACT dental service to treat clients who could not otherwise afford private treatment. The ACT Government and the dental service will be doing all we can to provide treatment for clients; but people who are eligible for publicly-funded services have to understand that the loss of this funding will certainly mean that they will have to wait longer. As I said in question time, Mr Speaker, the ACT dental service will not be cut and it certainly will be able to handle emergency cases.

Mr Berry: Will be cut.

MRS CARNELL: Will not be cut.

Mr Speaker, new measures in relation to superannuation arrangements regarding a contributions surcharge for high income earners will impact on senior public servants in the ACT Public Service; but the measure is aimed largely at salary sacrifice in private sector executive salary packages. The Commonwealth will consult the States and Territories on the application of this measure to public sector schemes, including the CSS, the PSS and the scheme for Legislative Assembly members. Mr Speaker, contrary to pre-budget speculation, there was no announcement that the PSS will be closed.

A further disturbing aspect of the Federal budget, Mr Speaker, is that the 1996-97 budget papers are silent on the extent of SPP funding to each jurisdiction. It is impossible to isolate the impact on the ACT directly, as it is difficult to reconcile the statement in the budget papers that SPPs will increase by 5 per cent from 1995-96 with the Federal Treasurer's claim that SPPs have been reduced by 2.5 per cent. As a consequence, it is impossible to identify the 3 per cent cuts forecast at the 1996 Premiers Conference, and this will require clarification prior to finalising the ACT budget. I intend to raise this matter with the Federal Treasurer directly.

Mr Speaker, can I conclude by saying that this Federal budget makes it clear that Canberra can no longer rely on the Commonwealth to generate growth and new jobs. It, therefore, poses an historic challenge, not just to this Government, but to every member of this Assembly and, indeed, to the whole Canberra community. It is the challenge of truly taking responsibility for our future, after 70 years of growth fuelled by Federal government expansion. It is the challenge to maintain the Canberra that we all love and to create new opportunities for our work force, both old and young.

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