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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 11 Hansard (26 September) . . Page.. 3487 ..

Mr Humphries: That is right.

MR OSBORNE: I am glad that Mr Humphries agrees. What I was looking for in this budget was to see how it fits into a longer-term strategy of making serious debt reduction while living within our means. However, at the moment what we have looks more like a one-year pre-election budget and it avoids the supposedly hard decisions that have been avoided since self-government. Those hard decisions are still yet to be made.

Last year changes were made to significantly increase the level of accountability of the ACT Public Service executives - a decision that I supported. They were told of the services that were expected from their departments. They were delivered a budget bottom line and then told, "Now you go and make it work". There were no hard decisions for the Government there, just less accountability. Unfortunately, it appears that there were no hard decisions this year either. Mr Speaker, on a different note - - -

Mr Humphries: What should we cut, Paul?

MR OSBORNE: I might just answer that, Mr Speaker.

Mr Moore: Red Hill Primary.

MR OSBORNE: Red Hill Primary - there is an easy $6m or $7m there. This is not my budget that I am debating here today. This is Mrs Carnell's. I do not really think that I have been too harsh in what I have had to say so far. I have just stated the facts.

I will speak briefly on some very positive facts for the people in my electorate, specifically in Tuggeranong. Under the capital works program we are finally going to get our new police station. However, I notice that none of the members for Brindabella were invited to the launch of it. Even your own party was not there, Mr Humphries. Even Mr Kaine and Mr De Domenico were not invited. Nevertheless, I am very pleased that finally the police station is getting the go-ahead. I acknowledge that it was a promise made by the previous Follett Government that - - -

Mr De Domenico: But delivered by us.

MR OSBORNE: I do not think you had a choice, Tony, but it has certainly been delivered. I am very pleased about the new child-care facility. Both the police station and the child-care facility are particularly satisfying because I have spoken to both Mrs Carnell and Mr Humphries especially hard about those. As well as those two, we are going to get a new community arts centre. The Erindale Leisure Centre will be extensively refurbished. The Conder Group Centre infrastructure is proceeding nicely.

Mr Hird: He wants an invitation to the next opening.

MR OSBORNE: Mr Hird interjects. I have no problem in defending my electorate, Mr Hird. It is a shame that you do not do the same.

Mr Hird: You should be very careful what you say. I will defend it, without any trouble, Mr Osborne.

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