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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 3 Hansard (9 April) . . Page.. 806 ..

MR BERRY (continuing):

This matter of public importance is not new in relation to criticisms that have come from this place. The Federal Government has been paternalistic towards the ACT. Indeed, the Prime Minister himself has been quite willing to punish the ACT; there is no question about that. He makes clear his dislike of the ACT and he makes clear his dislike of public servants. I would be ashamed to have a leader of that ilk. Let us not forget that the last time the ACT's unemployment rate equalled that of the rest of Australia was when this Prime Minister was Treasurer. Every time this Prime Minister comes on the scene anywhere on the government benches, it is plain bad news for the ACT.

I am pleased Mrs Littlewood has raised this matter of public importance today because it is indeed a matter of public importance for the whole of the Territory. I think it has been a brave move on her part. I would be deeply ashamed of the Federal Government, and I am sure that there are those amongst the Liberals who are and who are ashamed to belong to the Liberal Party, and they ought to be, because what has been happening to the ACT is the most shameful piece of work in the history of the city. I urge the Carnell Government to continue putting the pressure on the Federal Liberal Government and to make sure that the pressure they put on is effective. The Andrews Bill is history now, and Michael Moore has made points in relation to how the Government should be energetic in pursuing a course of action that will give this Territory and its residents the opportunity to be at least as equal as residents in the other States.

MR CORBELL (4.39): This MPI is to be welcomed, purely because it sends some form of message from this Assembly to the Federal Parliament about how we believe our affairs should be governed. We believe that our affairs should be governed by the people of the ACT, through their democratically elected representatives. For bringing this MPI on, Mrs Littlewood is to be commended.

However, there is a point that I want to make on the MPI that goes straight to the heart of this matter. At the last Federal election, people in the ACT were given the choice of what sort of government they wanted, which was the best party, and which government would do the best thing by Canberra as well as by the rest of Australia. The people in Canberra knew very clearly what sort of political party would do the best thing by them, and they voted for the Australian Labor Party. They voted for the Australian Labor Party in all three Federal seats in the House of Representatives. They threw out the Liberal member in the southern seat and elected a Labor Party member, Annette Ellis. They elected a new member for the central seat, Mr Bob McMullan, and they returned the very longserving and very well respected member for the northern seat, Mr John Langmore. Overwhelmingly did they do this.

Mr Humphries: Who?

MR CORBELL: The people of Canberra, Mr Humphries. I know that the Liberal Party often finds it a bit hurtful that they got only one out of four; but, unfortunately, that is a fact of life. I think they will find that, even though our numbers have gone down and we will have only two Federal seats in the House of Representatives next time, we will see Labor Party members returned in both of those seats. I think it is very important to make the point that when it comes to Federal government people in Canberra understand which is the party that represents the interests of the national capital: It is the Australian Labor Party.

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