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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 4 Hansard (8 May) . . Page.. 1166 ..

MR OSBORNE (continuing):

In summary, if the Government has somehow mistakenly taken my vote for granted this year, then all I can say to them is, "You are fools". I am bitterly disappointed that I was not consulted prior to the budget being put together, and certainly that is something I will dwell on over the next few weeks. Over the next couple of months, I will have a choice to make when it comes to this budget: Do I vote for this deceitfully presented budget and go back to my electorate empty handed, or do I vote against it?

MS TUCKER (3.55): This budget is framed at a time when our employment base is being ripped from underneath us. It is a time when there is growing insecurity in the community, when services are being cut, and when the most disadvantaged people in our community are facing increasing pressure. Canberra might be a relatively affluent society, but not for all. This is a time when we are also facing a growing number of environmental problems, both locally and globally. Although it is within our power to change this, things are getting worse, not better. Canberra's high ozone levels and all the associated health and economic costs of preventing and treating skin cancer should be a constant reminder to us that we cannot afford to be complacent about the environment. Unfortunately, it is not.

The budget highlights that our unfunded superannuation liabilities are high and are also climbing. If we do nothing, we will have a debt of $2 billion by the year 2013. But, if we do nothing about the other liabilities that we are leaving to future generations - the growing gap between rich and poor, the lack of meaningful employment, and the environmental degradation - we are also going to be left with a huge cost to pay. Mrs Carnell does not want us to have any more economic colds. I think avoiding some social and environmental flus is also a pretty important objective of government.

Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, in a wealthy society such as ours, affordable quality housing, high-quality health and community support services, an excellent - not just adequate - education system, meaningful employment for all and protection of our precious natural ecosystems should not be tagged as a price that is too high to pay. It is interesting that this Government is boasting so much about the fact that New South Wales has increased taxes on the wealthy but that it has not. I would like the Government to make this same boast to people who are seeking crisis accommodation, waiting for public housing, waiting to catch a bus, trying to pay for dental services or looking for some respite care. I do not think they would be so convinced that it was such a wonderful thing that we were not prepared to look at increasing taxation. Of course, there have been other sources of revenue collection suggested to this Government, not only by Mr Moore and by the Greens, but also by ACTCOSS and other organisations in the community. There have been suggestions for a bed tax, suggestions for increased land taxes on the wealthy and other suggestions.

This budget is a jobs budget, we hear. Like last year's budget, it was framed as a jobs budget. The Greens believe that finding meaningful work for everyone is, indeed, an enormous challenge and an important priority. It says a lot about the quality of our current economic institutions that it is so hard to find work for people. Heaven knows, there is plenty to do, and those with jobs only seem to be working longer and longer hours. On the whole, it is a repeat of last year's jobs budget, with a few new initiatives.

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