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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 4 Hansard (8 May) . . Page.. 1172 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (Attorney-General) (4.16): I want to make a few brief comments, Mr Speaker. I understand that we will be adjourning the debate on this Appropriation Bill. I do not want to take a great deal of time, but I will say a few things. First of all, I heard the Leader of the Opposition's response today to the Government's budget. Once again, Mr Speaker, I have to say that he was speaking as the alternative leader of government. This is the man who purports to be ready to take over as government leader, as Chief Minister, after the election in February next year.

I think we are entitled to know what the Labor Party intends to do about Canberra's problems. The problems are not easy to resolve. The problems are difficult and you have to present a credible alternative to what has been put forward. We know that the Labor Party disapproves of the Government's taxation measures. We know that this afternoon they are going to try to wind back some of the debits tax that we have introduced. We know that they are opposed to our taxation measures. We know that they are opposed to our measures to decrease expenditure in the Territory. Every time we have tried to save money they have accused us of being niggardly and of cutting back the interests of people in the community. We know that they oppose borrowings. They thoroughly attacked our so-called borrowing measures in this and previous budgets, so we know they are opposed to borrowing. We know that they will have no more luck in getting money out of the Federal Government than we have. Therefore, Mr Speaker, I have to say very clearly that if we are to wear any criticism from those opposite we really need to know what their alternative strategy is.

Mr Moore, at least, is honest enough to say that he supports a bed tax. But what does the Labor Party want to do on that score? Where are the Labor Party's taxes? I do not know. Mr Speaker, I heard what Mr Whitecross had to say about the budget. I heard Mr Whitecross's so-called alternative vision. It was not exactly an alternative budget, but it was supposed to be a sort of alternative vision. I do not know whether anything that he said amounts to anything substantial enough to be able to know what the Labor Party will do.

He has told us that the Labor Party will have a strategy in place, he has told us that the Labor Party will develop plans to create jobs through job creation programs, and he has told us that the Labor Party will consult with the community; but those are empty words. Those are empty words that could easily describe what this Government has already done. They could describe what almost any government has ever done. They do not mean anything. They do not tell people where they are going and, Mr Speaker, they will have to do that. The present Chief Minister had the courage, this time three years ago, to lay on the table her approach towards fiscal management in the Territory. Why does not the present Leader of the Opposition have the same courage? Why will he not come clean and be honest with the people of the ACT and put his vision on the table? We are owed at least that, Mr Speaker.

I must say that I was intrigued and stunned by a couple of remarks made by - - -

Mr Moore: Gary, it is very simple. It is the same reason why John Howard would not put his policies on the table.

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