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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 14 Hansard (11 December) . . Page.. 4952 ..

Mr Moore: I raise a point of order, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, under standing order 213. I would hope that the papers that the Chief Minister referred to will be tabled.

MRS CARNELL: I table them. Can I have leave to incorporate them in Hansard?

Leave not granted.

MRS CARNELL: I move:

That the Assembly takes note of the instruments of transfer and the Consolidated Financial Management Report.

MR BERRY (Leader of the Opposition) (3.43): Mr Speaker, I note the changing dynamics in the Territory budget. I merely say that it is a typical election budget where underestimated revenue has made the books look better. That very clearly summarises the position. Mrs Carnell was quick to ridicule in her speech on this matter. It is okay to say that, on the numbers at least, the Government appears to be doing better. That is on the numbers in these documents, but when you look out in the community you can see how well they are doing - 81/2 per cent unemployed, 14,500 people on unemployed lists, the highest number ever in the history of the ACT and higher than the national average. Never before have we been higher than the national average.

Mrs Carnell: Yes, we have.

MR BERRY: No, we have been equal to it. We are above it now, in your time. We also have 1,500 young people unemployed, 200 more since last month, even though the Chief Minister has been buying jobs with the Youth500 plan. All of this adds up to tragic circumstances. It is all right for the Chief Minister to come here and say that the financial outcome has been much better, mostly as a result of conservative estimates of revenue. That is an old trick that everybody understands. Anybody who is managing an election will make sure that the conservative estimates peak at a time most suited to the Government. But look at the unemployment. You have to keep swinging back to the unemployment and the tragic results of the activities of this Government. How much better would the budget look if Mrs Carnell had not bought herself popularity in the health system? How much better would the budget look if Mrs Carnell had not given CRA $11m? If Mrs Carnell had not wasted that money, how much better would it look for the very small amount that was wasted on the futsal slab? It would look much better if things had been attended to in accordance with the promises of the Chief Minister when she came to office last time around.

It is very easy to stand up in this place and boast about some numbers which look much better, mostly as a result of conservative estimates of revenue. That is fine but you have to look at the background. It is the background that is extremely important - 8.5 per cent unemployment. Shame on you. Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, 14,500 people are unemployed, the highest number ever. Youth unemployment is 371/2 per cent or thereabouts, the highest in the country, even though you have just spent $500,000

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