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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 4 Hansard (25 June) . . Page.. 1080 ..

MR BERRY (continuing):

The Chief Minister wants us to believe that this is a caring budget, to create the clever, caring capital; but who is being clever here and whom do we care about? As I said a moment ago, the less privileged have to pay higher Housing Trust rents. Their rents will go up to 25 per cent of their income and at the same time they will be hit by higher vehicle registration fees. Is that caring, Mr Moore, for ordinary working-class people? No, of course, it is not caring. For insurance costs, the increase will probably be $100 a year. Is that caring, Mr Moore? Of course, it is not caring.

There will be no supplementation in the departments for pay rises for the Government's own work force. Is that caring, Mr Moore? No, it is not caring, because it will add to the unemployment rate in the ACT. The fact of the matter is that the Government has decided to ditch its central redundancy fund, to still require downsizing of the ACT Government's work force and to use the money to fund election promises. They never said that before the election. But Mr Moore, as an apologist for this Government, is prepared to sing their praises, without regard to those important features. This is not a caring budget. There will be pay rises negotiated, wrung out of this Government, and then the job cuts will come. Then Kate Carnell will say that it is the department's fault or it is the unions' fault.

Mr Moore: On a point of order, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker: It has been the ruling of the Speaker here on many occasions that we do not use members' first names. Mr Berry is stooping to that, along with the rest of the stoops that he is proceeding with in this speech.

MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: I do not uphold the point of order.

MR BERRY: Then the job cuts will come. Is that fair, Mr Moore? Of course, it is not fair. If there are job cuts, Mr Moore, the redundancies will follow; but there will be no money for that either, because it has not been handed over.

Mr Moore: Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, on a point of order: Earlier today, the Speaker ruled during question time - I think, on a point of order from Labor - that the member should address his comments through the Chair. Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, Mr Berry is flagrantly ignoring the Chair again and again, and he ought to follow normal procedures.

MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: I uphold the point of order, inasmuch as the member should address his remarks to the Chair. But I also warn that, should there be continued interruptions on points of order which could be seen by the Chair as being frivolous, the Chair will deal with them appropriately.

Mr Kaine: On a point of order, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker: Is it also okay for a member of the Government to pat himself on the back and lower the "tenure" of this place?

MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: There is no point of order.

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