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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 6 Hansard (1 September) . . Page.. 1628 ..

Mr Quinlan: And proudly so.

MS CARNELL: Mr Quinlan just said, "Proudly so". I think it is important to quote word for word the really great scenario that the Labor Party tax package paints for the ACT. It says:

Labor will consult with the States and Territories about possible improvements in present funding arrangements, including access to a guaranteed share of a Commonwealth revenue source should that be sought.

We have a "consult" and a "possible" and a "should" in one sentence. What a huge guarantee that represents! They will consult about possible improvements. In other words, the Federal Labor Party will do nothing about the dreadful state of Commonwealth-State financial relationships, because it is simply too hard. Yes, it is hard. Let me conclude by quoting the words of the Australian Council of Social Service. They are very big fans - - -

Mr Stanhope: On the GST?

MS CARNELL: Yes, on the GST, on your tax package. Mr Speaker, what ACOSS's director said about Labor's tax package was:

Labor's approach falls far short of the fundamental restructuring of the tax system needed to stop leakages of revenue from weak tax bases. There are three wheels that are missing -

there are usually four wheels -

and those three wheels are income tax reform, comprehensive consumption tax reform and -

wait for this -

Federal-State financial relations.

They are not my words, but the words of ACOSS. I think it is essential that everybody in this house support a situation that will reform Federal-State financial relations, particularly for the ACT, which has been treated so badly over the nine years since self-government - treated so badly, I have to say, in two years by the Coalition and in seven whole years by the Labor Party.

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