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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 2 Hansard (9 March) . . Page.. 463 ..

MR HARGREAVES

overcrowding on school buses and reports that buses are going on the road with less than satisfactory safety clearances. It is so efficient that 17 routes need rejigging in two weeks. It is so affordable that people are suffering because the rises in school and commuter fares have become the major budgetary item in household expenditure. It is so integrated that the Government had to eliminate the service to rehabilitation patients at the hospital.

Mr Deputy Speaker, it is not up to the Opposition or the crossbenchers to come up with ways to fund the Government's policies. It is not up to those members to come up with ways of rescuing them from their own irresponsible incompetence. They have run out of ideas, they have pushed their own agenda down people's throats with their economic rationalism and they are sad and tired. The people out there are sick of the pain they have dished out, and now this Government is trying to share the blame with everyone and anyone else. Now is the time for executive responsibility. And do not say to me, Chief Minister, "Put up or shut up". I say to you, "Put up or ship out".

The role of the Opposition is to criticise. Criticism can be both positive and negative. I share the view of most people in acknowledging the power of constructive criticism. Occasionally, one sees a piece of legislation which is either destructive or stupid, in which case negative criticism is appropriate. But, in the main, positive criticism through the amendment process is appropriate, and that is my preferred method. But an opposition is just that - an opposition. It has no mandate from the community. The Government has a mandate from either the community or the crossbench. This mandate is to put forward programs and ideas. If this is too difficult, then move over and let someone else have a go.

The Assembly as a whole is the ratification process for a budget which indicates that the programs put forward by the government of the day are capable of being carried out. It is ratified by the Assembly if the members are satisfied that the resources are available to conduct the business. The Assembly is not a forum for governments to elicit ideas on how it can pay for its way-out ideas or spread the blame for financial mismanagement, spread the blame for the pain it wants to inflict on an unsuspecting public. Mr Deputy Speaker, they are no longer the unsuspecting public. They are now the well and truly suspecting public.

In conclusion, it is not the role of anyone but the Executive to come up with solutions to problems of their making. It is up to the Executive to stand or fall on their financial ability to conduct the business of Canberra. If they cannot do this and they want to shirk this responsibility, they should pass the responsibility on to those who would try harder. The electorate expects the Government to conduct this business and provides it with the resources of departments to assist, and the Assembly provides additional assistance through the provision of multiple political staff. The resource balance between the Minister's office and, say, that of Mr Rugendyke is heavily weighted against Mr Rugendyke, and it would be unfair to ask him to contribute in the same way as the Government. The smoke and mirrors of this sham debate have been exposed. There is very little more to be said.

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