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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 7 Hansard (1 July) . . Page.. 2039 ..
Ms Carnell: She does not like doing anything.
MR HUMPHRIES: That is right. You do not need to do anything. As long as you consult, you have a satisfactory outcome. For some of us, life is about doing things, about achieving things, about making a difference - in this case, making a difference to the welfare of people who are unemployed, who might want a viable kind of work experience to give them the chance to get out in the community and, on a remunerative basis, earn a reasonable living. I think that is a worthwhile goal.
Even the Federal Opposition had the sense to realise that it should not stand in the way of work for the dole. It did not engage in this kind of nonsense in the Senate, and I would urge members of this place not to try to hold up what is seen clearly by the community as a positive, worthwhile way of delivering better results for the unemployed of this city and this community.
MR HARGREAVES (3.56): I do not like the dole. I do not like anything to do with the work for the dole program. I think it is exploitation of people, and I will oppose it.
MR SMYTH (Minister for Urban Services) (3.56): Mr Speaker, I wish to follow on from what Mr Humphries said. Once the success of the program was seen after the hypocrisy of Federal Labor, I believe they even tried to steal credit for it, saying it was their notion of reciprocal responsibility that they had fostered in the 1996 election. Let us not be hypocritical about this. This is an opportunity to give people skills, to give people an entree into the work force. It is a wonderful program. It is working very well around the country, and it has the overwhelming support of most Australians.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Suspension of Standing and Temporary Orders
That so much of the standing and temporary orders be suspended as would prevent notice No. 6, Assembly business, relating to the establishment of a Select Committee on Housing, being called on forthwith.
Appointment
MR WOOD: I move:
That:
(1) a Select Committee on Housing be established to inquire into and report, by 30 November 1999, on the role of public housing in the ACT with particular reference to:
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