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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 2 Hansard (29 February) . . Page.. 381 ..

MR HIRD (continuing):

in their pay packets, more disposable income, more to spend on their choices, and more to create jobs and wealth within this Territory and the region.

Subsidies will be given to the first home buyer. This will give people a great start. This is a very important area. In the last few months during question time in this chamber we have heard the Opposition's concerns about subsidies for those first home buyers who are not fortunate financially. It is interesting that this Government is offering, through the Treasurer, a first home buyer's start.

There will be the abolition of ineffective taxes such as the wholesale sales tax, financial institution duty, debit tax, stamp duties - they go on and on. These taxes drag down small business and cut jobs and employment, which. is much needed by small businesses. I again notice that there is no-one on the Opposition benches. I will say it again: This means employment opportunities for businesses not only in Canberra but within the region so that they can prosper. The replacement of those ineffective taxes with a goods and services tax guarantees a maximum rate of 10 per cent.

Revenue available to the ACT from the GST is expected to grow by about 3 to 4 per cent in real terms. I know that the Leader of the Opposition, part of the Berry-Stanhope consortium, is now back sitting at the table. I will say it again: The revenue available to the ACT from the GST is expected to grow by about 3 to 4 per cent in real terms. That is more than double the rate of growth under the existing arrangements.

The bottom line - and I am delighted to see the member for Brindabella, Mr Hargreaves, is supporting some action, and so he should - is that from 2002 to 2009 the Territory will be better off by a total of $216m as a result of the GST and associated tax reforms. Fantastic, well done. Are they interested? No; not a toss, as I said earlier.

That is funding which can be used for delivering higher quality services to the community. At question time we heard those opposite insist that we lift our game. We have attempted to do that, but you cannot get blood out of a stone. If you have not got the money to spend, you should not spend it.

However, I know a previous government that put us, the residents of the ACT, into nearly $300m worth of hock. But we are not going to do that, and we will prove it. We are not going to go down the path of the Stanhope Labor Party in the ACT, this great Territory, in supporting the Federal Labor Party in a Beazley-back of the GST - whatever that means; I do not know.

Labor is typically lost and confused over this issue. But, according to Mr Beazley, Labor would either reduce or abolish the GST on education, policing, law enforcement and charities. That is what Mr Beastly has said. But the shadow Treasurer, Simon Crean, said, "No, no. All of those details will be announced later".

At question time I heard a very good phrase used by Mr Berry - part of the Stanhope-Berry consortium. He said, "Trust me". Where do Mr Berry and Mr Stanhope stand on this? Mr Beazley says that the so-called roll-back, which he is not sure of, would be paid by increasing income taxes. Do Mr Berry and Mr Stanhope agree with him? Do they want to increase the tax burden on ACT residents? Let us stick to the

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