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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 5 Hansard (10 May) . . Page.. 1381 ..

MR HIRD (continuing):

Impulse Airlines have come to Canberra. That is an event of huge importance to Canberra and the wider region. Travellers will benefit from lower fares and from a greater choice of services. Business will benefit from more choice and from lower costs. There will be more jobs, Mr Deputy Speaker; at least 358 more in direct employment and about 800 more because of the flow-on effect. I will repeat that, Mr Deputy Speaker. There will be more jobs. Are you listening over there? There will be at least 358 more in direct employment and about 800 more because of the flow-on effect. This is great news not only for the territory but for the south-east region of New South Wales.

This sort of investment also attracts other new investment, which in turn creates even more jobs. That is why Access Economics estimate that our economy will grow by more than $413 million over the next 10 years as a result of Impulse Airlines' investment here in Canberra. It speaks for itself.

This is an example of what happens when the business climate is favourable to private sector investment. The Carnell government has turned Canberra around from a mainly public sector town depending on the whims of the federal government, of whatever political persuasion, to a vibrant community driven by growth in the private sector. On radio this morning I heard the Member for Canberra, a Labor man and a former Labor minister, congratulating the Carnell government for their efforts over the past five years and for how they have turned the economy around. That came from a former minister, a man who is very astute, Mr Bob McMullan. I congratulate him for being upfront and for patting the Carnell government on the back, not like this lot over here. At least he is dinkum.

The Carnell government has eliminated Labor's legacy of huge budget deficits, borrowings and depleted reserves. It has shown that government operations can be businesslike. We have reduced Labor's crippling budget operating losses to a point where I think I heard Mr Humphries, the Treasurer, say that he now expects in the forthcoming budget later this month to have a small surplus. That is the difference between them, Mr Deputy Speaker, and us.

The message to the business sector is that Labor is antagonistic to business. It wants higher taxes and more aggressive regulations. Look at what Labor has done with the change of use charge. What a prime example of a repressive attitude. Labor wants higher taxes. Their message to business is: "We don't want you to invest here in Canberra. Go somewhere else because we don't want you here. We don't want to create jobs. We will just go and borrow."

Mr Deputy Speaker, under Labor, Impulse Airlines would not have come to Canberra. I think that is a fair statement. They would not have come to Canberra. It is due to the enthusiasm of the Chief Minister. That is why this matter is one of great public importance.

I will go on, Mr Deputy Speaker. Under Labor, Impulse Airlines would have read the signal that Labor has no interest in encouraging business. Its most influential member, Mr Berry, believes that all investment should be done by the private sector. Mr Berry hates profit and distrusts business, and business knows that. Yes, business knows that, so why would they come here if there was any prospect of Mr Berry getting his way?

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