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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 6 Hansard (25 May) . . Page.. 1823 ..

MR QUINLAN (continuing):

I could talk about superannuation but Mr Stanhope has covered that. I would like to close by saying: I do not believe, and a realistic look at the facts show, that there is no economic miracle here. There is an increase in Commonwealth funding of very substantial proportions. There is an increase in taxation all round and some of that taxation increase is a function of external activity. We are reaping the rewards. Some of those taxes, as Mr Wood has informed me, were ALP taxes. Greater rewards are being reaped because of the higher economic activity in Australia which has flowed through to the ACT. I hope that the worrying signs that we see in relation to the Australian economy do not flow through to a downturn in the economy, because I am sure that would pull us down as well.

I have to put on the record that I note the Treasurer made the claim that he had achieved this small surplus without borrowing or without asset sales. I know he is new in the job but neither borrowing nor asset sales would impact the bottom line of an accrual accounting operating statement.

Ms Carnell: But they would impact on cash, and we didn't need the cash.

MR QUINLAN: We are talking about the surplus. We are told in one sentence that this was achieved. I thought I would remind you that neither borrowing nor asset sales would have an immediate effect on the bottom line.

Mr Humphries: Who pointed out that it would? I didn't say it would.

MR QUINLAN: You claimed it. I will close by saying there is no economic miracle here. I have to say that I am disappointed at the level of misinformation that surrounds a result that could have been better for you. Because of a number of initiatives that have been taken, it is a good result for the territory. Some of those initiatives are yours, and some of those initiatives inflict pain upon the community. The Treasurer talked about the political pain that will have to be endured. That is nothing compared with the pain of people who do not have jobs any more, who have had to move out of town because they no longer work here. Thank you, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker.

MR BERRY (4.17): In speaking to the Appropriation Bill 2000-2001, I want to deal first of all with education. Much has been said about education and the government's final recognition that it would accommodate pay rises for teachers. The interesting thing about this is that there has been a big patch of unease in the education system as a result of the government's failure to deal with this issue in the past. Its first policy in relation to pay rises is that everything has got to come out of the education system- that this was going to be another education cut, long recognised and accepted by those people who understood the education system. But the Carnell/Moore cabinet insisted that these education cuts would have to be made if there was going to be a pay rise for teachers.

At the end of the day, in an enormous climb down, the government agreed to the reasonable request of teachers for a pay rise. That was a triumph for the commitment of teachers and their union to our education system. Their motto is that public education works, and it does. Public education has to be the trendsetter for education in this country. If public education does not maintain that standard then this country will go backwards.

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