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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 1 Hansard (12 December) . . Page.. 169 ..

MR SMYTH (continuing):

Mr Speaker, the speech goes on to refer to an industry strategy. Much of it was a reiteration of what the previous government put in place. We were, of course, preparing bids for the information and communication technology centre of excellence on biotechnology through Epicorp, which is now working at the CSIRO headquarters near Black Mountain. That was our commitment and we were very successful with that bid. I hope that the next bid will be just as successful.

I certainly welcome the reference to the ACT jobs and economy forum, but it is curious that the statement goes on to say that we will spend an extra half a million dollars on enhancing existing programs like Skills 500 and Restart. My memory is that they were much pilloried by the then opposition and described as tired, ineffective and old. I think it is good that we are going to put some extra money into keeping them going and enhancing them, but that is an acknowledgment that they did work and that the previous government's commitment to helping the unemployed helped achieve the record low level of unemployment we have of 4.6 per cent.

The minister went on to speak about a focus on business. I am pleased that they will keep this Liberal government initiative because, for the reasons I outlined previously, it is very important to get the country to focus on the assets that Canberra has in its business community. It is important to make sure that we do create jobs and that we do create wealth that flows back into the community, because that is of great assistance to all of us. The business policy talks about incubators, of which the previous government was incredibly supportive.

Tourism was the next item covered by the minister. Tourism is very important. Some say that it is our first $1 billion industry. It is important that we bolster tourism. I notice that, apart from talking about the Ansett/Kendell collapse and talking with the industry, there is no mention of some of the vital infrastructure that we were undertaking discussions about before the change of government. I would hope that there will be a commitment to making sure that convention facilities in the ACT do receive the assistance that the industry needs to get, because they are the drawcard that allows the hotels, the restaurants and the other entertainment facilities to prosper and thrive and, therefore, provide jobs for Canberrans.

It is pleasing to see Mr Quinlan's support for sport and recreation and the reference to the effect that it has on our health. I think that the Health Minister thinks that he is the minister for hospitals. Perhaps Mr Quinlan will take up the cudgel for the rest of the health portfolio, because prevention is just as important as cure and treatment. I would remind the minister that we are a healthy city under the world health program and sport and recreation, which are a part of his portfolio, play an incredibly important part in that and all the portfolios must work together there.

Mr Speaker, we welcome the statement, but, as I have stated, so much of it is a reiteration of what the previous government was doing or a redressing of it as new initiatives. We will keep a very close watch on what they do in these very important areas of portfolio responsibility.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

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