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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 6 Hansard (16 May) . . Page.. 1714 ..

MR SMYTH: The relevance is that if you want to talk about how one budget or the activities of one government disadvantage certain groups you need to do so in the context of what you might have done yourself.

Mr Stanhope said that the federal budget hardly mentioned education. Since 1995-96 Commonwealth funding for schools has grown by over 80 per cent. Commonwealth funding for government schools is increasing 5.7 per cent over last year, representing a massive 52 per cent increase since the Howard government was elected in 1996. That is hardly an understatement of activity in that regard.

Mr Stanhope talked about indigenous issues. The shadow minister for indigenous issues, Carmen Lawrence, put out a press release which has embarrassed her. The government's press release states that the government has allocated a record $2.5 billion for indigenous specific programs and services. However you calculate the budget, the government is providing more funding in real terms directly to indigenous people than did previous Labor governments. There is detail there. You need to read the whole document. You need to find out what it is about before you come here and spout forth on what you think is bad. Speaking in ignorance in this way is most unfortunate.

There are many initiatives in the federal budget. Many of them favour the ACT, including extra financial grants and increased funding for the AIS and for the National Museum. The federal Labor government talked about the National Museum for many years but never committed itself to it and never put a cent into it. It is unfortunate that you do not present the whole picture. You might not agree with all the initiatives or the track the federal government is taking, but your bleating is unfortunate.

If my memory serves me right, Mr Stanhope was in the Labor Attorney-General's office when the Labor Party was opposing land rights in the High Court. They never once in their 13 years in office said sorry. This became some sort of mantra after they lost office, after they failed to apologise, after they fought land rights and after they lost in the High Court. Mr Stanhope, your record is a bit scratchy. You need to cast your mind back and think about what your own governments did in the past.

I could go on about many of the initiatives that will particularly benefit the people of the ACT.

Mr Stanhope: Who introduced the Native Title Act? Who implemented the Mabo decision?

MR SMYTH: I would be happy for you, Chief Minister, to bring on an MPI about the way indigenous people have been treated. We as a local government are very proud of our record. We can go back to the referendum in 1967. I will have to get out my copy of Clyde Holding's book. Clyde said, "It must be remembered that more has been done for indigenous people under Liberal governments than has ever been done under Labor." I will find the quote. It is great quote. It is one of my favourites. I will dig it out. It is very interesting.

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