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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 8 Hansard (26 June) . . Page.. 2248 ..

MS DUNDAS (continuing):

I believe that Mr Hargreaves has not given us the full story of what is going on in Brindabella. Almost 25 per cent of the people in Brindabella did not vote Labor or Liberal. One in four chose something else.

I believe that Mr Hargreaves left a few things off his list that perhaps the community of Brindabella would not welcome. Are the people of Brindabella welcoming of the ALP election commitment concerning neighbouring planning groups that will be concentrated in the inner north or inner south over the next three years? Perhaps only at some time in the far-off future will neighbourhood planning groups ever reach Brindabella. And the people of Brindabella cannot welcome the funding for an upgrade of the Lanyon skate park, because there isn't any.

In short, the budget released yesterday will see Brindabella residents, like the residents of my electorate of Ginninderra, forking out more money in parking fees, and thousands more in other charges, yet they will not be getting the quality or the quantity of services provided by this government to central Canberra residents. We will be paying more for registration and getting nice new buses, but we won't be able to travel into the city at night or have more services on peak routes in and out of Brindabella.

Mr Hargreaves mentioned the affordable housing taskforce as a win, and yes there is some money in the budget for that. But why then is the government slugging home owners with an increase in conveyancing duties and increases in land tax?

The government is providing no relief for private or public renters. Although there is the establishment of a Lifeline referral hotline-and I believe this is a wonderful initiative-where are people going to be referred to, as available beds in crisis accommodation are non-existent?

The government, as Mr Hargreaves has mentioned, has a solar water rebate scheme, but perhaps more useful to the people of the Tuggeranong Valley and Brindabella would be what is occurring in other councils-a buyback scheme for wood heaters that would help curb the smog that sits in the valley during winter. The people of Brindabella deserve much better from a member than a self-congratulatory motion.

Debate interrupted in accordance with standing order 74 and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for a later hour.

Sitting suspended from 12.28 to 2.30 pm.

Questions without notice

Cost of land development

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, my question is to the Treasurer, Mr Quinlan. In your budgetary speech yesterday, Treasurer, you forecast that the government would incur an operating loss of $20.6 million in the 2003-04 financial year, which you attribute to the ACT government developing land itself rather than having the private sector do it. You anticipate that this system will lead to greater revenue returns in subsequent years.

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