Page 1448 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 10 May 2006
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this territory has had through GST and the robust economic circumstances created as a result, primarily, of 13 years of sound federal government. The ACT stands out even in contrast to all the other state Labor governments. Ours is the one with the bad report card on budgetary matters.
The Chief Minister has attached much importance to the economic indicators in the territory. But we have to realise that the biggest single employer is the commonwealth government. He might talk continuously through my remarks, and not want to listen or confront this, but he knows the reality of what I am saying. It is interesting even in terms of his views on accounting standards. I take him to page 23 of his own budget paper No 3 where it says that talks were under way moving towards harmonisation of the financial reporting systems under GAAP and GFS and:
The project is yet to be completed but is likely to substantially change the format of future financial reports.
We were told that the system the Liberals favour is no good and so forth. Mr Smyth has pointed out in some detail the direction that was taken in this matter by previous governments. Yet we find here, irrespective of whether he has been properly briefed or not, that his own people are working towards the outcome that we are advocating.
We have had a situation where unencumbered cash is an issue. As I mentioned earlier on, there are a number of areas where this territory has to get itself under control. The administration, the growth and the cost of rapid recruitment in the ACT public sector are coming home to roost. I feel quite sorry for those people, but I woke up this morning feeling a lot happier when I heard that the Howard government is creating 7,000 jobs in this territory. So it is going to dig the Stanhope government out of the mess it has created. This government is going to throw people out onto the street from the ACT—hundreds of jobs are going to go—because it cannot make ends meet. But the Howard government, which the Chief Minister is at war with every other week, is in fact going to help employ those people. Aren’t those people fortunate that at least we have got a commonwealth government that can manage its affairs?
I have a lot more I would like to say but time is going to beat me. I asked for all the factors of these reporting agencies—what they look at in terms of the ACT and agencies—and I fell out of my chair almost when they said, “Well, we look at the management, the turnover of politicians and the intergovernmental relationships.” I said, “What do you mean?” They said, “Well, the relationship with the Australian government.” I just sat there, without passing comment, and I thought, “Well, it has been a pretty ordinary relationship from the direction of this government, despite the fact that this territory is going to be saved to some extent by the expenditure of the commonwealth government to create employment in this city.”
It is a sad reflection on this government that the ACT is in such a parlous state, whereas the commonwealth has been so effective in managing its affairs. There are many areas we need to look at. Public housing is a major area of expenditure. Dr Foskey is always on about it; she is an expert on public housing.
Mr Hargreaves: There’s a lot of public housing in the federal budget. I think it was twice as much as for multicultural affairs, if I remember correctly—zip!
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