Page 2699 - Week 08 - Thursday, 24 August 2006
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Yes, on the western and south-western edges of the Yarralumla brickworks they had cut a 30-metre firebreak. But behind Yarralumla brickworks they had not cleared the rubbish and they have not been able to prepare any more than a five metre wide firebreak along the residential fence line of Yarralumla. That is disgraceful. It is absolute neglect. They failed in the last bushfire season. At this rate, they are going to fail in this bushfire season as well. No money is set aside. There is no contingency to ensure that the urban edge—
Opposition members interjecting—
MR PRATT: Well, have a look at the photographs of Yarralumla from January 2006. Go and have a look. Go and measure the damn firebreak out there. It is five metres wide. It is absolute neglect.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Pratt, sit down, please. Mr Hargreaves, cease your interjections. Mr Pratt, direct your comments through the chair, please.
MR PRATT: Thank you, Mr Speaker. This is why the Pratt-Smyth dissenting report recommended “that the Minister for the Territory and Municipal Services provide a detailed and accurate breakdown of job losses within his portfolio” to detail where these front-line positions are going to “before the budget debate resumes”. Obviously, this breakdown has not been provided to us; therefore, we cannot assess the financial impact on this budget. There are a number of areas. There is the maintenance of ovals and there is the recovery of Phillip oval. There are big questions about just how well this government is going to refurbish that terrible eyesore at Phillip. There are questions about whether there will be sufficient resources put in there to re-cover the surface, or are they simply going to build more car parks around Phillip Oval?
Mr Mulcahy: Graze sheep on it, maybe.
MR PRATT: No. It looks like they are going to build more car parks to raise more revenue. Raising revenue is far more important than maintaining the infrastructure. Turning now to speed cameras, when we look at other ways in which this cash-strapped government is trying to raise funds, we only have to look as far as the fixed and mobile speed cameras. This $1.7 million revenue raiser is expected to raise $4.5 million additional revenue per year, plus a 34 per cent increase in the projected fines. While the minister was unable to properly answer questions in estimates hearings about the departmental budget he is to administer for the coming year he is, nevertheless, willing to ask the Assembly to appropriate moneys for him to expand this department to the tune of $358 million. We cannot and will not support this line item.
MR SPEAKER: Order! The member’s time has expired.
MR MULCAHY (8.21): The appropriation of some $358.8 million for the Department of the Territory and Municipal Services represents a substantial growth as part of the ambitious introduction of a bulked-up and super-sized department with extra responsibilities and apparent newfound economies of scale. Indeed, the sentiments expressed by the minister reflect this brave new optimism. He boldly stated in estimates:
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