Page 883 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 2 May 2007
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consultation—the fact that this government simply does not listen. It does exactly what it wants to do; it does not have any regard for the community whatsoever. We saw only recently those fine people in emergency services come here and make that statement. That was something we had never ever seen in the ACT before, and I certainly hope we will never see anything like that again.
That is indicative of just how far this government has strayed from the noble sentiments expressed in this document by the Chief Minister when he was Leader of the Opposition in 2001, and that is something that does really annoy the people of the ACT, because this is the most secretive government we have seen, it is the most difficult government for people to get to see to make their point of view, and it seems to have just closed up shop in relation to principles of accountability and transparency.
No beating of the breast? Well, the Chief Minister does it virtually every day in this place. No Canberra Hospital implosions? We had the bushfire coronial inquiry. That was very, very significant. No bizarre oddities? We have had this amazing bus lane which we have been talking about a bit this week—a bus lane from Belconnen to Civic which would cost over $100 million—finally canned, but not until after several million dollars were actually spent. And what about Al Grassby’s statue? That is probably getting into the bizarre oddity category. He also stated:
An ACT Labor Government will defend the Westminster traditions and practices. A Stanhope Government will enforce a robust system of Cabinet government where decisions are made with the benefit of comprehensive advice, and with adequate time to consider all the relevant issues.
Well, there are a lot of issues in relation to the Westminster tradition which we see in this government, especially in relation to the bushfires. About the budget itself the code of good government stated:
That it is not to say ACT Labor will draft its Budget behind closed doors or in isolation from the community. But that process will not be the carefully controlled process of the Liberals. We will open debate with the community, rather than contain it to the Members of the Assembly.
Openness is one of our core values. We understand that we cannot construct a Budget ...
Mrs Dunne: Core values.
MR STEFANIAK: Indeed, core values. Actually that is interesting, Mrs Dunne; there were not going to be core and non-core, but these are core values. So openness is one of their core values—or it was then. It states:
We understand that we cannot construct a Budget or a program of government without responding to community needs. While we will seek to lead the debate around these needs, and an order of priority, we will not leave the community behind.
Labor will adopt a sensible and public Budget timetable that will allow ample time for submissions from the community, peak organisations, Government departments and agencies, and Assembly Committees.
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