Page 1127 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 29 May 2007
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
We note that the focus around transport in the ACT was on roads, but it is very evident that what we need to do is to move people out of cars and into public transport. I suggest that it is the federal government that has the funds to invest in light rail, perhaps with the cooperation of the airport group, as a first light rail system could be placed between the airport, Russell, the parliamentary triangle and Civic. We are always talking about the problems with the roads along this route.
The budget even fails on water, Australia’s most immediate challenge. The Howard-Costello budget outlines a $10 billion federal-state rescue plan for the Murray-Darling basin, including a buyback of over-allocated irrigation licences which have stressed the rivers. But, for some reason or other, the plan to buy back those excessive licences will not start until the budget of 2009-10. Astoundingly, John Howard has put off this critical so-called “rescue plan” for another two more ruinous years. As the ACT sits fairly and squarely in the Murray-Darling basin and is the largest urban centre in the region, this is of great interest to us. A Greens’ federal budget would immediately fund measures to address over-allocation in the Murray-Darling basin.
The Treasurer has, however, decided on an immediate $31 billion in tax cuts over the next four years. This comes after the $25 billion largesse, including tax cuts to the rich, in last year’s budget. Howard claims that this year’s $31 billion will go to salaried workers. But careful analysis shows once again that the rich get much richer at everyone else’s expense. In fact, just 10.5 per cent of people will get 44 per cent of the money. People who are so poor that they do not pay tax, including Australia’s 1.2 million pensioners, get a one-off $500 payment and then, after the election, nothing. Carers, who save this government billions of dollars, get a meagre $1,000 and, after the election, nothing. The Australian Greens in the Senate will support the across-the-board tax cuts, even though they are regressive. But, unlike Labor, the Greens will vote against the provisions for huge special cuts—some $10 billion over three years—for the highest income earners, beginning next year.
On the issue of health, the government continues down the path towards an American style two-tiered health system, leaving again the less well off behind. Under the Howard government, the health and wellbeing of too many Australians has been placed at risk because they cannot access health care. In the ACT we continue to have the lowest bulk-billing in the country.
The Greens would abolish the health insurance rebate scheme and divert that $3 billion directly into the public health system. The current scheme serves the nation so badly that the taxpayer top-up for this private exclusive system blew out by $283 million last year. The Greens’ policy is to have a denticare system paralleling Medicare because no Australian child or adult should have to live with poor dental health, which, of course, is associated with other health outcomes. The Howard-Costello government torpedoed the $100 million concession cardholders dental care program in 1996. So now there are an estimated 650,000 Australians on dental waiting lists—and try getting a job with bad teeth! Some elderly or disabled citizens wait two to three years to have their dental problems cared for. That is unforgivably heartless—an outrage by a government with a $15 billion surplus. Australia can afford to provide dental care to all who need it but this government does not want to.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .