Page 1226 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 30 May 2007
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It is worth mentioning that the new measures in the federal budget for dental care amount to some $377 million over four years. They involve increased access to Medicare for patients with chronic dental issues and they also establish new dental schools to assist in the region. I share the Chief Minister’s view that it would be wonderful if the proposed regional dental school were established in the capital territory. Hopefully, if we can build a better relationship with the commonwealth, maybe that is something that could be achieved.
It is worthy of note, bearing in mind the number of working families in this city, that the commonwealth has increased family payments for early childhood care. Childcare benefit rates have been increased by 10 per cent on top of indexation. The commonwealth has also converted the rebate into direct payment—
MR SPEAKER: Can we stray back to the original motion, Mr Mulcahy.
MR MULCAHY: Mr Speaker, I am speaking against the amendment. I am saying why I do not think this amendment, which seeks to delete all of the elements in my motion, ought to be supported. So it is worth noting the benefits that have been extended to the people of Australia and particularly the people of Canberra. The childcare rebate has in fact now been brought forward as a direct payment. Funding to childcare centres in respect of kids with high care needs has been increased to $71 million over five years.
Mr Stanhope sought to convince the Assembly that his amendment should be supported on the basis that his economic management is sound and that things had performed well under the leadership of his administration. He wants to commend the territory government on its so-called “commitment to responsible financial management that will ensure the sustainable delivery of high quality services to the people of Canberra”. He is obviously talking to a different set of people than those who contact my office, because if there is one message that comes through loud and clear it is the deterioration of the so-called services in Canberra. How we can have an amendment along these lines that proposes to endorse a supposed high quality of services—
Mr Barr: It is probably not the most representative sample of Canberrans you have ever seen.
MR MULCAHY: For the benefit of Mr Barr, I have taken up some 1,450 cases in the last 12 months. Those people seemed to be constantly complaining about deteriorating services in the territory matched only by an equal increase in the rate of taxation and charges. I hardly think this is a basis for endorsing the ACT government’s commitment to responsible financial management.
The Chief Minister has released a ludicrous press statement. I can always tell when something silly is coming out of the Assembly when I see the Chief Minister looking this way after he has read a press release that he has grabbed from his press secretary. I think, “Here we go again. This is another one of these extraordinary, angry press releases.” They cause no end of amusement amongst my colleagues and my staff. The Chief Minister talks about Mr Mulcahy’s bedtime stories of the generosity of the
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