Page 1579 - Week 06 - Thursday, 7 June 2007
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23 schools last year, hike taxes and introduce new ones. We still do not know whether the data that the financial review based its conclusions on is even accurate. So far the current government has managed to block access to the Costello report and any other documents requested by the opposition and also by school communities through such things as freedom of information. Indeed, school communities are taking the fight to find out to the courts. Flynn primary school P&C put it like this in appealing to all Canberrans who want to know how this government operates. In a media release yesterday, they stated:
Flynn’s legal challenge is not just a fight for Flynn but for all Canberrans who see their rates go up each year while the government strips away schools, libraries, community land and services. It is a fight for all those who have been or will be in a similar situation.
Then there is the small matter in the great scheme of things, but important nevertheless, of the Stanhope government’s failure this year to release its budget information to the opposition in a timely way and in very restricted quantities compared with last year. We also have the amazing decision, only announced last week by the Treasurer, not to actually front the traditional chamber of commerce budget evening, appearing alongside the opposition. Again, you would have to say that this demonstrates this government’s refusal to be accountable. He chose instead to communicate with the business community at a dinner—
Mr Stanhope: What are you doing tonight? Can you pull one on tonight?
MR SPEAKER: Order!
MR STEFANIAK: where the seats cost from $250 up to $1,400 and the money went straight into ALP coffers. Labor in opposition—
Mr Stanhope: What, instead of the chamber of commerce’s coffers, you mean?
MR STEFANIAK: Oh, dear; there you go! Labor in opposition—
Mrs Burke: How did the fundraising go, Jon? Did you raise enough funds?
Ms Gallagher: It did very well. An excellent night.
MR SPEAKER: Order, members! Members of the government and opposition cease interjecting. Mr Stefaniak has the call.
MR STEFANIAK: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Labor in opposition affected to be a model kind of government. The code of government released by Mr Stanhope as opposition leader in 2001 made a pledge to the people of the ACT saying, “Labor understands that good government does not bully. It leads. Good government accepts criticism. Good government has the courage to allow itself to be closely scrutinised. It conducts its operations in an open, honest and accountable manner and not in secret.”
Clearly, it has failed to live up to these noble sentiments. We still do not know the basis of the Costello report which so much of the previous budget, and this budget
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