Page 1585 - Week 06 - Thursday, 7 June 2007
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
remind the Chief Minister himself what he said in 2000. He said, “I am not here to detail our plans so far out from an election.” Indeed, it is the role of the opposition to make the government accountable. It is our role to examine your proposals, good and bad, which is what I have done today. We have announced a few policies and we will continue to develop them and we will announce them in due time. Suffice to say—
Mr Stanhope: Name one policy. Name one policy, Bill, that you have developed.
MR STEFANIAK: There are about 10. I will send you the—
MADAM TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mrs Dunne): Order!
MR STEFANIAK: You have actually accepted one already, Jon. Suffice to say, Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, a Liberal government would be providing—
Members interjecting—
MADAM TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, members! The Leader of the Opposition has the floor.
MR STEFANIAK: Suffice to say, a Liberal government would be providing genuinely responsible government, seek to tax the people of the ACT fairly, provide a public service with a focus on front line delivery and a better climate for business investment. There is no social justice, no human rights, in subjecting people to ever-increasing taxes for ever-decreasing services. That this government has been able to fob off so many with talk of gains and surpluses has only been made possible by the strength, at the end of the day, of a very strong, economically competent federal government.
If it comes to pass that Labor takes office federally, I think it will only be a matter of time before we conclusively see both in the ACT and nationally that the emperor has no clothes and that the way forward will be towards an abyss. This government is a steady-as-she-goes government in many respects. It reinforces all the pain and all the problems of the budget introduced last year. It does not take the ACT forward. It is a budget with no clothes. It is rather sad to see the government introduce this budget but it is quite typical, really.
DR FOSKEY (Molonglo) (3.45): I want to start by acknowledging the democratic nature of this place and, in particular, this tradition which allows me as the third party—with one representative—in the Assembly to respond at equal length to the ACT budget. It acknowledges that there are more than two views on the budget, and indeed there are more than three. I happen to think that this year the Green view is particularly relevant, and I feel privileged to be able to deliver it.
This is not a bad budget, as territory budgets go. It gives a bit to health, education and public transport. There is a bit for public housing, and some nods at energy efficiency. I have been told that the disability sector is happy with its share. The community sector gets a bit of a rise to cover wage indexation, and the grant portal is up. There is more funding for volunteer firefighters’ equipment and no-one minds a few dollars going from fines to victims of crime—until they get their next speeding ticket.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .