Page 1619 - Week 05 - Thursday, 8 May 2008
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I see from the leak in the Daily Telegraph that Labor’s strategists are focused not on meeting the needs of the community but on devising political tricks. They say, “The trick is to sell back flips as responding to community concerns.” I have talked today about the tricks Labor plays when it publishes figures on capital works spending and then tries to hide the data on actual spending at the end of the year.
If this budget were a sound one, this government would not be afraid of scrutiny of the budget detail. But on the last sitting day before the budget, this government used its numbers to hijack the estimates committee. The tradition in this parliament for most of the years since self-government has been that an opposition member or an independent chairs the estimates hearings. This government used its numbers to appoint a government chair and to change the committee numbers so there was a government majority.
Mr Pratt: Gutless.
MR SESELJA: It is. This is typical of Labor’s attitude to accountability. We saw it before with the Costello report, which they still refuse to release. We see it again with the budget lockup. Two years ago, Mr Stanhope decided to lock the opposition out of the lockup. He overturned a longstanding bipartisan courtesy because he cannot stand scrutiny.
Labor take it for granted that Canberra is a natural Labor town. They think there is nothing that they cannot get away with. This week, Labor is using its parliamentary majority to railroad changes to the Electoral Act. Their Electoral Legislation Amendment Bill will write independent groupings off the ballot paper.
Mr Barr: Are you off the budget already now? You can’t even sustain a speech on the budget.
MR SESELJA: Thank you, Mr Barr, for your considered interjections, as always. The Liberal Party understands the meaning of the word “responsibility”. The Canberra Liberals are conscious that federal budget cuts are around the corner. This will be taken into account as we frame our election policies. I have a platform of important commitments that have been carefully costed and prudently crafted. Some of these policies have been rolled out in recent weeks. These commitments have been very measured to ensure maximum policy leverage from prudent government investment. My commitment to the west Belconnen clinic will only cost $200,000 in extra ACT government spending, but this will make an important contribution to providing more GPs for outer suburbs.
Ms Porter: We’ve already promised the money.
MR SESELJA: We hear the interjection that it is already happening. It is not going to happen under Labor. They are waiting around. They put in $200,000 and they are waiting for the federal government. We say that we will make it happen. Under a Liberal government, we will make it happen. We are not going to pass the buck like you and your colleagues, Ms Porter. We will make it happen.
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