Page 39 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 9 December 2008
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Education is an area close to my heart, with one child at school here in the ACT and another due to enter the system in a couple of years. I am a great believer in both public and private education. Although the territory government’s financial priority is appropriately directed towards our public schools, I acknowledge the sacrifice that many parents make providing private education for their children and recognise that without their contribution our tax burden would be much greater. Teaching is an undervalued profession in Australia and I offer my personal thanks and praise to all of our hardworking teachers here in the ACT.
Housing consumes the bulk of most weekly budgets, and home ownership is an aspiration that remains beyond too many Canberrans, particularly the young. We need to reduce the levels of stamp duty paid by first home owners and increase the amount of land released, amongst other measures, to ensure that home ownership is a realistic aspiration for us all.
I also am concerned by the disgraceful state of repair of many of the public housing complexes in the ACT, in particular those closest to the city centre. There is a case for renewal of the estate, and this is where we need to look most urgently.
We need to look at new options for the development in our city centre and town centres and not be afraid of high rise. High rise can be both more affordable and reduce the environmental impact of development. I am pro growth and I believe we should provide opportunities for Canberra to become a more sustainable, progressive and vibrant city. Part of this means enhancing our water infrastructure to ensure that we have adequate supply in the future and we are proofed against drought.
Of course, much of what I have discussed in the areas of health, education, housing and infrastructure is only achievable with a strong economy. In these uncertain economic times, good management of our economy is paramount, and I believe that over the course of the last few decades Liberal governments at the federal, state and territory levels have proven themselves more capable in this regard.
We need to strengthen and diversify our economy, and in my view we should become the smart centre of Australia. We should be the first choice for industries focused on education, the environment and technology.
We must be more business friendly as a city and review how our regulation and taxation frameworks could better support existing businesses and act as an incentive for new businesses to come to the ACT.
A way we could improve the business environment is to reduce duplication. There is too much duplication in process and bureaucracy across the various levels of government in Australia, between the ACT and our neighbours in New South Wales and within the ACT. The simplification of the mass of regulations governing any number of transactions affecting business and personal lives would make us more efficient and enable us to deliver more effective services.
Mr Speaker, my key objectives for the next four years are threefold. First and foremost, I will represent the people of Molonglo to the best of my ability. Second, I
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