Page 600 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 11 February 2009

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expect that this government will demonstrate how it is going to get it done better than it has in the past. It has demonstrated nothing in terms of a plan. It has not given us an indication of where these structural changes will come which will actually improve outcomes, which will actually improve delivery, which will mean that we do not see the massive delays in delivery of infrastructure and capital works, major cost blow-outs and projects being downsized while the cost is going up, as we have seen with the prison. This is a reasonable thing to ask of a government.

It is noteworthy that the Greens do not believe that it is a reasonable thing to ask a government to highlight what will be their plan to make things better. We put forward a very detailed infrastructure plan, “Infrastructure Canberra”, that showed a way forward. We have never heard a critique of it. Before the last election, the main critique of our policies from the Labor Party was that they were not theirs. We have seen them adopt a number, and we welcome that. We saw them adopt our lower class sizes policy, and we welcomed that because we believe it is good policy. We saw them, after the election, adopt much of our planning policy, although not all of it. We would encourage the planning minister to adopt some of the key structural changes that we have put forward. But he has moved some way, because he has seen that our policy was the right one. We would also say that you do not have a plan on infrastructure. You need to actually have one. Have a look at what is out there.

We will continue to put forward a positive vision because we believe that we can do better. Canberrans deserve better. Particularly if we look at the context of the last few years, when there has been so much money coming in, it has been the great shame of these last few years that we do not have more to show for that.

As we approach tougher times, it becomes even more important. It becomes even more important that we have a vision. It becomes even more important that our spending is clearly targeted—that it is targeted in a way that will stimulate growth and deliver the kind of infrastructure and services that all Canberrans need. We will face challenging times. The last seven years do not fill us with any confidence that this government can get it done. It is now time for them to demonstrate to the community how they are going to do things better than they have over the last seven years.

Question put:

That Ms Gallagher’s amendment be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

Question so resolved in the affirmative.

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