Page 734 - Week 02 - Thursday, 12 February 2009
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Labor Party, from the federal government. He is saying that whatever Kevin Rudd puts forward should be adopted without question. That is the position of ACT Labor.
What if it was $100 billion, $200 billion or $500 billion? That would stimulate the economy. Is it reasonable that questions be asked? Of course it is. It is reasonable that we look at the appropriateness of each of these spending measures, which is what is now going on in the Senate. It is reasonable at a local level that we ask the question of this mob who have had such an appalling record on delivery of major public works. Whether it is the prison or whether it is the GDE, they have failed to deliver time after time. It is reasonable if we ask them the question: “Well, what do you know of the details? What impact will that have on the ACT? What impact will it have on the bottom line? Will you have the skills? What impact will it have on other aspects of the economy, and can you deliver it?”
These are all legitimate questions. These are questions that we have put to officials in our briefing and these are questions we have put to the Treasurer. It is worth looking at what the Treasurer had to say in response to our questions. When we asked her about the impact on inflation, employment and gross state product, she said:
As the detail of this is worked through, Treasury will provide me with advice, but I am not sure it is the best use of Treasury’s time today, without all the information available to them, to do modelling on a package for which they do not have all the details.
She also said:
… I think some of those questions that Mr Seselja asked are very difficult to answer. I do not think I am in a position to be able to answer that question today.
Even on the insulation program—something we have supported—the only response from Katy Gallagher is:
I have some of the federal government’s media releases.
Well, that is good. And what will be the impact on recurrent expenditure of the new school buildings? The Treasurer had this to say:
That detail has not been worked through yet.
When questioned over the impact on residential construction costs, the Treasurer offered only weak and anecdotal evidence. She said:
It is not expected that this stimulus package would raise the cost of capital infrastructure for householders or businesses.
This is the record of this government. Because they have failed to ask the questions, they do not know any of the answers. They have simply accepted whatever Kevin Rudd says, whatever the federal government says. The position that the Chief Minister is giving us today, and has given us throughout the week, is that any stimulus package put forward by this government should be adopted in full. Any delay is unacceptable. Any scrutiny or questioning is unacceptable. Any questioning
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