Page 1265 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 25 March 2009
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that, in response to the global financial crisis, the ACT Labor Government has conducted industry roundtables, and introduced two supplementary Budget appropriations aimed at supporting local jobs and investing in our community;
That was the second appropriation. With the third appropriation the Treasurer herself said, “Don’t get your hopes up.” They attack us. They say we are talking down the economy. But, no, we are talking common sense and we are asking you to detail your solution. But we have got a Treasurer, whose job is to instil confidence in the community, saying: “Don’t get your hopes up. We’re too small to stimulate.” What you are saying is: do not have any confidence in this government because this government are absolutely clueless on what to do.
The amendment continues in paragraph 5:
urges the ACT Government to consider further measures to support the local economy as part of the next ACT Budget.
That is not that different from the action that we have called for from the government in our motion, which is to “detail its plan and solutions to manage this recession”. We are just asking it to tell us now, to give us a context to the budget, so that people understand where the budget will be going. Let us have a context. Let us know your plans. Surely you have got plans now, things in place to make this happen. (Time expired.)
MR DOSZPOT (Brindabella) (11.19): Madam Deputy Speaker, the Chief Minister spoke about the responsibilities of an opposition. Well, Chief Minister, we are well aware of our responsibilities, but I question your own responsibility, Chief Minister, your decision, as an experienced Treasurer facing the most difficult economic world situation—that such an experienced Treasurer and Chief Minister would hand the all-important position of the Treasurer of the ACT to Ms Gallagher, a person of limited experience in such an important portfolio. How responsible is that, Chief Minister—to step away from the challenge and pass it to your colleague?
We as an opposition take no pleasure in continually exposing the weakness and the inability of your Treasurer to cope with her portfolio. But as a responsible opposition it is our duty to do so.
Now I move on to my support of the motion by my colleague Mr Smyth, our shadow treasurer with proven experience. As my colleague has said, this motion fulfils a critical role of an opposition. We as the opposition are looked to by the electorate to keep the government of the day up to the mark. A significant focus of this motion is to consider how the Stanhope-Gallagher government has managed the ACT economy in recent years. The global financial crisis and the associated global economic downturn have created a situation in which all states and territories and the Australian government are increasingly concerned about developments in their budgetary situations. This is particularly important for the ACT, as we are such a small jurisdiction.
We want to consider very carefully how the Stanhope-Gallagher government has responded and is responding to this situation. The fiction that the ACT has continued
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