Page 4859 - Week 11 - Thursday, 21 October 2010
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We at an ACT level also need to be cognisant of this. We have different challenges. We have different challenges and different opportunities. That is why I believe that it is reasonable that we go further than the rest of the nation. That is why I believe that it is reasonable that we show leadership. But when all is said and done, and presuming that the government is serious about this target and genuinely wants to achieve this 40 per cent target by 2020, that will involve significant pain for Canberrans over the next couple of years, over the next few years.
Canberra families who are subjected to far higher costs for parking, Canberra families who are subjected to significant increases in electricity over and above the ordinary increases that we would expect, will be asking their leaders and their government whether, in taking these actions—in taking action for the environment—their concerns were considered. They will be asking themselves whether the government and the ACT Assembly considered whether it is reasonable or whether it is overly burdensome for a family living in Conder who have kids in childcare and school; who have one parent working full time and one parent working part time, as is often the case; who have to juggle all of those things; and who rely on their car—whether it would be reasonable for them, when they work in Woden, Civic or the parliamentary triangle, to be paying double or triple what they are paying now. Instead of paying $10 in the city, they will be paying $20, $25 or $30 a day.
These are the kinds of challenges that are going to exist. These are the kinds of impositions that this government will be placing on these families. They will be asking themselves about this. Many of them, if they were questioned, would say, “Yes, I want to see action.” But many of them would be asking themselves whether, in imposing those kinds of punitive measures, the ACT, in order to make the Labor Party and the Greens feel as though they are leaders, will get the results that people would expect—and at what cost, what price? Those families will be asking that.
The family facing a massive increase in their electricity costs as a result would be asking the same questions. We have seen a 45 per cent increase in electricity costs over the last few years in the ACT.
Mr Rattenbury: What is that being driven by? Where is your analysis of 45 per cent?
MR SESELJA: ABS statistics. The ABS statistics show that. Mr Rattenbury can go and talk to the ABS about their statistical methodology; he can go and tell them that they are wrong. I am prepared to accept the ABS over Shane Rattenbury’s analysis. As a general rule, when it comes to statistics, I would say that I am not going to accept what Shane Rattenbury says over the ABS. I will accept the 45 per cent from the ABS unless the ABS tells us otherwise.
The best thing the government could say about that was that we are not quite as bad as New South Wales. If the best you can say is that you are not doing quite as badly as New South Wales, you are in trouble.
People are already paying more. The question will be how much more they will have to pay. This week we saw Greg Hunt comment about the elasticity issues with
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