Page 4863 - Week 11 - Thursday, 21 October 2010
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The Liberals’ argument on the issue of a 30 per cent target is fraudulent, misleading and untrue. You do not get 30 per cent from energy efficiency; you get only eight per cent from energy efficiency.
The target that this Assembly should be adopting is the target of 40 per cent. Forty per cent is what the science tells us needs to be done. For developed countries—for established, developed, advanced Western economies—a 40 per cent reduction on 1990 levels is the target figure that we should be adopting to prevent dangerous climate change.
We cannot achieve it on our own; we are not suggesting for a moment that Canberra can. But if we, in one of the most privileged and most fortunate cities in the country, and in one of the most fortunate nations on the face of the planet, cannot adopt a target informed by the science, who can? And who will? That is the issue that we have to address here. That is why the government will not support Mr Seselja’s amendment.
Debate interrupted in accordance with standing order 74 and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for a later hour.
Sitting suspended from 12.27 to 2 pm.
Questions without notice
Taxation—housing
MR SESELJA: Mr Speaker, my question is to the Treasurer. Yesterday, in question time, you stated that the increase in change of use charge payments was a “very modest increase in the revenue that we expect to receive”. You are in fact expecting revenue to increase by 185 per cent. Why did you describe a massive increase of 185 per cent as a very modest increase?
MS GALLAGHER: The ACT government’s own-source revenue is over $1 billion a year. This year we are expecting an increase of around $8 million in change of use charge. I would say that is a very modest increase.
MR SPEAKER: Mr Seselja, a supplementary question?
MR SESELJA: Yes. Treasurer, what modelling have you done that supports your claim that an increase of 185 per cent in the change of use charge should not impact on the price of rents in the ACT—
Mr Corbell: There’s no increase in change of use.
MR SESELJA: and will you table it in the Assembly?
MS GALLAGHER: As my colleague just said, there is no increase in the change of use charge system that has been in place and supported by this Assembly for a number of years. We have rectified a problem that was identified, as those opposite, I believe,
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