Page 2279 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 22 June 2011

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(d) rents have increased by approximately 68 percent;

(e) water prices have increased by 200 percent;

(f) electricity prices have increased by 75 percent; and

(g) parking fees for all day places in Civic have increased by 57 percent;

(2) notes that the cost of living in the ACT is reaching a breaking point, even for many households with two incomes; and

(3) calls on the Government to:

(a) ensure all policies consider the impact on the family budget and cost of living;

(b) include a cost of living statement as part of its annual budget; and

(c) ensure that the cost of living pressure on Canberra households is considered as part of the Regulatory Impact Statement process.

It is a pleasure to be raising this issue here again in the Assembly because it is a critically important issue to Canberra families. There is no doubt, Mr Speaker, that Canberra families are feeling the pinch of cost of living pressures in a whole range of areas, many of which are directly controlled by the government, many of which are affected by government policy and, indeed, others which are not directly or in some cases are indirectly affected by the government. But the range of those issues is hurting Canberra families. There are many which the government has either direct or indirect control over.

Today I want to focus on some of those cost of living pressures that Canberra families are feeling, and particularly about how this Labor-Greens coalition is doing all it can to add to that burden instead of take that burden away. I think there is no doubt that the Labor-Greens coalition has a very inner suburbs view of the world. It appears to ignore the concerns of ordinary families in the outer suburbs. There are in many cases a sneering disregard for those of our community who live in our outer suburbs.

The Labor Party and the Greens have long abandoned these people. They have long abandoned these people and I think that the closeness of this Labor-Greens coalition is adding to the financial pressures on those Canberra families. In fact, it is that view of the world from the Labor Party and the Greens that assumes in respect of all those people who are living in the outer suburbs who are struggling, that it is really because they went and bought themselves a so-called McMansion.

It is that view of the world that says that it is the families’ fault. It is nothing to do with the government’s policies. It is nothing to do with the challenges that ordinary families face. According to the Labor Party and the Greens, it is their fault and they

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