Page 2447 - Week 06 - Thursday, 23 June 2011
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
We have seen the Enlighten festival. It took three years to deliver an autumn blockbuster event. It cost millions of dollars and there was little return. The ACT government had to give away 3,000 free tickets to get the audiences there—3,000 out of 8,000 tickets. That is an example of the competence and leadership of this government.
In relation to the Fitters Workshop, which is an issue of considerable debate and controversy at the moment, there was an impetuous decision made in the absence of proper consultation. The decision was not reviewed in the light of new evidence. There has been no response to the public debate on the issue, no master plan or vision for the Kingston arts precinct and no expert advice has been sought. That is an example of the competence and leadership of this government.
Another topical issue is the change of use charge. This is a massive tax hike on housing. There has been poor consultation and poor explanation of the reasons and the impact that this will have. Housing prices and housing affordability in the ACT will be exacerbated by this new tax. New developments will become commercially unviable. Infill will be discouraged. Housing affordability will become even less of a prospect for young people attempting to enter the housing market. Rental affordability will also become more of a problem. The government’s hands are in the pockets of new homeowners to the tune of $80,000 including stamp duty for every one of these dwellings. This is an example of the competence and leadership of this government.
ACT Labor is out to bite into the family budget—total taxation increases of 50 per cent in real terms over the life of the ACT government; per capita increases of 94 per cent; property rates and charges, 31 per cent above CPI over the last nine years; rent up 68 per cent; water prices up 200 per cent; electricity up 75 per cent; parking fees up 57 per cent. They are all examples of the competence and leadership of this government. (Time expired.)
MS GALLAGHER (Molonglo—Chief Minister, Minister for Health, Minister for Industrial Relations and Treasurer) (4.56): I am very pleased to address this matter of public importance today: the importance of competence and leadership in government. These are the hallmarks of this government, because this is clearly a government of leadership that is delivering improved outcomes and high-quality services and infrastructure for our community. Indeed, I think the people of the ACT would support the notion of the importance of competence and leadership in government, which is why they returned us as their choice of government in 2001, 2004 and 2008 and ignored those opposite.
We have a clear direction for Canberra, as presented in our 2011-12 government priorities announced on Tuesday. We have got ongoing progress in addressing key challenges such as health and hospital reform. We have avoided significant impacts from the global financial crisis through the decisive action that we took as a government. And we are showing even greater willingness to listen to and work with the community in setting our vision for the ACT.
True leadership is not about doing everything. Rather it is about the ability to identify the priorities, to fight hard to move them forward and to work for the interests of
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video