Page 682 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 22 February 2012
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A strong, well-managed economy has helped make Canberrans among the most highly educated in the country. We have some of the very best schools and our young people have attained very high educational standards.
A strong economy allows for effective investment in transport and municipal services such as roads, parks and gardens. It enables us to support our city’s growth. Effective economic management ensures that the crime rates are low and investments can be made in community policing, emergency services and justice. In maintaining a strong economy, this government has been careful to target specific resources to those most in need. We are supporting people with disabilities, protecting our children, providing public housing and supporting the most vulnerable members of our community.
As I said before, the benefits of a strong economy need to be shared with all members of our community. The government regularly examines concessions to ensure that they provide assistance where required—that is to households on low to moderate incomes. The government has regularly adjusted concessions, including electricity, gas, water, and waste water to keep pace with the cost of living increases.
The government continues to respond to changes in demand for concessions, expanding water concession eligibility to include health care cardholders, temporary protection visa holders and asylum seekers. A home haemodialysis rebate was introduced and the spectacle subsidy and taxi subsidy schemes increased.
Free ACTION bus travel has been introduced for people over the age of 75 years and it has been implemented. The energy concession has been increased from $189 to $266 and an $80 utility concession introduced in July 2011, higher than many other jurisdictions. The government has also been able to fund practical help for low income households to improve their energy and water efficiency and to reduce costs.
We know that the ACT has a strong economy. Speaking about our economy responsibly, rather than talking it down for political gain, is important to maintain competence—otherwise, our prosperity is put at risk. That is a very serious matter. Without responsible policies around employment, growth and financial management such as this government’s policies, Canberrans will not realise the full benefits of this very strong economy. I call on all members to support this motion.
MR SMYTH (Brindabella) (7.55): I welcome the motion that Ms Porter has put but I did not hear a great deal from Ms Porter to support many of the things that she said here. There are some implied insults, I guess, that somebody has been reckless and somebody has confected outrage, but we did not hear too many examples of that.
Business is important. If you truly are going to have a sustainable city—socially, economically and environmentally—at the end of the day somebody has to pay for it. If you look at the last 11 years, this is not a government that has covered itself in glory when it comes to diversifying the ACT economy. It is a government that has relied heavily on taxation and increased taxation at every budget to attempt to balance the books.
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