Page 3244 - Week 08 - Wednesday, 22 August 2012

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There are a number of firms who employ large numbers of people in the ACT who are being subjected, they believe, to unfair application of the payroll tax. I think it is important that the government of the day do something about it. I understand some of these groups have asked the Chief Minister and the Treasurer for meetings, which have been denied under the excuse that “we can’t talk to you because you’re in dispute with the commissioner”. I think that is unfortunate. If we had a government that had some sense and would listen to people this could have been resolved.

Indeed, this matter should have been resolved without getting to the motion here in the Assembly tonight. Clearly, the motion will not get up, which means the next Assembly will face the prospect of having legislation to fix a problem which perhaps could have been sorted in a far more amenable way. The unfortunate thing is that there is now uncertainty over the business community. That uncertainty will continue for at least the next three, four, five months, perhaps longer, and it will damage the reputation that the government supposedly seeks to have in place of being a business-friendly jurisdiction.

Question put:

That Mr Smyth’s motion be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

Question so resolved in the negative.

Homelessness

MS BRESNAN (Brindabella) (7.47): I move:

That this Assembly:

(1) is concerned for people who are homeless and sleeping rough in Canberra;

(2) acknowledges the initiative and efforts shown by Safe Shelter and local churches to provide overnight shelter for people who are homeless and sleep rough; and

(3) calls on the ACT Government to work with Safe Shelter and the churches to facilitate the proposal proceeding.

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