Page 3636 - Week 08 - Friday, 24 August 2012

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in our community. We have allocated record spending on infrastructure, with $900 million in this fiscal year and $1.7 billion over the four years of the forward estimates. The budget contains no new taxes and lightens the tax burden on low and middle income households. It has also sought to make responsible savings of $180 million over four years, with these savings to be reinvested in front-line services.

This budget ensures our community is well placed to prosper and to meet the challenges of our city’s second century. I, as Treasurer, as part of a Labor government, am very proud to have delivered a responsible budget that supports our economy and our community and that has delivered historic taxation reform. I thank Assembly members for their support of this budget.

MR SESELJA (Molonglo—Leader of the Opposition) (4.47): Some final words on the budget from the Canberra Liberals: we do not share the government’s view of this budget or their approach to governing and budgeting. This is a budget that entrenches the world view of ACT Labor, which is that they have never seen a tax that they do not like. They continue to increase the burden on Canberra families. They can dress that up however they like, but they are going to put the biggest cost of living slug on Canberra families that we have ever seen.

The cost of living statement alone in this budget sees an average family facing a $600 increase just for the privilege of being governed by ACT Labor. And that is quite a high price to pay, in our opinion—$9,000 on average per family per year for the privilege of being governed by ACT Labor.

We take a different approach. We take an approach of prudent budgeting, responsible economic management, looking to lower charges and taxes and deliver local services. That is what a government should be doing here in the ACT. That is what, as a government, we will do here in the ACT. We look forward to the opportunity post October to implement responsible budgeting so that we can lift the cost pressures from Canberra families and deliver them the local government that they deserve.

Title agreed to.

Question put:

That this bill be agreed to.

The Assembly voted—

Question so resolved in the affirmative.

Bill agreed to.

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