Page 1087 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 20 March 2013
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through reducing our reliance on fossil fuel usage in both transport and electricity generation. The government’s solar farm policies and our renewable energy targets are just part of our response to this pressing issue.
Finally, in the brief time I have left to me I will quickly comment on some of the industrial relations matters that Dr Bourke mentions in his motion. The government is particularly proud of its commitments to continue reform in the area of supporting the low paid and those who do physical work in our community. The government is establishing a new industrial magistrates court, with legislation to be introduced into the Assembly shortly, to provide for a more dedicated focus on the part of our courts when it comes to dealing with workers comp and occupational health and safety matters. The government is committing additional resources to WorkSafe ACT to ensure it has the capacity to fill both its regulatory and educational roles, and it is going to further strengthen the WorkSafe legislation to provide for on-the-spot fine provisions for inspectors in the field to improve compliance with occupational health and safety legislation.
All of these demonstrate a commitment on the part of this government, which has a clear and tangible vision for our city’s future—a city which is a safe place for people to work, which has improved and higher standards of occupational health and safety, which is making the transition to a truly metropolitan model for the delivery of transport across our city, and is delivering a more sustainable outcome for all citizens through our commitment to tacking climate change and making the shift to a low carbon future.
MR BARR (Molonglo—Deputy Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Sport and Recreation, Minister for Tourism and Events and Minister for Community Services) (10.52): I thank Dr Bourke very much for raising these issues this morning. Before I go to the detail of Dr Bourke’s motion it is worth making some observations on what can only be described as a very cheeky contribution from the Leader of the Opposition; so cheeky, in fact, that you would say he has displayed more cheek this morning than a sumo wrestler. He has made a series of assertions, particularly in relation to taxation and business and economic development, that are just plain wrong. He has misled the Assembly on a number of matters and he should come back and correct the record.
One obvious mislead during his contribution related to commercial rates. Mr Hanson neglected to mention in his contribution that $230 million worth of commercial land tax over the next four years has been abolished by the government. There is no longer commercial land tax applied in this city. That tax was abolished, and that has put $230 million back into the pockets of Canberra businesses. That little omission from Mr Hanson’s contribution demonstrates his ignorance on matters economic, business and taxation.
Mr Hanson made some remarks in relation to the motivations behind Dr Bourke moving this important motion today, and it is ironic that one can draw particular parallels with what is occurring on the other side of the chamber in that neither of the leadership team of the Canberra Liberals hold any of the economic portfolios. If Mr Smyth was such a great contributor to these debates, why is it that his own party room sacked him from these leadership positions, Madam Acting Speaker?
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