Page 1141 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 7 May 2014
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$54 million to extend. The emergency services headquarters, originally budgeted for $13 million, blew out to $76 million; the Canberra Hospital car park, from $23 million to $45 million; the secure mental health facility, from $11 million to $25 million—although the government and this minister promised it would be open three years ago, work has not even started—the Cotter dam, from $120 million to $400 million; and the Majura Parkway is, and I quote, “in turmoil”.
On top of that, the Greens and Labor now want to spend $614 million on just the first phase of their multi-billion dollar train system, and they cannot even tell us how many millions of dollars a year it would cost to operate. We will invest tax money more responsibly because we are Liberals and it is in our DNA. It is what we do.
Like many others, I have come to this city from somewhere else, and I came here because Canberra has so much to offer. My team and I are working hard to give this city the government that it deserves. The ACT Labor government have been in power for 13 long years and like, many old governments, they tend to focus on the things they care about but that lead them further and further away from the people that they are supposed to represent.
Our priorities are unashamedly different from those of Labor and the Greens. And those Liberal values have shaped some of the best governments that this country has seen. They are about remembering to work for all the people, all those people across those forgotten suburbs, that this very bad Labor government and their Green ally have forgotten.
MS GALLAGHER (Molonglo—Chief Minister, Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Health and Minister for Higher Education) (10.17): I move the amendment circulated in my name:
Omit all words after “That this Assembly”, substitute:
“(1) notes:
(a) the importance for on-going engagement with Canberrans, including community groups and local businesses to progress the following priorities:
(i) a sustainable, stable and progressive taxation system;
(ii) a high quality and responsive health system;
(iii) a high performing, fair and equitable education system for all children and young people;
(iv) the continued provision of land and a range of housing options for Canberrans, including affordable housing, for people at all stages of life from first home buyers to downsizers;
(v) increase and maintain the amenity of our city including ongoing road maintenance programs, shopping centre upgrades, protection of our urban forest and community and sporting facilities;
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