Page 1179 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 7 May 2014
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Mr Barr also talked about all the surpluses they delivered. If memory serves me right, ACT Labor in government have only budgeted for two surpluses. So at the height of the economic boom, at the height of the property boom, at the height of the mining boom, at the height of the growth of the public service under Howard, they only managed to budget for two surpluses because they cannot control their spending. It is preposterous and it is ridiculous, and that is why this motion is important today.
This motion looks at the state of disrepair of basic suburban amenity. Any time I go out into the community, that is the thing that people talk about. They talk about the dysfunctional planning that is stifling city centres and failing to protect suburban character. It is correct, because we know that this government, through failed Minister Corbell, want to have their priority projects bill. It is because they cannot deliver on time. It is because they cannot do appropriate planning and they cannot carry through.
We know from what Ms Lawder had to say that housing affordability and affordability of rates is appalling in this city, absolutely appalling in this city, and the UDIA said that in a city where the government controls the land and controls the planning it should be better, it should be easier. It is not—a fail.
We talk about access to health care, in particular waiting times. Again, the AIHW’s recent report clearly points out that we fail in delivering appropriate health care, despite the best efforts of all the staff that do a great job in our hospital and health system.
One of the priorities listed in the motion is education choice and standards, especially culture and behaviour. Yes, we do often sit at the top of the tree. And so we should, given the money that we spend on it and the relative youth of our education system. But what Brian Schmidt, a Nobel Laureate, said at a recent Canberra Business Council lunch was that we should be doing so much better for the money that we spend. We do not. And that is mismanagement and that is laid right at the feet of the minister who fails to lead in these areas.
Mr Wall covered the lack of support for business, especially small business in the areas that they feel let down in. They are numerous and they are not being listened to. And we saw it yesterday in the debate on the extension of time.
Another point in the motion is the continued low priority of road transport infrastructure, traffic safety and car parking. Churchill said it incredibly well when he said, “First we shape buildings, then they shape us.” In our case, it is: first we shape the city, now the city shapes us. And whether you like it or not, the Y-plan in the 60s made us a car city. We perhaps need to modify our use of the car, but what we should not be forced to do is abandon the tool that allows us to be the fittest, most participative city in the world when we get to events, when we get involved in culture and when we get involved in volunteering.
The rest of the list is self-evident. This government has failed. They need to reorganise their priorities. (Time expired).
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