Page 2575 - Week 08 - Thursday, 14 August 2014
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they want to live. That is the intent of this government—to push people out of their homes, to say: “I know that is your family home. I know it is where you raised your kids. I know it is where you want to stay. But we are going to force you out of that house.” If that is the strategy, it is very effective. They are providing a bit of a carrot with stamp duty relief, but there is one God-almighty stick: “Get out of your home because we want that land. We want to basically impose an ideology on you.”
As we know, Andrew Barr does not see the family home as a family home; he sees it simply as something to be squeezed, something to get more money out of.
Proposed expenditure agreed to.
Independent Competition and Regulatory Commission—Schedule 1A, Part 1.15—$548,000 (net cost of outputs), totalling $548,000.
MR SMYTH (Brindabella) (12.04): I suggest that most are well aware of the issues around the ICRC in the last year—pricing determinations, the cost of electricity et cetera. Most of the discussion when the ICRC was before the estimates committee was about the process that is now underway. There is currently a review of the act. It is commendable that the ICRC had the foresight to work out an automatic 7.3 per cent reduction in the cost of electricity in the ACT on the proviso that the carbon tax was repealed. Of course, that came into effect the day the carbon tax was repealed; so well done to the commission there on their foresight.
It was interesting that we had a discussion with the commissioner about the review of the act. That review is underway. I asked whether or not it would be made public. The Treasurer at one stage said, “Well, you may not see a review.” We then asked why not. He said, “I am not going to pre-empt a cabinet decision.” But recommendation 49 of the estimates report was that the review be made publicly available. I note now the government’s response is that it is agreed. So there has been an outbreak of common sense.
MR BARR (Molonglo—Deputy Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development, Minister for Housing and Minister for Tourism and Events) (12.06): The ICRC is a statutory body established under the act in 1997. It is responsible for regulating prices, access to infrastructure services for regulated services in the territory, licensing utility services, and a range of other regulatory and administrative matters.
It has three main objectives, which are outlined in section 7 of the act: to promote effective competition in the interest of consumers; to facilitate an appropriate balance between efficiency, environmental and social considerations; and to ensure non-discriminatory access to monopoly and near-monopoly infrastructure. The commission continues to perform those tasks. It is, of course, subject to a series of processes that are underway at the moment to look at reform of that particular act. But for today, I am happy to commend the appropriation to the Assembly.
Proposed expenditure agreed to.
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