Page 3453 - Week 11 - Wednesday, 22 October 2014
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MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Porter.
MS PORTER: Treasurer, how does this compare to Australian and global economies?
MR BARR: The territory is one of very few jurisdictions worldwide to hold this highest possible credit rating. Here in Australia the ACT and the state of Victoria are the only two semi-government issuers that hold a AAA rating with a stable outlook. New South Wales holds a AAA rating with a negative outlook. The ACT’s credit rating is a significant achievement. To put this into perspective, in non-US semi-sovereign governments around the world, only 26 jurisdictions are rated AAA stable by Standard & Poor’s. This includes jurisdictions in Australia, Canada, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom. Just to reiterate this achievement, of the multitude of semi-sovereign jurisdictions around the world, only 26 are rated AAA stable by Standard & Poor’s, and the ACT is one of them.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Berry.
MS BERRY: Minister, what is the ACT government’s credit rating track record?
MR BARR: The territory has held a AAA stable credit rating since February 1994. That the territory has held this highest possible rating for more than 20 years is testament to the stable, far-sighted and responsible governance of this government and indeed its predecessor governments over that 20-year period.
Shopping centres—amenities
MR DOSZPOT: My question is to the Minister for Territory and Municipal Services. Minister, you may recall the numerous requests and correspondence from the Hackett Community Association regarding their request for improved facilities, including seating and toilets at the Hackett shops. In your last letter to me, you suggested you had been unable to source funds for such facilities, although it had been listed earlier as a priority for funding. A similar issue has now arisen at Watson shops. They have also been lobbying for facilities at their shops for some years, without success. Meanwhile the government is spending hundreds of millions on light rail. Minister, why do long-established shopping centres like Watson and Hackett not have such basic facilities as toilets?
MR RATTENBURY: TAMS has to manage its available resources, and it is a matter of usage. I am in the process of signing a letter to Mr Hanson, who has also requested that toilets be installed at another shopping centre. There is of course the initial cost, the capital cost of installing them, and then the cost of maintaining them. In areas that are deemed to be low usage, TAMS has to make those decisions. So TAMS prioritises high usage areas.
MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Mr Doszpot.
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