Page 3813 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 29 October 2014
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I particularly noted in Mr Smyth’s motion the references to red tape. I was very interested to read the report that came out today from Deloitte Access Economics that talked about red tape on the day the federal government is having their red tape reduction day. The report observed that more of the cost of business in Australia is impacted by internal red tape. It was a really fascinating report and one I intend to look at a bit further. There are some interesting ideas in it around how to tackle some red tape issues. It might be something we reflect on in the future when we have red tape discussions in here. The report invites businesses to do their own work and actually look at some of their own internal red tape. I think it casts an interesting new light on an issue that has long been prosecuted in this and other places. I simply mention that in the context of a discussion where red tape has been identified as a fascinating new insight that I think will add depth to that debate.
As I said, I will be supporting Mr Barr’s amendment today because it is a much more accurate reflection of the status of this city and where it is going.
MR WALL (Brindabella) (5.52): I am going to do a rare thing here and go out on a limb and agree with part of what Mr Rattenbury had to say. I think only part of the truth is ever told, and I think it is great that the OECD have rated Canberra as the world’s most livable city. But behind that you have to look at what measures they used to rank the ACT as the most livable city. They rated us 10 out of 10 for safety. I agree that, on the whole, Canberra is a safe place to live. On civic engagement, from time to time there is a lot to do here. On income, we all know the significant incomes that are derived from government employment in this city and yes, 9.9 out of 10 for that is expected. On health, we are on par with most Western and developed countries. Access to health care is good. Sometimes you need to wait, but you do get it.
All in all, on those measures, Canberra is a great city to live in. But when you boil it down, it is an expensive city to live in. You can have the best city in the world but, quite simply, a matter of whether anyone can afford to live here or not is the other half of the argument that is seldom told. I think that is what, to some extent, the state of the states report has tried to touch on. On some aspects the city performs well; on others it is struggling.
One of the areas where it is expensive is housing. In the ACT, housing, as we debate in this place all too often, is expensive. The cost of renting a property is amongst some of the highest in the country, and the cost of owning a property in the territory is becoming increasingly more expensive. Rates are continuing to increase, in the realms of eight to 12 per cent a year, depending on where you are. They will eventually triple, despite what the Treasurer says. Do the numbers. In 11 years, the rates will have tripled.
On the other side, let us look at people that are outside the territory, or even someone that does live in the territory and says, “You know what, I love this city so much, I am going to invest in it. I am going to buy an investment property here.” It is a decision that many people make. My wife and I have gone down that road. Colleagues in this place have gone down the road of an investment property. I think it is something that should be encouraged. But we are getting to a point now in this territory where, if you
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