Page 23 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 10 February 2015
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Waramanga, the upgrade of the local shops at Waramanga has helped revitalise that centre and maintain all of its tenancies. It is one of the most vibrant and one of the most viable local shops anywhere in Weston Creek because of the investment of this Labor government in such important public infrastructure.
Of course, we are supporting urban villages as well as suburban centres. The renewal of our planning and development framework in Braddon has created the opportunity for private sector investment in places and spaces that people want to live in, that people want to enjoy, that people want to do business in and invest in. These are the frameworks and the policy settings of this Labor government.
The opportunity today was for the alternative Chief Minister to tell us what he wants for our city. He knew that the Chief Minister was putting forward his policy agenda today. He knew there would be a statement about where we need to be going as a city. Mr Hanson has been opposition leader for a long time now, but where is his alternative? Where is his vision? Where is his commitment to showing our community what our future looks like? He has none; he has zero. He has got nothing in the tank.
If he did, if he is out there as he says he is, where are his ideas? Where is his policy agenda? Name me one initiative that Mr Hanson has announced in his time as Leader of the Opposition—and there is none, Mr Assistant Speaker. Name me one proposal he has brought to this Assembly in all of the time that he has been Leader of the Opposition which is positive and which is about bringing something good for the better development and growth of our city. He has nothing, Mr Assistant Speaker; nothing.
That is the contrast between those opposite and this government. This government is committed to continuing to put all of our energy, effort and dedication into growing our city at a time when it faces some really big challenges. As a Labor administration, as the Chief Minister has said, we are reaching out to those who are facing the challenges of the asbestos problems with Mr Fluffy. We are reaching out to those households and we have made a big financial commitment in doing so. We understand it is a tough issue, we understand it is a difficult issue and we understand it is a deeply emotional issue for those families who are affected. But only a Labor administration would have made the leap and taken on the debt to help those households because it was the right thing to do.
Whether it is about showing compassion, whether it is about showing vision for the growth and development of our city or whether it is about reaching out and working with communities, this Labor administration has a vision. It has a plan and it has an agenda. Unlike those opposite, we have the energy and the optimism to grow and develop this city for the benefit of everyone. Mr Hanson had his chance today to respond with an alternative policy agenda, and he failed. He failed dismally.
MR SMYTH (Brindabella) (11.17): It was an interesting speech from the Chief Minister today. As was pointed out by the Leader of the Opposition, the use of the word “renew” has now transformed the political stage as we see it, because “transformation” is gone. “Transformation” probably did not even last for a year because—
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