Page 1683 - Week 06 - Wednesday, 13 May 2015

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Motion, as amended, agreed to.

Transport—light rail

MS FITZHARRIS (Molonglo) (11.48): I move

That this Assembly:

(1) notes:

(a) the importance of public transport infrastructure to meet the needs of a growing city;

(b) the importance of the Capital Metro project in tackling congestion and improving land use along Northbourne Avenue;

(d) the concerns raised by the Prime Minister over the threat to the infrastructure investment environment caused by the Canberra Liberals’ position on the Capital Metro project; and

(e) the serious concerns of the infrastructure investment community, in particular the views of Infrastructure Partnerships Australia, who have stated “the Canberra Liberals are the only political party in Australia still supporting sovereign risk,” and “the Canberra Liberals should listen to their Liberal colleagues across Federal and State parliaments, who are all opposed to sovereign risk and reverse their position”; and

(2) calls on the Canberra Liberals to reverse their position on Capital Metro and create a stable investment environment to meet the needs of a growing city.

I am very pleased to move this motion today to highlight once again the benefits to the Canberra community of this government’s commitment to outlining and delivering a plan for our city and our community’s future. That commitment includes, as it has always done and will continue to do for this Labor government, record investment in health and education, front-line services—doctors, nurses, teachers—and in the vital health and education infrastructure our community needs—schools, hospitals, community health centres—located close to where people live, where they can best access the service—in Tuggeranong and Belconnen—and a new subacute hospital, a new innovative model of care.

In last year’s budget $2.5 billion was spent on health and education—over 50 per cent of our annual budget. This commitment also supports, strengthens and diversifies our economy. It encourages growth and innovation in our unique non-government sectors—tourism, higher education, our smart and innovative technology sector and our emerging renewable technology sector. This is a commitment that generates jobs across our city and for our future. It is a commitment that also, vitally, includes a modern, sustainable transport system, a transport system that meets the needs of our growing city, now and into the future.

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