Page 2082 - Week 07 - Thursday, 4 June 2015
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The facts are simple: people in government housing are not being moved to improve their lives; they are being forced out to make way for light rail. We all know the accommodation along Northbourne Avenue needs improving, but the fact is that it is this government that has let that accommodation fall into disrepair. If the housing is unsuitable, it is this government’s fault. To drag out hundreds of tenants and families and children and force them many kilometres away from their communities, their friends and essential services, all to make way for light rail, is simply heartless.
I recognise budgets are not just about numbers but about priorities, directions and people. I am proud to say that we have different priorities. We will go in a different direction, and we will act for all of the people of Canberra.
To highlight these differences, I make these commitments. First, as we have said before, and will continue to say on every day right up to the election, we will not build light rail. The people of Canberra do not want light rail for the few. They want a world-class health system for all. And we will give it to them. We will not be spending a billion dollars on a tram that few want and few will use. If the people of Canberra put their trust in us, we will put health back at the top of the agenda. That is why we will build hospital beds. Cutting beds from the new hospital was a mistake, and to cover it up was even worse. So we will put those beds back, and we will build more.
As well as not spending a billion dollars on a tram that so few want and so few will use, if the people of Canberra place their trust in us, we will treat our teachers with respect and with professionalism. We will put nurses back in schools for our special needs kids. To remove the nurses was a mistake, and we will put them back.
As well as not spending a billion dollars on a tram that so few want and so few will use, if the people of Canberra place their trust in us, we will not force vulnerable people away from their communities and support structures to make way for light rail, and we will provide proper accommodation in a place that helps those people, not just to make room for the government’s light rail agenda.
The people of Canberra do not want light rail for the few; they want a transport system for everyone. And we will give it to them. We will take the $50 million allocated in this budget to light rail for the few and we will spend it on buses for everyone. We will deliver a new system of fast, efficient and direct buses running from suburban centres right into the city and parliamentary triangle. Not just a few express services, not just a single tram line, but 50 new buses all over Canberra suburbs, direct to the city.
We will duplicate Gundaroo Drive in the north all of the way—not just part of the way but all of the way. We will build a flyover for the Barton Highway, building for decades into the future, not applying a bandaid solution for a few short years.
We will announce much more in coming months, because the people of Canberra do not want a light rail for the few; they want safety and security in their streets. I call on this government to put back the full $15 million that they ripped out of this budget for our police services, to fix the problems with the jail and to not give prisoners needles.
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