Page 1503 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 4 May 2016
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for adding additional value to this motion through her amendment and to Ministers Berry, Bourke and Gentleman for their support of this motion.
If the rhetoric of those opposite is to be believed, members in this chamber are in furious agreement with me and the government in supporting more jobs, better health and education, and properly funded concessions for Canberrans. For this reason it seems logical that all members of this Assembly will support this motion. We must send a very strong message to Mr Hanson’s colleagues up on the hill that all the elected representatives in the Assembly will fight for investment, jobs and growth here in Canberra.
Clearly, the federal Liberals’ obsession with cuts must be opposed. Mr Hanson appears to be in furious agreement yet again that we as an Assembly must all oppose further cuts to education, health, pensions and seniors concessions across our community, but I fear that Mr Hanson’s and Mr Smyth’s rhetoric on standing up for Canberra does not match the reality.
It is insightful to watch the Leader of the Opposition rant about unity tickets. He has in one breath praised the federal Liberal budget whilst claiming to support the Barr Labor government’s campaign to stop the cuts to health and education for Canberra. Is he in or is he out? I am unclear at this point, Madam Speaker.
I know, and most uncomfortably for those opposite, the people of Canberra know, that Mr Hanson does not give a stuff about cuts to health and education. Clearly Mr Hanson went to the same ideological school as his mate and former Prime Minister Mr Abbott. The lesson at that school is that if you keep repeating a falsehood long enough, people will believe you. He did it on rates, he is doing it on light rail, and he is doing it to Canberrans in relation to the federal budget.
Mr Coe: Keep talking about rates. Keep talking about rates.
MR HINDER: I’ll get to rates; don’t you worry. Their budget is about more cuts, more misnamed efficiency dividends, more blows to small business confidence and a knock-on to job insecurity for those employed by businesses that rely on customers who are public servants.
Madam Speaker, the budget failed women in particular with a promise of $100 million to address domestic violence. It appears that is going to fund a TV ad and more action plans, but no action. There is not one extra dollar for legal funding to assist women in that situation. No wonder Mr Hanson had to resort to bizarre references to ice and bikies to deflect from the budget and avoid the stark reality of hypocrisy from him and Mr Smyth.
Mr Smyth: Goodness me.
MR HINDER: Wait, wait, wait. On hypocrisy, Mr Smyth railed about the Barr Labor government’s record increased taxes and charges. I must remind the Assembly of Mr Smyth’s record whilst Minister for Urban Services. Mr Smyth has serious form on tax increases. In one year alone he hiked up parking fines by a whopping 268 per cent
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