Page 1941 - Week 06 - Thursday, 9 June 2016
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That this government has become consumed by its own priorities instead of the needs of the people has no better example than the white elephant that is light rail. As Mr Coe, my deputy, has conclusively proved, light rail is not a good transport solution for our city, and it is not a good economic option for our city either. It is the price of government, pure and simple—a $1.65 billion price tag for power.
It is not just how much the light rail will cost us, but what this territory will miss out on because of it. We already know the health system is reeling under a lack of resources. Yet this government chooses to spend $1.65 billion on a project that Infrastructure Australia rejected. We know that our schools are bursting and our teachers need more support, and our children need more support. Yet this government chooses to spend $1.6 billion on a light rail system for only a fraction of Canberrans. We cannot even get the rubbish collected properly. I notice that the garbos are on strike yet again, yet this government chooses to spend $1.65 billion simply to appease the Greens.
Madam Speaker, we can and we will stop light rail. It is unneeded and it is a financially crippling project.
This is a bad budget from a bad government. But, with the right government, I am actually very optimistic about the long-term future of Canberra. My team is unified. The members of my team are hard-working; they are capable. Most importantly, my team is in touch with communities. I am proud of the work that they have done over the past four years and I really value the diversity in my team, the broad life experience that they all bring to our party.
There is a clear choice for Canberrans in October: an out-of-touch government for the favoured few, focused on delivering for themselves; or a new team, focused on delivering for the community.
Let me finish where I started, to make very clear and very simple the big fundamental difference between my government and the Barr government, should we be successful in October: because we will not waste $1.65 billion on a tram, we can invest more in health—(Time expired.)
MADAM SPEAKER: Order, members! Before I call Mr Rattenbury, I remind members that the custom for the delivery of the budget speech by the Treasurer and the address in reply is that there should not be interjection. There was interjection. I am putting all members on notice. You are all warned. The next person who interjects will be taking an early mark. The question is that the appropriation bill be agreed to in principle.
MR RATTENBURY (Molonglo) (3.27): I welcome this opportunity to share the ACT Greens’ perspective on this year’s budget.
A budget is the time when a government shows its true colours, because budgets are a time of choice for governments. One of the things that progressive governments do is tackle the challenges of the future head on, rather than shying away from challenges and continuing in the same old ways.
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