Page 2202 - Week 07 - Wednesday, 3 August 2016
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Cancelling the light rail contract would create massive uncertainty about doing business in Canberra. It is absolutely critical for business certainty and investor confidence that the government meet their commitments and legally binding contracts are honoured. At the heart of this government is the knowledge that government can drive economic growth and can secure investment in our city.
Responsible governments do not go back on their promises. The Canberra Liberals’ plan to rip up the light rail contract is economic vandalism at its worst. And it is not just me saying that, it is their federal Liberal counterparts. Mr Hanson and his team are so hell-bent on gaining government at any cost they would willingly take a sledgehammer to business confidence across our city.
As a commercial lawyer I know how ridiculous their light rail vandalism would be. It would set a terrible legal precedent in the territory that you can sign a contract, get some of the benefits of that contract and then change your mind and go back on your commitments. That is a joke, and a joke it would be to create that precedent. It shows up the amateur hour on the opposition benches. Their most experienced member ditched them two months out from an election because he knows that they simply cannot win and cannot form a decent government.
Much has been said by the opposition about the cost of light rail. The Canberra Liberals either cannot read budget papers or are willingly misleading the public. The facts are clear for all to see in the 2016-17 budget. Light rail is both affordable and already budgeted for.
Today we had the revelation that the Canberra Liberals would likely fire more than 2,000 Canberrans to fill their massive $400 million budget black hole. We know they will do it because they and their colleagues have done it before. We all saw it in 1996 under Howard. We all saw it in 2013 under Abbott. And we have all seen it from every state Liberal government that has come to power. Liberals love sacking Canberrans and cannot help themselves, such is their contempt for this city and for public servants.
As it stands, there are two plans for the territory. More accurately, there is one plan and half an idea. On the one hand there is this government’s plan for driving economic growth through investment in infrastructure, services and our key industries such as tourism and education. On the other hand there is the opposition’s half plan of tearing up contracts, literally ripping up infrastructure, cutting local services and sacking Canberrans. Our plan will see economic growth and prosperity coupled with social inclusion, while theirs will put this city back 30 years with no economic growth and higher social inequality.
Make no mistake, this lot sitting opposite me are the worst of the Liberals in the country. They call themselves the Canberra Liberals but in truth they are neither Canberra nor Liberal. But it is not too late. Unlike Mr Smyth, I truly believe that there is hope for the Canberra Liberals. You can teach an old dog new tricks. They can turn around and support the work this government is doing and commit to tax reform, economic investment and the light rail project and put the needs of Canberrans before their own petty, short-term political ambitions. I call on them to join the government and support this motion.
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