Page 2473 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 9 August 2016
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MADAM SPEAKER: A supplementary question, Ms Burch.
MS BURCH: Treasurer, how can the ACT government make sure that Canberra can attract and retain the talent that we need to turbo-charge this growth you have spoken of?
MR BARR: Ultimately, our success as a city is based on the success of our people. If we cannot attract and retain talent then we will not remain the world’s best city to live in. Strong employment growth in a diverse economy gives Canberrans a sustainable economic future and long-term prospects. It will also help us in attracting people from around Australia and around the world to live in Canberra.
Our world-class livability is our most important competitive advantage and we will continue to work hard to ensure that Canberra remains the world’s most livable city. We need to shape the growth of our city to connect people to jobs and we need to make sure that we continue to build on what is great about our city and make it even better in the future.
We need to invest in public transport so that we never become a congested mess like our east coast neighbours. That is exactly the policy framework that my government is delivering for the city: attracting and retaining people, growing the economy and avoiding the congestion of Sydney.
ACT Gambling and Racing Commission—staffing
MS LAWDER: My question is to the Chief Minister as minister responsible for Access Canberra. In October 2015 Greg Jones was replaced as gaming and racing commissioner by the chief operating officer of Access Canberra. Staffing at the Gambling and Racing Commission has fallen by 28 per cent since June 2015. Chief Minister, why has staffing at the Gambling and Racing Commission fallen by 28 per cent since June last year?
MR BARR: A number of responsibilities for the commission, the work that is undertaken, have been restructured as part of the establishment of Access Canberra. Significant red tape reduction measures have been passed by this place and Access Canberra continues to provide high quality regulatory services.
But the whole point of the exercise, both red tape reduction and the administrative changes within Access Canberra, was to focus our regulatory efforts on the highest risk areas and to reduce red tape where it was not needed. So where we do not need inspectors in certain areas—
Opposition members interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: Order!
MR BARR: we have been able to move them into other areas of higher need, particularly focusing on streamlining approval processes, making it easier to navigate
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