Page 304 - Week 01 - Thursday, 15 December 2016
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Housing affordability has been a problem for some time now. Speaking of the importance of housing in his maiden speech, Andrew Barr got to the heart of the matter, saying:
The provision of secure, affordable and appropriate housing is central to community wellbeing. The recent huge increases in housing prices have created severe problems.
Those words still ring true today. I hope this Assembly will act and advocate for affordable housing.
I have described a very negative outlook for young people today, but I am also optimistic for the future. If you want to be involved in politics, especially on the left side of politics, it is hard not to be an optimist, and in Canberra we have much to be optimistic about.
This city represents what is great about Australia. We have less inequality, our citizens are better educated and healthier; they give more to charities, they are more likely to be involved in sporting groups, and they are more likely to be involved in their community. These things do not happen by accident. They happen because Labor governments make them a priority.
This government has much to be proud of in addressing the problems I outlined earlier. The Labor government’s tax reform to remove stamp duty has improved housing affordability. It has also dampened the speculative investment in housing that we have seen in Sydney and Melbourne. A lot of governments talk a big game when it comes to tax reform; few follow through. I am proud to have joined a team that is prepared to make the right decision, even when it is not the easy decision. We must not lose this courage.
The government has also taken steps to ensure that Canberrans will have a secure job. Many in this chamber have spoken about the benefits of light rail to Canberra. Light rail is the cornerstone of a 21st century public transport network. I share this vision, but I want to focus on the other benefits of light rail. This project points the way to a fairer economy that the 21st century demands. Light rail brings jobs and not just any jobs. Light rail will bring secure, long-term jobs, jobs with good pay and jobs with good benefits. The construction industry has experienced casualisation more than most, but the light rail project guarantees long-term secure work for thousands of Canberrans, and it is not just light rail.
This government has taken more steps than any other to diversify and grow the ACTÂ economy. A strong and growing economy is a fundamental ingredient to the supply of good jobs. We are still a public service town, but we are also an education town. We are increasingly becoming a town that people want to visit. Canberra will always be affected by public service job cuts, but they now hit us less severely than they once did.
This government has achieved much in its life, but the work of governing is never done. The work of Labor governments especially is never done. So what should we be
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