Page 4313 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 25 October 2017
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The government also claim that they are building a progressive and welcoming city that leaves no-one behind. Unfortunately, we have a vindictive government that takes pleasure in leaving some people behind. It is a vindictive government that takes pleasure in leaving people who support the greyhound industry behind. It is a vindictive government that takes pleasure in leaving people in the clubs industry behind. It is a vindictive government that takes pleasure in leaving tens of thousands of people in a vulnerable position because of the ever-increasing costs of living in the ACT, especially with regard to rates and land tax.
Let us not forget that the government are willing to do special deals for themselves. We know that there was a townhouse complex in Braddon that paid $240,000 in lease variation charges. Meanwhile, the Labor Club did not pay a cent for their 36 apartments on the same street. The special deals do not stop there. We know about the $300 million sweetheart agreement that Icon Water has with ActewAGL, which is of course a tremendous gift to the other partners of ActewAGL. We know about the CFMEU headquarters and all the other rorts and rip-offs that have happened here in the ACT.
So whilst Canberra is a great place and we all love this city, it is not to say that we cannot make it even better. Unfortunately, I do not think the government’s actions over the last year have contributed to Canberra becoming a better place.
MR BARR (Kurrajong—Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development and Minister for Tourism and Major Events) (12.18): I thank Ms Cody for bringing forward this motion. I took the opportunity yesterday in the chamber to outline a series of significant commitments the government has delivered on in the year following the 2016 territory election. The commitments we took to the election focused on health, education, transport and better services for the community. Over the past year we have been making the Canberra we love even better by building better schools, constructing an integrated transport system across the city, providing essential health care where and when people need it, and supporting our community with even better services.
Right across the Canberra community we have been getting on with the job we were elected to do. It was very clear in the 2016 election the commitments that we took to the people of Canberra and what this government would deliver if re-elected, and we are getting on with that: delivering significant school upgrades, particularly in the fastest growing parts of the city; providing more rapid bus routes across Canberra; and undertaking more municipal services in the weeding, mowing, cleaning of our suburbs. We are investing in community services and in the renewal of our city’s public housing stock. We continue our steady progress towards being powered 100 per cent by renewable energy by 2020.
The ACT government continues its focus on economic development, and in that context today’s announcement by Lonely Planet of Canberra being in the top 10—in fact, number three—of must-see destination cities to visit in 2018 will be a significant boost to our already rapidly expanding tourism and hospitality industry. It is long overdue recognition for Canberra, and we are delighted. After more than a decade of
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