Page 4902 - Week 13 - Thursday, 2 November 2017
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who has achieved for his electorate and our community for 11 years. He has proven himself as a representative, a policy leader, a passionate advocate for issues close to the hearts and lives of so many Canberrans and perhaps one of the most influential shapers and leaders of our city.
We know that Canberra is the fastest growing most progressive city in Australia, with health and education systems and infrastructure the envy of many Australian jurisdictions, with strong economic growth, secure jobs, a budget returning to balance after some exceptionally challenging times and outstanding tourism numbers. Indeed, as has been noted, we have just been named the third most attractive city in the world to visit, an accolade talked about and talked up around our country but notably, as the Deputy Chief Minister said, met by a wall of silence from those opposite. They just cannot bear the success of this city under this government, a united team behind a strong Chief Minister.
It is no accident that the success of this city is reaching its peak under the leadership of Andrew Barr. His leadership is testament to his personal character and the trust he has of his colleagues and the community, his willingness to put himself out in our community, to lead change, to listen to all voices in our community, to respond when mistakes are made. This is a hallmark of all effective leaders.
No government, no leader, no human being is perfect, and any political discourse that assumes this does a disservice to us all, to our roles as representatives and to this institution. But what sets leaders apart is their ability to stand up for what they believe in, to take risks, to listen, to work with others, to achieve what needs to be done, to be decisive when something is not working and when things need to change, to bring colleagues and the community with you towards a shared goal of making our city and our community a better place, to take our city to the country and to the world. There is no-one better placed to do that than Andrew Barr, and I, and all of my colleagues, stand behind his leadership: leadership with integrity.
This government’s commitment to good governance has been unprecedented. Our achievements have occurred in the context of a good and well-run government with a clear vision and clear values, led by the Chief Minister.
The Chief Minister and the deputy have thoroughly and comprehensively addressed the issues raised by the opposition. The opposition have ignored the facts. They have, indeed, ignored the Auditor-General’s findings. The opposition leader even considers his own efforts today in this place superior to those efforts currently underway by the Auditor-General. They have ignored the actions taken by the Chief Minister and outlined in detail by the Deputy Chief Minister.
Our commitment to open government is clear, with cabinet outcomes, government data sets and significant amounts of material made available online. There has been an unprecedented level of access to material such as reports being made to this larger Legislative Assembly, as it should be.
Community engagement and transparency in decision-making are paramount. As the Chief Minister said before and after the election, we are working hard to further build
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