Page 1651 - Week 05 - Wednesday, 9 May 2018
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MR BARR (Kurrajong—Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development and Minister for Tourism and Major Events) (11.17): What a pathetic response from the Leader of the Opposition. He has nothing constructive to contribute to a debate about this city’s infrastructure, and essential government and community services. In the end his fundamental philosophical position is for government to retreat from the provision of those services. He wants smaller government. He wants government to do less. His fundamental philosophical position is that of the classic conservative. He is for smaller government and not a friendly society. It is a society based on surviving under your own means. That sort of classic conservative tradition that is so well represented—
Mr Wall: Because government does such a good job of living our lives for us, don’t they? They do such a good job of living our lives for us. Really, Andrew; God forbid if anyone gets sick in this city because the government is the biggest threat to public health.
MR BARR: Indeed, we hear interjections from his partner in crime, Mr Wall, who is also right out there on the fringe of the right wing of the Liberal Party seeking to minimise the role of government, seeking to minimise the important role of community services. That is what we have heard in the contribution this morning from the Leader of the Opposition. So, no plans for the future. We know everything that he is against. We know exactly what he is against, but nothing about what he stands for. That is why he will continue to sit on that side of the chamber.
We are very pleased to support Ms Cody’s motion today. We continue to work towards making the city that we love even better by growing services for Canberrans. We want to continue to expand access to public health services. We want to provide better schools and education facilities, and an enhanced transport system that helps people move around the city easier every day, investing in our suburbs and creating more jobs in our city.
We have, as we have discussed at some length, significant population growth. People are voting with their feet and wanting to live in Canberra, which is fantastic. Our population grew by more than 11 per cent between 2011 and 2016, which was the fastest growth rate in the country. I note Gungahlin grew the quickest within the ACT, having added 24,000 people during this period.
Population growth is an opportunity but it is also a challenge. Canberra has many more employment and entertainment options today than this city had a generation ago. But our services and infrastructure have to grow alongside our community. With this growth, it is essential that the government develop and implement a comprehensive services plan for the city that we will be: a city of around 500,000 people over the next decade. Great cities work by getting basic services right; by making sure residents are well connected to their community, to employment, to education and for lifestyle opportunities.
Unlike those opposite, we believe that government has a critical responsibility to provide those essential services. An ACT Labor government will always favour an
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