Page 3294 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 21 August 2018
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The 2018-19 budget invests in the infrastructure improvements that our growing city needs. The budget reflects our priorities, with a focus on renewing our neighbourhoods, the public spaces within them and the nature reserves around them. I commend the EPSDD budget expenditure to the Assembly.
Debate interrupted in accordance with standing order 74 and the resumption of the debate made an order of the day for a later hour.
Sitting suspended from 12.30 to 2.30 pm.
Questions without notice
Government—reshuffle
MR COE: My question is to the Chief Minister. Yesterday you announced the decision to appoint an eighth minister. Chief Minister, what pressure has been placed on you to appoint an eighth minister?
MR BARR: None.
MR COE: Minister, how will you demonstrate that the appointment of an eighth minister is based on ability and not just a power play by factions in your party?
MR BARR: The democratic process that we have within our party allows any member to nominate for the executive, and their colleagues make a determination. That process has served the Labor party well over more than a century.
MS LAWDER: Chief Minister, how will ACT taxpayers get value for money by funding an eighth minister, or is this merely the cost of your holding on to the leadership of your party?
MR BARR: This is on a day when their side of politics is in absolute chaos. Of all the days to raise leadership, they choose the day when their party is imploding, when nearly 40 per cent of the party room three kilometres from here has just voted to get rid of another prime minister. With the revolving door of leadership of the Liberal Party at the moment, it is wonderful that—
Mr Parton: Madam Speaker, I raise a point of order on relevance. The question was nothing to do with federal politics.
MADAM SPEAKER: It was about leadership within a party room.
MR BARR: The point on relevance is very well made, Madam Speaker, because the Liberal Party are fast making themselves irrelevant in Australian political debate.
Let me be very clear that the benefit for Canberrans will be reflected in the strength of the government. It will also be reflected in the continued economic and social progress of this city. We have the fastest growing economy in Australia. We have the second highest rate of population growth, and we continue to deliver more and better
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