Page 4577 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 31 October 2018

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I am pleased to be able to announce this afternoon that the ACT government will use this festival to deliver a plastic-free event. Achieving this outcome will involve working closely with stakeholders, suppliers and service providers. In the meantime we will continue to find meaningful and significant ways to reduce single-use plastic in the territory. Starting at the 2019 Enlighten events, ACT will work with suppliers and service providers to explore more ways to further reduce single-use plastic at ACT government events.

I thank Ms Orr very much for bringing this motion forward today. I am very pleased to be able to make this commitment for ACT government events this afternoon.

Amendment agreed to.

Original question, as amended, resolved in the affirmative.

Commercial property rates

MR COE (Yerrabi—Leader of the Opposition) (4.13): I move:

That this Assembly:

(1) notes:

(a) the ACT Government is driving businesses out of Canberra due to excessive rates, taxes, fees and charges;

(b) the ACT Government is bringing in record levels of revenue from commercial rates;

(c) since 2015-16, total commercial rates revenue has increased by more than 30 percent;

(d) some individual properties have seen rates double in the same period; and

(e) the ACT Government has substantially increased the unimproved land values of many properties;

(2) further notes that given commercial property values are linked to yield, whilst rates have increased, many properties decreased in value; and

(3) calls on the Government to table by the last sitting day in November:

(a) all modelling undertaken by the ACT Government in the last two years regarding the impact of rises in commercial rates; and

(b) the Revenue Office’s methodology and schedule for revaluing commercial land.

Thank you very much to my colleagues here in the Assembly for indulging my tardiness in being here on time.

I firmly believe that the business owners and property owners of Canberra deserve a better deal than what they are getting from this ACT Labor-Greens government. Quite frankly, I think there are many people in Canberra who do not feel that the government is on the same team as they are. This is a government that seems to

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