Page 1250 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 3 April 2019
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before, the Canberra Liberals believe more should be done to address the ever-increasing cost of living pressures in the ACT. Whilst this motion today is a small step it is an important one that must be taken.
MS LE COUTEUR (Murrumbidgee) (10.55): I thank Ms Cody for this motion, which covers many of the same issues as the motion I put forward in November last year—which the Assembly passed, which was great. Obviously the Greens will be supporting the motion. It continues in the same vein. These are really important issues, so I thank Ms Cody for bringing it forward.
My motion in November last year called for an investigation of the potential to introduce an income-based fine system and the promotion of existing concessions and payment deferral schemes. This was agreed to by all parties. As all of you would, hopefully, be aware by now, I think we have to speak out more on marginalised, disadvantaged people in our society, on people who are not getting a fair go. That is why I support this motion that Ms Cody has brought forward. She clearly shares these concerns.
As Ms Cody said, Canberra as a whole is a high income community with a growing economy, but a substantial number of Canberrans struggle financially. Many people are on low or minimum wages and quite a lot of people rely on the federal government’s assistance payments, such as Newstart, Austudy and the sole parent benefit. I cannot resist noting that yesterday’s budget was not at all positive for those people. The benefits went to the people who did not need them quite as much. For those people who do need support, the gap between the rich and the poor is larger than in many other jurisdictions, and they do it tougher because of our higher cost of living, including the costs of housing and fuel. I note that there is a committee inquiry into the issue of pricing fuel.
I acknowledge and of course support the fact that the ACT government does provide many services which provide crucial support to lower income Canberrans—and all Canberrans—including our public health system, public transport, public housing and public education systems, as well as on a more targeted basis providing funding for financial counselling for people who fall into significant hardship. The ACT government also provides concessions to lower income households, such as the utilities concessions and free off-peak public transport fares for pensioners and concession card holders, which is an item from our parliamentary agreement.
However, unfortunately the ACT government’s ability to target everyone who needs help is limited because Australia’s income test and means-testing systems are operated by the federal government. The ACT government can find out easily who is on social security benefits because they are given a card and a number. But to find the people in the next quintile up is something they cannot easily do.
Another advantage of the land tax exemption which we passed last Assembly is that the community housing advisers are in a position to find the low income potential renters who have a bit more income—so they are not on Centrelink benefits but nonetheless do not have enough income to afford to pay the high market rents in the ACT. That is yet another reason to be positive about the land tax emption.
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