Page 3360 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 19 October 2022
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With regards to the contribution from Ms Berry, I have to try and be nice, but can I just say that I am not sure the Greens did indicate they were against common ground at Dickson. But I am sure they will have that conversation with you.
Ms Berry: They did.
MR PARTON: The minister said that she has long been committed to having that debt waived. I would have thought that that commitment would have led her to supporting the motion in its original form. Ms Berry, as expected, talked up the stuff that the new government is going to deliver and that this excuses the finance minister for backtracking on her promise. I do not think it excuses her at all.
Her suggestion that the federal Liberal government achieved nothing in the housing space is not quite correct. They did do some solid work in that space. The federal Liberal government achieved a hell of a lot in the national housing space, not the least of which was the establishment of the National Housing Finance and Investment Corporation. There was much achieved and there was much national spending in that space.
As far as Mr Davis goes, I was expecting quite a performance from Mr Davis—and Mr Davis does not often let us down. I note that Mr Davis suggested that the original motion was, according to him, a complete carbon copy of his motion from earlier in the year. That is not quite the case. But, nevertheless, I would have hoped that his opening statements meant that, like us, he would be rejecting the amendment and supporting the original motion.
Mr Davis suggested that in the lead-up to the 2020 election that the Canberra Liberals did not have a suite of housing policies on the table. I completely reject that. Our very solid housing policies were heavily endorsed by the community sector, and they would have delivered many more sociable and affordable dwellings to Canberrans than the current policies. The Canberra Liberals 2020 housing policies were very, very solid, and they would have resulted in more Canberrans being able to get into a secure home. I completely reject that we were found wanting in that space.
Mr Barr indicated at the start of his speech that this motion was inevitable from me. It probably was not at the forefront, but down the list of the 10 things that he thought of when the rejection of the waiving of that debt came from Gallagher, he said, “Bloody Parton”. So he knew that it was inevitable. And I would have thought that you would sense that inevitably in that you cannot have it both ways—you cannot call this out that strongly and then ignore it.
As far as Ms Davidson: I loved your speech! I thought it was great. I just wish that I had the ability to deliver such passionate speeches, chock full of data, because the fans love it! They love it. There are so many people that mention to me when I am out doorknocking, that they are just loving your data heavy speeches. So please continue, because I think you are absolutely hitting the mark!
I did thank Ms Vassarotti for working with Labor to make sure that this amendment was not a complete knock-down/re-build. But, irrespective of that, we cannot
support it.
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