Page 109 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 24 May 1989
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If those conditions are complied with, the residential amenity of the neighbours should not be affected. The undertaking that has been given by the Government to the local residents is that immediately there are substantiated breaches of the conditions which have been set down, and if our legal advisers are satisfied that they have not been complied with, the approval will be revoked.
AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY ECONOMY
MR WOOD: Mr Speaker, I direct a question to the Deputy Chief Minister in his capacity as Minister for Industry, Employment and Education. I express the interest of all members in the development of Canberra and the economic well-being of it. I have noticed that a recent publication by the Civic Advance Bank refers to a marked weakening of the local labour market and depressed trading conditions. I appreciate that it is early days for the new Government, but has the Minister any comments to make about this statement and the future for the ACT?
MR WHALAN: The economic situation in the ACT is reaching a point which should be a cause for concern to anybody who has an interest in the future of our city, the future employment of young people in the city, the future employment of those engaged in the building industry in this city and the future employment prospects particularly of women in this city.
We have just gone through a period of quite strong economic growth and development within the ACT, but now there are quite significant indicators that the economy is starting to slow down. The slowdown in economic demand and employment growth can be attributed to three particular factors.
The first of those is the Commonwealth Government's restraint on recurrent spending, and in particular on staff costs, which have led to virtually a no-growth situation in Commonwealth public service numbers in the ACT; secondly, reductions from an historically high peak in the Commonwealth's capital works expenditure in the ACT, with the completion of Parliament House; and, thirdly, reductions in consumer spending resulting from the Government's tight monetary policy.
All of these indicators can be measured quite significantly. In relation to the reduced growth - almost to the point of zero - in Commonwealth employment, the Government and this parliament are beholden to ensure that opportunities are created for alternative employment, and that must be in the private sector. We see as the significant areas growth in tourism and manufacturing and processing industries. Steps will be taken by the Government to ensure that those are attracted.
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