Page 8 - Week 01 - Friday, 27 March 1992
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The planning problem has to be resolved quickly. Legislation is in place and the Territory Plan is out there for debate. There is much public comment on it, as one would expect with something as fundamental to this society as that. The Government has to address the question of planning very quickly.
The education problem is still unresolved. The outgoing head of the Education Department made it clear that he thought there was still much to be done. The Opposition agrees with that, and we expect the Government to address it.
Finally, and not by any means the least of the problems, there is the continuing need - and the Chief Minister spoke of it - to deal with the problems of those in this community who need and deserve the support of the community. They are major issues and many of them ought not exist in a city and a community such as Canberra. Sadly, they do, and the Government now has the task of addressing them.
I would note, Madam Speaker, that the Government is still a minority government. It will rely on support from others to have its initiatives put into place. Sometimes it will deserve the support of the Opposition, and it will get it; sometimes it will have to seek that support elsewhere. In terms of the Liberal Opposition, I would make the point that we have no constraints; we have made no commitments to anybody in this Assembly; we are free to operate independently as a strong Opposition, and we will do just that. In other words, we will ensure that the Labor Government performs over the next three years.
Our concern, Madam Speaker, for the next three years is that good government should be established in the ACT, good government in the interests of this community. In ensuring that that good government is provided, we will support the Government where it is reasonable to do so; we will oppose the Government when it is necessary; we will propose our own legislation and we will put our views forward forcefully in other ways where we believe it to be in the community interest to do so.
We will confront the task of establishing this Legislative Assembly as a credible institution and one operating with a very high degree of integrity. I support the Chief Minister in the view that one of our roles is to strengthen the sense of community in the ACT. There is much in that that imposes obligations on the Government; there is much in it that imposes obligations on the Opposition. We will play our part and we will make it our business to ensure that the Government plays its part.
STATEMENTS BY MEMBERS
MR MOORE: I seek leave of the Assembly to make a statement with reference to the Michael Moore Independent Group.
Leave granted.
MR MOORE: Thank you, members. I would like to begin by congratulating both Rosemary Follett as the new Chief Minister and Trevor Kaine as the Leader of the Opposition. I look forward to working with both of them and their teams, as well as other members of the Assembly.
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