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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 5 Hansard (14 May) . . Page.. 1405 ..

MR WHITECROSS (continuing):

This turnaround is important for the ACT. Clearly, the return of the Federal budget to underlying surplus in 1998-99 should remove any need for further fiscal contributions from the States and Territories to the Commonwealth's deficit reduction strategy.

What a coincidence! Straight out of my press release. Mr Speaker, I am flattered that Mrs Carnell has picked up this important idea of mine, because it is important. Why are we making deficit reduction strategies for Peter Costello's black hole when he is turning round and boasting about his bottom line? We need the $6m more than he does, and I am pleased that Mrs Carnell has picked up at least one Labor suggestion. Thank you, Mrs Carnell; I appreciate it.

There are a range of issues raised in this budget which I think deserve closer attention. One of them that Mrs Carnell cannot keep her hands off at the moment is the National Museum of Australia. People from both sides of politics for years and years in the ACT have been advocating for the National Museum of Australia - Federal members, ACT Assembly members. It has been a common refrain because we believe in the ACT and we believe in national institutions being based in Canberra and we believe that the National Museum has an important role to play in that and that it should have been built. Some of us think it should have been built on Yarramundi; nevertheless, we think it is an important project. We noted that the year after next, when the Federation Fund is set up, the funding will be forthcoming to construct this project. Excellent; but it is not enough for the ACT now. The ACT needs jobs now, not the year after next.

Why is it going to be the year after next before construction can commence on this project? Why cannot work commence now? Yes, we know that there is some forward design work, but why cannot construction work start until after the next ACT election? Why cannot the construction start in the coming financial year? We need the work now. In the meantime, a refurbishment of Scarborough House, which was $13m of work this year, is not going ahead. So, while Mrs Carnell is boasting about $7m for forward design work on the museum, a project worth $13m that could have created jobs for Canberrans now has been cancelled. We cannot complain about the museum starting; but we can complain about Mrs Carnell doing the sell job for John Howard in Canberra, saying that this is a good budget for Canberra and that this is going to get the ACT economy moving again. It will not, when you cut $13m and then boast about putting $7m back in.

Mrs Carnell talked in her address about the Small Business Innovation Fund. It is a good idea, something that may have some benefits for the ACT that we may be able to take advantage of; but what does Rob Bastian from the Small Business Council have to say about the Federal Government budget? He says that small business was looking for something with more lift. He says that a steady as she goes approach is not good enough, as it will not generate jobs in small business. He says that small business needed more proactive support. He says that we needed a light at the top of the hill but we got a flat earth budget. That is what he says. So, while Mrs Carnell is putting the gloss on, doing the sell job for John Howard, the people out there who have to live with the consequences of this budget are not so enthusiastic.

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