Page 656 - Week 03 - Thursday, 15 March 2007

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To add insult to injury, they just refuse to level with the people of Canberra, refuse to tell them what the budget figures make clear, and the Chief Minister was here today perpetuating myths he has been trying to spread in the hope that the Canberra community will actually believe them. They will not, Mr Stanhope. What we have promised is quite clear. One area, by the way, that would save a bit of money is abolishing the Human Rights Act, which is an added layer of bureaucracy. That would save some money because it does not do anything for the rights of ordinary Canberrans. But watch this space in terms of some sensible policies that would enable a Liberal government, if elected in 2008, to run the territory properly. (Time expired.)

MS PORTER (Ginninderra) (4.42): My colleagues have emphasised that, with a reduction of fees and charges, it would be difficult to sustain high-quality services. Mr Mulcahy must be speaking to different Canberrans than I do when I conduct my regular mobile offices, because people tell me that they expect service delivery to remain at the level that they have at the moment and that they are happy to pay for it through the measures that this government has instituted. They are happy to pay for it through the measures that this government has instituted because most of these people are sensible people who have not gone to the same school of economics or self-interest as those opposite.

Without the additional revenue, our record expenditure of $752 million on health services this financial year would be difficult. Health services would be placed under greater pressure and waiting lists would increase. The $10 million committed by this government over the next four years to address waiting lists would be difficult to afford in this environment. The extra $12 million to boost acute bed capacity at Calvary Hospital may not go ahead without the increased revenue. Additional hospital beds for older persons with mental health issues and other issues and for subacute rehabilitation would be under threat, as would the 14-bed medical assessment planning unit. The $5 million for investing in increasing the number of mental health specialists would have to be rethought without increases in revenue.

Without additional revenue, proposed new state-of-the-art schools may be off the agenda—those that were mentioned earlier by the minister for education. These include a new preschool to year 10 school at both Tuggeranong and west Belconnen, the one at Harrison, and the CIT campus for Gungahlin due to open in 2010. Over the next four years, the record $90 million that has been allocated to improve learning and teaching environments in our public schools may not be possible if taxes are cut. Without sufficient revenue, the 223 separate improvement projects in 72 schools may not happen. The additional $20 million for improvements to information technology may be withdrawn.

Funding for care and protection, currently $43 million, would be challenged without additional revenue, as would funding for disability services and infrastructure. Think about the National Convention Centre, for instance. Without revenue, the focus for governments would be on core services. Funding for environmental measures, community development and the arts may be compromised. This government is using this revenue to sustain government service provision in the ACT.


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