Page 657 - Week 03 - Thursday, 15 March 2007
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If we took up the Mulcahy approach to funding service delivery in the ACT, our community would be much the poorer for it. Colleagues, is that the Canberra that you want to live in? We would all like to keep fees and charges as low as possible. But, in the context of providing funding for all those services that make Canberra a good place to live, the increases in government charges are a small price to pay. That is exactly what this government has done in order to sustain the quality of our services.
As I said before, if we were to take the Mulcahy approach to funding service delivery, we would be living in a community that would not be socially responsible. Dr Foskey was calling for those sorts of things that would be very much threatened—environmental measures, community development and the arts—if we were to take the approach that Mr Mulcahy has proposed.
Mr Stanhope: Let alone mental health, of course.
MS PORTER: Let alone mental health. As I said earlier, the very heart of this city would be under threat under Mr Mulcahy’s approach to funding and to revenue raising. In fact, we would not be raising the revenue; we would be cutting revenue from our coffers, and in that way the whole of our economy would be under threat under his approach—
Mr Stanhope: When he is the leader.
MS PORTER: Yes, when he is the leader, it would certainly be under threat.
Mr Stanhope: It will be sooner rather than later.
MS PORTER: That is right. I do not think we will see him in government in 1,000 years, but never mind.
MR SPEAKER: The time for this discussion has expired.
Planning and Environment—Standing Committee
Reference
Debate resumed.
MR HARGREAVES (Brindabella—Minister for the Territory and Municipal Services, Minister for Housing and Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (4.47): I rise to support, with an amendment, the referral of the matter to the Standing Committee on Planning and Environment. I move the amendment which has been circulated in my name, namely:
Omit all words after “investigate”, substitute:
“the services provided by ACTION buses specifically:
(e) examining how well it meets the needs of different segments of the community while recognising that ACTION’s role is a mass transport provider;
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