Page 1270 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 25 March 2009
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this recession, albeit technical in the eyes of the government? I have got grave doubts about how the federal government is handling this recession and I have got grave doubts about how the ACT government is handling it.
Last year’s election saw a business and economic development policy by the Labor Party co-signed by the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister. At page 1 it says:
ACT Labor will continue to build a strong economy, maintain budget surpluses and provide Canberra businesses with assistance to make the most of our present opportunities, and meet the challenges of the future.
Page 2 goes on to say:
ACT Labor has taken the hard decisions needed to ensure it has the economic fundamentals right—a strong economy, continuing budget surpluses and responsible Government spending.
It goes on to say that ACT Labor:
Maintained a budget cash position that is the envy of other states and territories …
Is the current economic condition of the ACT really the envy of the other states and territories? How many of the other states and territories are doffing their cap to Mr Stanhope and saying, “You’re doing a great job at running the ACT economy”? We are the only one in recession.
At last year’s election he was there bragging that he was the envy of the other states and the other territory. We have had soaring property prices that have brought in windfall stamp duty receipts; we had GST receipts go up and up; and we have had the ACT government increase taxes and charges. All that brought about $1.7 billion of additional revenue.
And what do we have to show for it? We could go through the usual things. We could go through Gungahlin Drive and the Tharwa bridge. We could go through the public artwork. But what happens when you look around Canberra and you think back to what was here in 2001? I do not think many people in Canberra look around and think: “Wow, look at all that infrastructure. Look at that stronger community that Jon Stanhope built.” How many people are saying that? It is absolutely absurd. Nobody is saying that. Nobody drives around Canberra thinking, “Wow, this city has really gone ahead in leaps and bounds over the last seven or eight years.” No-one drives past big bits of infrastructure and says, “Yes, that’s a real trophy for the last government.” Nobody does that. Nobody says that.
I found it absolutely amazing that we had Ms Burch get up and give a speech on business confidence. It had to be the most uninspiring speech of all time and probably did more to demotivate business than anything else that has happened in the last seven or eight years. But pushing that aside, let me talk about what would happen if you were to go to YouTube, which I have been to a couple of times to look at the ACT
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