Page 652 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 9 March 2011

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charges they pay and feel that there is a deterioration in the quality of service delivery from the ACT Government; and

(d) that whilst the summer of 2010-11 was the wettest since 1998 and demand for mowing was high, the ACT Government did not save money in the years when less mowing was needed; and

(2) calls on the Government:

(a) to develop a plan for how they will better address demand for mowing in the future;

(b) to develop a clear policy as to who is responsible for mowing land adjacent to private property, including road verges;

(d) to report back to the Assembly by 30 June 2011 about the progress of the above.

I move this motion today because I believe this government is not delivering the core services that the rate payers and taxpayers of Canberra expect. Many people contact my office expressing concern, saying that our city looks neglected, that the city looks tired and that urban amenity has been left to slip.

The upkeep of core services should be a priority of a government that also has the responsibility for services that are delivered by councils elsewhere in the country. However, we have a government that has delusions of grandeur and gets carried away with pet projects that do not improve the quality of life or standard of living for Canberrans.

In my maiden speech in December 2008, I said:

When I nominated as a candidate for election to this Assembly, I did so because of my determination to improve this city and to help get the priorities of this Assembly right. I believe the role of government is to secure and safeguard, not to stifle and suppress. I believe that good public policy is best achieved when government focuses its efforts on its core functions and doing them well.

One of the most important reasons I decided to seek election was because of my frustration with the current government—a government that has neglected the provision and upkeep of basic services …

I come to this place with a commitment to seek to change the priorities of this Assembly and return the focus of government back to core business.

The mowing of our public land should be core business for a government that has local responsibilities. This government has a leader that claims he is the mayor of Canberra. However, as in other council jurisdictions, the responsibilities include the mowing of grass, the removal of graffiti, the provision of car parking, the good planning of our neighbourhood and local shops. If the mayor of Canberra was to be

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