Page 5795 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 7 December 2011

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I think it would be timely to examine just how out of touch this Labor government is about the effect of rising costs of living on families. Taxation per person has grown by 76 per cent since Labor was first elected, making the ACT the second highest taxing jurisdiction in the country. If you put this in real terms, that is an increase of over $1,600 per person.

Property rates and charges have grown 75 per cent in 10 years. In Banks, the charges have increased by 151 per cent, in Spence by 147 per cent and in Charnwood by 158 per cent. The increase in property rates and charges is not just impacting on homeowners but also on people in rental properties. Rents have increased by 68 per cent in 10 years, the second highest average weekly rent in the country, at approximately $500.

It should not come as a surprise to government that the people of Canberra are finding it tight, but the government just does not care. They continue to pile on the costs. Water costs have increased by up to 200 per cent in the last 10 years. This is the community paying for the government’s major cost blowouts in water infrastructure projects. For families this is an increase of $550 to the annual amount paid for water. Electricity costs in the ACT are up by 74 per cent over the last 10 years. For families this is an increase of $607 to the annual amount paid for electricity. Parking fees for all-day places in Civic—those people who are working—

Ms Burch: Mr Speaker, just on a point of relevance.

MR SPEAKER: Order! One moment, Mr Hanson. Stop the clocks, thank you.

Ms Burch: On a point of relevance, the motion is around the Productivity Commission and the early childhood development workforce, not a long list of rate charges, rent charges and everything else, given that they raised a point of order on me when I was quoting Mrs Dunne on workforce participation.

MR HANSON: Mr Speaker, on the point of order, it is obviously relevant because the point raised by the Productivity Commission was about the increased cost of living pressures that would be arising from the federal government’s reforms. It is relevant in this debate when we are debating cost of living pressures arising from childcare to put them into context with other cost of living pressures facing Canberra families that arise from other federal or ACT government regulations.

MR SPEAKER: Yes, I just want to confer with the Clerks regarding the earlier ruling in this debate, as I was not here for it. There is no point of order. Mr Hanson, you have the floor.

MR HANSON: Thank you. Parking fees for all-day places in Civic for people who are working all day while paying for their children to be accommodated in childcare increased by 79 per cent over 10 years. That is $1,378, Mr Speaker, for a full year of parking. ACT Labor has not been helped by showing the same attitude shown by the federal Labor government.


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