Page 2110 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 8 May 2012
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Members interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Order! Ms Bresnan has the floor.
MS BRESNAN: Thank you, Mr Speaker. Minister, would having specialist expertise in bullying within WorkSafe have assisted in this situation?
DR BOURKE: I thank the member for her question. No, I do not believe so. The report by WorkSafe ACT was comprehensive and detailed. The outcome was, as we know, that an improvement notice was issued to the CIT. I was extremely disappointed that this had happened and to reinforce that improvement notice is why I issued a directive under the CIT act for them both to comply with that improvement notice and to report to me on a weekly basis.
Taxation—Quinlan review
MS PORTER: My question is to the Treasurer. Treasurer, can you update the Assembly on the recommendations of the ACT taxation review, led by former Treasurer, Mr Ted Quinlan, and the government’s response to those recommendations?
Opposition members interjecting—
MR BARR: I would not want to disappoint those opposite if they were playing question time bingo. I am surprised that they have not focused on the question of taxation to date.
MR SPEAKER: Let us focus on the question, Minister Barr.
MR BARR: Thank you, Mr Speaker, and I thank Ms Porter for the question. As members would be aware, the taxation review released yesterday is the most wide ranging examination of the territory’s tax system in the history of self-government. The review built on work undertaken at the national level by Dr Ken Henry. The Henry review identified a number of state and territory taxes that were economically inefficient. The ACT review found that the territory was well placed to reform these taxes by taking advantage of our status as a city-state.
As members would be aware, the review made 27 recommendations. The government has agreed or agreed in principle to 26 of those. Consistent with our long held policy position, we have not agreed with chair Quinlan’s additional recommendation in relation to the allowance of poker machines at the casino.
As its first recommendation, the review recommended that the territory should have taxation settings and instruments that deliver stable revenue growth proportionate to economic growth. The government agrees with this. We are committed to ensuring that the territory has a stable and sustainable revenue base so that the government can continue to provide high quality services and infrastructure to the Canberra community.
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