Page 138 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 28 November 2012

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Canberra will rise by an average of about six per cent per year as insurance, tax and conveyance duty are phased out. And there can be no question that tax reforms send a clear signal to the market that we want more affordable housing.

I have circulated an amendment to the motion, and I move the amendment circulated in my name:

Omit all words after “That This Assembly”, substitute:

“(1) notes:

(a) that while Canberra has the highest average incomes in Australia, there are many Canberrans experiencing real financial hardship;

(b) the transition to greater use of renewable energy, improving energy efficiency and providing more sustainable transport options will generate significant savings for Canberra households in the short-term and over the coming decades; and

(i) encourage more affordable housing;

(ii) reduce the cost of doing business; and

(iii) improve the economic efficiency of our taxation system; and

(2) calls on the Government to:

(a) implement targeted assistance measures to help Canberrans most in need;

(b) reduce Canberra’s reliance on increasingly expensive fossil fuels for electricity and transport; and

I think that the amendment addresses the real issues concerning the cost of living for Canberrans. The citizens of this city earn on average $200 more per week than anyone else in the country but there are many who do not share in that prosperity, and it is our job to make sure that the benefit of the ACT’s economic success is distributed fairly and that we do not leave people behind. There are many low-paid workers, such as those in the childcare sector that we will be talking about later today, as well as people who are unable to find work or are carers of ill family members and are doing it very tough, and I want to make sure that there are targeted initiatives in place to help these groups in our community.

There are real pockets of disadvantage, and the only way to address them will be through specific initiatives that respond to historic disadvantage and make our communality fairer for everyone. The amendment notes this reality and recognises our obligation to do something about it.

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