Page 779 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 27 February 2013

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Wednesday, 27 February 2013

MADAM SPEAKER (Mrs Dunne) took the chair at 10 am and asked members to stand in silence and pray or reflect on their responsibilities to the people of the Australian Capital Territory.

Government—green and progressive

MR HANSON (Molonglo—Leader of the Opposition) (10.01): I move:

That this Assembly:

(1) notes:

(a) that recently, Government Minister Shane Rattenbury stated he wanted the ACT to have the “greenest, most progressive” government in Australia;

(b) in response, the Chief Minister stated that “being a green, progressive government is a badge that we would wear with some pride”;

(c) that a number of ACT Government policies and plans including renewable energy targets, emission reduction targets, and needle and exchange programs in the jail, are already at the extremes of “green progressive” policy;

(d) that the ACT Budget is in deficit of $575 million over the forward estimates;

(e) that the ACT Budget reported an $82 million blow out in the 2012-13 Budget Review;

(f) that the ACT Labor Government’s costed election policies by Treasury total more than $1 billion over the forward estimates; and

(g) the $1 billion of costed election policies do not include the construction cost of light rail or the University of Canberra Hospital; and

(2) calls on the:

(a) Chief Minister to advise the Assembly if she agrees that the ACT Government will be the most “green” and “progressive” in Australia; and

(b) ACT Government to outline to the Assembly the cost impacts of both the election promises and the push to become the most “green, progressive” government in Australia.

I commend this motion to the Assembly today because it is important for ACT residents to be aware of the government’s policy agenda and what it means to their hip pocket. Shortly after the 2012 election, members would recall that Shane Rattenbury was reported in the media as stating, “I want this to be the most progressive and green government in Australia and by having the responsibility of a minister I believe I can help achieve this.”


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