Page 786 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 27 February 2013
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extreme? Well, again, I will wear that label. Securing $144 million for the Majura parkway, making sure we are connecting our city and our region—extreme? Again, I will wear that label.
The arboretum, a visionary project, and what was the contribution from the Leader of the Opposition last week? “Well, the arboretum’s there, so we won’t stand in the way.” Actually, when you were standing in the way we built the arboretum. So I do not think it is going to make the slightest bit of difference the fact that you now belatedly acknowledge that the trees are growing. Everyone can see that when they drive past. Indeed, the thousands of people that have visited the arboretum since its opening see it for what it is—a visionary project, perhaps extreme, perhaps progressive, perhaps even green. Again, those on this side of the chamber proudly will wear that label.
I could go on and on with examples of what this government has delivered, but I have time, unfortunately, to list only a few. What about being the first jurisdiction to implement the national television and computer recycling e-waste scheme, the Parkes Way widening project, lights at Manuka Oval, even delivering the largest mowing season on record? Again, all extreme, progressive, perhaps even green. We are doing the work that needs to be done to keep this city growing, developing and ensuring we can meet the challenges of the future.
I do not know where Mr Hanson’s $1 billion figure comes from. I would be interested to know. I am sure other speakers will allude to it and perhaps they can explain their $1 billion figure. But we will deliver on the commitments we went to the election on and we will remain committed to our budget plan, as we have. And, yes, it will mean reshaping priorities and, yes, it will mean looking at the things we currently do and the things we need to do in the future. But we have done that in every single budget for which I have sat around the table—we weigh up the commitments we have made, we weigh up the resources available and we look at securing a surplus on time in accordance with our budget plan.
I am not going to stand here and get a lecture from Mr Hanson, the Leader of the Opposition who has failed to articulate his vision for this city. In the week he has been leader he has only managed to repeat the priorities that I have explained to the community. I will not be embarrassed by the commitments we took to the election. Every single one of those was developed in consultation with the community. They were subjected to community scrutiny, and the community have had their say. Now we will go and deliver on those commitments.
Again, Mr Hanson can sit there and carp on in the negative-style campaigning that we are so used to from the opposition, and what will we see? We will see what happened in 2001, 2004, 2008 and 2012—swap your leaders, swap your deputies, get rid of the progressives, ensure the takeover of the hard right of the Canberra Liberals is delivered. Congratulations, but you actually might have to come up with an agenda. You might have to stop rolling out the stories that you have been rolling out for 10 years that have not worked for you in the community and come up with your own policies and your own ideas about what is important for Canberra’s future.
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