Page 7 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 10 February 2015
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Madam Speaker, these values will guide me while I am here, but, importantly, I want to advocate for these values to be realised through the decisions this Assembly takes. I want to be part of decisions that keep our budget balanced over the economic cycle. This is important because we want our public money spent equitably over generations and we want the capacity to continue to deliver high quality services and infrastructure that improve people’s lives.
I want to be part of decisions that grow our economy, particularly our services sector and our digital economy. I want our city to grow and I want this growth to be built on higher density living, a light rail system and clean, energy-efficient buildings. I want to be part of investing in prevention so fewer children end up in care, fewer people end up in jail and fewer people have to go to hospital.
Our out of home care system, our jail and our hospitals are of the highest quality and that must continue. But they are among the most expensive things we do. No-one wants to be in out of home care, in jail or in hospital unless they really need to be. We must continue to invest in these world-class services, but it just makes sense that we find innovative ways to spend more on prevention.
However, the community alone, through the territory’s budget, cannot continue to fund all infrastructure and services. I want to be part of finding new ways to bring private sector investment to solving community problems, whether it is how we invest in our playgrounds or how we deliver more affordable housing—new partnerships that bring public and private sector expertise and resources together for the long-term benefit of our community. I am excited to be part of a government which has delivered real social and economic reform in marriage equality, human rights, our school system, renewable energy, tax reform and modernising human service delivery.
This Labor government has also built outstanding infrastructure across the city and I am excited that it is investing in light rail. I am certain capital metro is the transport system we need and I am certain we can afford it. I travel from Gungahlin to the city every day. I know what our roads are like; I know Northbourne is our most congested route; and I know we cannot go on the way we are forever. Led passionately by Minister Corbell, capital metro will prove to be a landmark investment that will transform our city. When it is built people will wonder why we waited so long and they will be thrilled when it comes to their community too. I am proud it is a Labor project.
I am proud also to be part of a team led by this Chief Minister, who stands on the shoulders of Jon Stanhope and Katy Gallagher before him in knowing how great our city can become but who brings his own outlook and considerable skills to this job, especially in understanding what a thriving economy and social justice combined can deliver for our community. In working for these outcomes, I commit to being an MLA who listens, advocates, explains and leads. I commit to being a good local member and a member who contributes to the ideas and debates that will shape our city. This is the uniqueness of this Assembly.
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