Page 2237 - Week 06 - Thursday, 6 June 2019
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In contrast, the Canberra Liberals are proud of what we do, and we are proud of what we are working towards on the issues that affect Canberrans: housing affordability; rental affordability; planning reforms; ending homelessness; land release; bulk waste collection; language education; school safety; anti-bikie laws; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander policies; support for police, paramedics, the fire service and small businesses; school buses; disability support; environmental and heritage groups; multicultural engagement; care and protection; and much, much more. We will keep proposing ideas, and we will keep working towards an even better city.
The government have record revenues that will soon surpass $7 billion per year. When you add all the borrowings, it really does beg the question: where is it all going? We have debts climbing to $3.3 billion and interest-free payments of $250 million per year.
Despite huge revenue and huge expenses, what are Canberrans getting for this money? The reality is that this government has abandoned thousands of Canberrans. I do not say this glibly; I do not say this lightly. I say this knowing countless stories of people that are doing it tough. This government, this Labor government, should be ashamed of itself.
Mick sent an email to the Chief Minister and copied me in. He said:
In the last week we have had water, rates and power. My wife and I get just over $1400.00 from the pension, our total bills comes to $1422.00, how are we expected to live, we cannot afford to turn on the heating anymore, we have just enough money for our food and that’s it. I am having to sell my car because we cannot afford to run it, how is this possible … we have lived here for 40 years … we are hurting, but you—
the Chief Minister—
just can’t see it.
Karen wrote to me and said:
Our rate notices have just been received and the rates have increased by $800 in ONE YEAR. We are retired on a fixed income and like many others will have to cut into our standard of living to pay this bill. The policy will send retirees like us to NSW.
Whilst there are some Canberrans that can afford Labor’s tax increases, is it right just to govern for those who can afford it? Is it right to ignore retirees like Mick and Karen? Is it right to ignore the thousands of working poor in this city?
What about the courier driver earning $48,000 a year, $1,534 a fortnight after tax? How does she afford $930 a fortnight for rent? That is 60 per cent of her income. Even if someone has a partner earning the same amount, 30 per cent of their income for rent is deemed to be Struggle Street. How does the courier driver survive in this
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