Page 2157 - Week 07 - Thursday, 20 August 2020

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(1) rescind the resolution agreeing to the question that the Bill, as amended, be agreed to; and

(2) recommit the Bill at the detail stage and the following questions be put:

(a) that the title be agreed to; and

(b) that the Bill, as amended, be agreed to.

Amendment agreed to.

Title agreed to.

Bill, as amended, agreed to.

Adjournment

Motion (by Mr Gentleman) proposed:

That the Assembly do now adjourn

Canberra Liberals—policy

MRS KIKKERT (Ginninderra) (7.03): As the much-quoted author Marianne Williamson has written, every ending is a new beginning. And so, as this Ninth Assembly has met today for its second last time, my thoughts have turned to the future. The future is bright, and full of hope and promise. Every week I speak with so many Canberrans who, like me, are thinking about the future. Our hopes are clear: we want to see this city become the best place to live, work and raise a family. Only the Canberra Liberals have a strong plan to make sure that that happens.

Let me explain why. A Canberra Liberals government will reduce the cost of living for families. Under Labor and the Greens, the combined tax burden in the ACT has become the highest in Australia, putting far too many Canberrans in financial stress. But we will freeze residential rates for four years and deliver rent relief from day one, making it easier for all of us to balance the household budget. The Canberra Liberals will provide high-quality essential services, including better access to health services. It is a disgrace that emergency departments in the nation’s capital are ranked last in the nation, including in the treatment of mental health patients. And the much-needed expansion to Canberra Hospital, first promised by Labor in 2010, still has not been built. In contrast, we will deliver the modern, world-class health system that our city deserves.

The Canberra Liberals will strengthen the local economy. A thriving business sector is the key to our COVID-19 recovery but, as a recent study found, the ACT is among the least business-friendly jurisdictions in the country. We value businesses and their vital role in creating jobs. So instead of pushing our companies across the border, we will make Canberra the best place in the nation to operate a business.

The Canberra Liberals will improve education standards. As the Grattan Institute revealed last year, the ACT ranks last in Australia when compared with similar


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