Zed Seselja (ACT, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Finance, Charities and Electoral Matters) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I don't read enough fiction, so I'm always pleased when the member for Fenner puts his pen to paper, as I was recently when I read a piece that he wrote in none other than CityNews here in Canberra. Dr Leigh, in his piece of fiction, appeared so determined to distract from the absolute failings of the ACT Labor government that he resorted to accusing the Canberra Liberals, who have the most ethnically diverse group of candidates of any party in the history of self-government in the ACT, of being indifferent to supporting multicultural diversity. Of course, unlike ACT Labor, whose candidates are all hand-picked by militant unions like the CFMEU, the Canberra Liberals are proud of the cultural and religious diversity our team offers, which reflects the true nature of the city of Canberra and is voted on by the most democratic branch of any party in the entire country.

But I've got to say that I did feel for Dr Leigh, because, in this work of fiction, I could see what he was doing. He couldn't bring himself to defend the record of 19 years of this ACT Labor government. So I want to take the Senate through what Dr Leigh couldn't bring himself to defend. He couldn't bring himself to defend the fact that we've had to endure multiple education ministers who have failed our education system with overcrowded classrooms; school walls painted with lead paint; the worst rate of violence against students, teachers and principals in the nation; and the fall in academic outcomes. That is the legacy of 19 years of ACT Labor running our education system. We witnessed transport ministers oversee months of chaos as they tore apart the bus network in a revamp that saw 51 schools lose dedicated bus routes and dozens of bus stops around the city going unused. We've seen dodgy land deals with their union masters in the CFMEU, seeing Canberra taxpayers getting the raw end of the deal.

In the health portfolio, ACT Labor have overseen dodgy data scandals, a culture of bullying and harassment, the highest emergency department waiting times in the country, cutting of hospital funding in real terms and a promised hospital expansion that Canberrans have been waiting for since 2010. Last week, horrifying figures were revealed. Children under the age of 16 here in the ACT are waiting exorbitant periods of time for initial appointments with a specialist. Children in Canberra are waiting 606 days for ear, nose and throat specialists, 874 days for gastroenterology appointments and four years for dermatology appointments. If it wasn't already clear that ACT Labor can't manage health, it's now crystal clear. Nineteen years of ACT Labor has our children waiting years for initial appointments with healthcare specialists. It's a deplorable record—one that ACT Labor should be absolutely ashamed of—and proof that ACT Labor can't be trusted to deliver the very basic services we should be able to expect. This is a basic test of government and, over two decades, Canberrans have expected and deserved more.

It would be remiss of me not to mention the policy that Dr Leigh is most proud of from his local colleagues, and it would surprise no-one that it is a disgraceful, inequitable tax grab. In 2012, then Chief Minister, now Senator, Katy Gallagher declared that we were masters of spin when we unmasked Labor's tax grab, which would see the tripling of rates for Canberra families. Eight years later and rates revenue has indeed tripled, with no sign of the promised cuts to stamp duty.

Under the leadership of ACT Labor, something Dr Leigh refuses to defend, Canberra has become the worst place in the country to do business, and the government support for those doing it tough during the COVID pandemic has been amongst the most miserly in the country. Even the longest-serving Labor leader in the territory's history, John Stanhope, has said: 'Who could possibly vote for Labor or the Greens at the next election?' Indeed, he has pointed out that they are driving the territory broke. I am not surprised Dr Leigh refused to defend this appalling record, but after 19 years of this negligent government here in the ACT, Canberrans absolutely deserve better.