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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, First Session (53-1)
2014-05-22 Daily Xml
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Federal Budget

The Hon. S.W. KEY (Ashford) (15:46): In the days since the federal budget has been handed down we have seen just how much damage can be done in a short period of time by a conservative government. It does not take long for those who believe government has no role in society, who have faith in the laissez-faire free market system and who spout rhetoric about the health of the economy without reflecting on the health of those in the economy, who it should benefit, to unwind protections and safeguards installed over decades of progressive governments.

I do not recall in the community so much discussion about the federal budget. Many people are very shocked, as it gets unpacked, by what will be the implications of the budget. We are starting to see in the last few days the true colours of the federal government. It is not easy to shock me, but I was shocked to hear that the services of Disability Discrimination Commissioner, Graeme Innes AM, will no longer be required by the federal government.

In looking at the sort of track record Graeme Innes has (I have had the pleasure of working him over the years), I remind the house that he has been involved in a number of initiatives—and maybe this is why he is not going to continue in his job—the 'Same sex: same entitlements' inquiry, which resulted in the removal of discrimination across federal law, and the drafting of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and its ratification in Australia.

He also developed, with others, a national disability strategy and the Disability (Access to Premises—Buildings) Standards 2010. I know that this is an issue in which the Leader of the Opposition is interested, particularly access to premises and heritage issues. It is very interesting that this outstanding public servant now does not have a job, and presumably the emphasis on disability will be different under this federal government. I will interested to see, with Graeme Innes finishing his job, what is put in place to take up these very important issues.

The other area to which I will speak briefly involves the concerns I have in regard to the federal government's very short record already on the environment and what might happen in that area. One of the most significant achievements of the last federal government was the Murray-Darling Basin Plan. For those of us who were in the last parliament, the 52nd parliament, that discussion was taken up by everybody in this house. A lot was said and a lot of work done by a number of parliamentary committees, including the Natural Resources Committee, in regard to the Murray-Darling Basin Plan.

So one of the first actions of the Abbott government is to undermine that plan by rephasing water purchases and I think raising doubts with everyone concerned about the ability to achieve the targets set by that plan. In the last budget the commonwealth government established a 1,500-gigalitre cap on water buybacks in the Murray-Darling Basin, further restricting options for achieving targets necessary to ensure the health of the basin.

Then there was the issue of the federal government looking at science—or the total lack of regard, with regard to science—to address climate change. The Abbott government has outlined its plan to address climate change by direct action and a plan to repeal the national carbon pricing mechanism. A carbon pricing mechanism (once endorsed by the Prime Minister himself when in opposition) is widely regarded as the most efficient manner of reducing carbon emissions. Rather than taking the advice of economists and scientists the Liberal government has chosen to implement its own direct plan.

The Liberal government has turned its sights on renewable energy, commissioning a review of the federal government's renewable energy target. The review, headed by businessmen and self-professed climate sceptic, Dick Warburton, is expected to protect vested interests in the electricity market at the cost of renewable energy investment.

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