Chief Minister Gallagher has taken to wondering what she has to do to get an opposition in this town.
With 6 months to go until the next ACT Election the Canberra Liberals have been on an extended holiday, ACT Chief Minister Katy Gallagher said today.
“In all my time in the ACT Assembly I have never known such a lazy start to any election campaign by an Opposition. While the Government keeps delivering on our commitments and doing the serious policy work to strengthen our city, the Canberra Liberals seem content to fly under the radar,” the Chief Minister said.
“That the Canberra Liberals – the supposed alternative government in the Territory – remain a policy black hole at this point in the election cycle is quite astonishing.
“For three and a half years Mr Seselja’s lazy Opposition have been on holiday, content to carp and whine without developing real alternatives of any substance.
“To be a viable alternative government, you actually have to stand for something. You can’t just sit on your hands not doing the hard yards on the policy front for an entire Assembly term and then expect the people of Canberra to take you seriously.
“I call on the Opposition to end the vacation and to start engaging on the big policy issues in health and hospitals, education, the revenue system, local government services, community services, social justice, and equal rights to name just a few.
She goes on at length to outline all she’s been up to.
Which is all well and good, but considering her government has priced average income earners out of the Canberra housing market it’s hard to care about the frilly stuff at the edges.
UPDATE 21/04/12 16:34: Zed has bestirred himself to decry this personal attack on his efforts:
Today Katy Gallagher made the case for a change of government, with a personal attack against the ACT Opposition. ACT Opposition Leader Zed Seselja said this attack comes from a Chief Minister who does not understand that Canberrans want solutions, not gutter politics, from their leaders.
“This election is about change versus the same, and today Katy Gallagher made the case for a change of government,” Mr Seselja said today
“What’s important to Canberrans is important to the Canberra Liberals and we’ve already announced policies to lower car rego and junior sports fees, bring infrastructure projects in on time and on budget, and to ensure the government pays its providers on time.