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Mr MIKE BAIRD (Manly) [6.55 p.m.]: I hear the member for Monaro asking for policy and he has come to the right person. I will talk him through it so that he understands. We cannot for a moment have any sense of credibility from the Rees Government in relation to infrastructure. The Government has made many announcements of projects, particularly in relation to rail, during the past 13 years, but we are yet to see one come to fruition. The member for Monaro is part of a Government that less than six months ago announced with great fanfare a new metro that will revolutionise this city. The Government said it was locked into budget estimates, it was in the budget papers and advertisements were run about it, yet a little over a week ago the Government said it could no longer afford it.
That is a case study of what is wrong with this State. The Government makes great fanfare with lots of colour and bells and whistles and says this is going to be terrific, it will change the State, yet the long suffering families in Sydney's north-west, while waiting for the infrastructure that has been promised for more than a decade by this Government, have nothing. They will get a few buses—yet again we have not seen an order for those buses.
Ms Angela D'Amore: Do you call 300 a few buses?
Mr MIKE BAIRD: No order means no buses. Why are we debating these issues? We are here quite simply because the Government, in all its forms in the past 13 years, has suffered from a lack of accountability and control over expenses. This State does not have a revenue problem, it has an expense problem, and that has been identified by all and sundry including rating agencies. The member for Monaro and the member for Drummoyne are so proud of the mini-budget that was delivered with tough words by Eric Roozendaal, and the Premier says this State will retain a triple-A rating, but what did the rating agencies do? Last night they said they have not seen enough and they will not be re-visiting this State's rating until 2010. What does that mean? That is rating agencies code for saying they have lost confidence in the management of this State. That is exactly what they do to companies and they have done it with this State. They say that because for a considerable time this State has been unable to control its expenses.
I will move to Opposition policies, which I know the member for Monaro is interested in. This State must control its expenses and be fiscally responsible. We have not seen accountability for expenses or delivery of projects either on time or at all, and certainly not on cost. How do we move forward? The Leader of the Opposition and the Leader of The Nationals have announced a plan for the prosperity of New South Wales.
Mr Steve Whan: No, that is a discussion paper.
Mr MIKE BAIRD: It is interesting that the member for Monaro would talk to experts about refining and enhancing policies.
Mr Steve Whan: So it is not a policy?
Mr MIKE BAIRD: Of course it is. What is missing? Any Government of decent means has a broad strategy. If one needs a broad strategy one should understand where one is going. The Opposition has four economic goals or long-term objectives for the economy of New South Wales. What are they? The first is that New South Wales is to lead Australia in sustainable growth.
From an examination of the statistics it can be seen very quickly how far behind we are. Only once in the past six years has the New South Wales gross State product versus the Australian gross domestic product reached the average. Indeed, we have been behind the average every other year. What can we do? Two measurables are needed, and the Opposition has identified them. New South Wales has to return to a level of gross State product growth that is equal to or above the national average, and it has to have an unemployment rate that is below the national average. Policy directions that need to be pursued to achieve that are, firstly, to ensure that New South Wales, in particular Sydney, enhances key strengths and strong market positions in the service areas in Australia and Asia. Indeed, a focus on that would diversify the economy and the job base would start to move away from current reliance on the financial services sector. If the economy is diversified, we would be open to more shocks. The Government needs to encourage the development of new growth industries and ensure that export industries remain efficient, vibrant and competitive. Most of all, it needs to invest in people by strengthening the educational skills of the workforce. Within that context—
Mr Steve Whan: You are talking about the State Plan.
Mr MIKE BAIRD: The member for Monaro should not talk about the State Plan, that wonderful document. Our second goal is that New South Wales needs to be Australia's twenty-first century State. That does not mean that on budget day we point to Canberra and say that we are not getting enough of our GST receipts. We are not, but the Government has to be responsible for what it is managing, for the revenues it receives and the expenses it incurs. The Government cannot say that Western Australia and Queensland are lucky because they have resources. The Government needs to proactively attack the opportunities across Australia and the world.
The Opposition certainly will develop individual industry action plans and pick up on some of the opportunities that are available. China offers great opportunities and tourism. Tourism by China's emerging middle class will dwarf the Japanese tourism explosion of the late 1980s and early 1990s. There are other opportunities on our State boundaries, one being the coal seam methane industry. We have been slow to plan and to expedite that industry, to ensure that it is up and running and that the revenue and royalty stream that comes with it is brought to the table. Those two opportunities would make New South Wales the twenty-first century State of Australia. It is no longer acceptable to point the finger at others but not have action plans to capture available opportunities.
Our third goal is that New South Wales should be the first place in which to do business. Again, this is another opportunity for the people of this State. I send this simple message to every business in this country: under a Barry O'Farrell government New South Wales will have a taxation rate lower than the national average. We are open for business, and we will match those words with action. Every business in the State will know that should we win government in 2011 they will not have to run from New South Wales but will be able to build their businesses here along with other enterprise that will be attracted to this State.
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