Family Relief Bill

About this Item
Speakers - Carr Mr Bob
Business - Bill, First Reading, Second Reading

FAMILY RELIEF BILL

Bill introduced and read a first time.

Second Reading

Mr CARR (Maroubra), Leader of the Opposition [9.54]: I move:

That this bill be now read a second time.

This is the bill that won the Labor Party of New South Wales the majority of votes and the majority of seats at the last State election. This Government was saved only by the ticks and crosses rort. A majority of votes and seats were won because of this fundamental concern - the increases in household charges that this Government has inflicted on the families of New South Wales. My bill is designed to serve one purpose: to ease the financial burden of families in this State. It will do so by prohibiting New South Wales household charges from increasing by more than the latest increase each year in the consumer price index. Families in New South Wales are hurting. During the past three years they have been forced to endure an unending cycle of increased taxes and charges. Figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that since the Greiner-Murray Government came to office taxes and charges have increased in this State by at least 50 per cent more than they have anywhere else. In Sydney, State taxes and charges have increased by 28.5 per cent, compared with the eight capital city average of only
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18.6 per cent. This legislation is an answer to the endless increases in charges and the broken promises of the Greiner-Murray Government.

When the coalition was in opposition the Premier made the following promise: no charge would rise by more than the consumer price index in any one year. However, in July 1988, just two months after the election of the Liberal Party-National Party Government, the Premier broke that promise for the first time. Electricity bills increased by 9.8 per cent, or an average of $50 a year. In the country, increases of up to 30 per cent occurred following reductions in rural subsidies. Water rates increased by $37 a year, or 12.5 per cent. Hospital bed charges rose by $20 a day, or 15 per cent. The increases in rail, bus and ferry fares have added up to $185 a year to family bills. A new technical and further education tax of between $100 and $263 a student was introduced. The following year the Premier broke his promise to the electorate once again. Once more there was a round of increases in taxes and charges well beyond the consumer price index. In 1989 third-party premiums rose by $110; water rates increased a further 30 per cent; public transport fares added an additional $100 a year to the cost of travel in this State. The cost of using a ferry, for some passengers, increased by a staggering 87.5 per cent. The third year of the Greiner Government administration was every bit as bleak. It was another year of broken promises and another year of increased government charges.

TAFE administration charges increased by up to 52 per cent, or $400; third-party insurance rates for Newcastle district motorists rose by $31 a year, or 9.9 per cent; public transport fares increased by up to 10 per cent for buses and 8.4 per cent for rail; Sydney water rates increased by 8.4 per cent. All the increases were over and above the consumer price index and represented broken promises on the part of this Government. All these extraordinary increases were imposed upon the usual round of electricity, drivers licence and weight tax increases. The list goes on. For that reason the average family of this State is $1,300 a year worse off than it was in 1988. That was the issue fought by the Opposition at the last State election - an election that all the experts said we had no chance of winning. The Opposition went to the election committed to the introduction of a family relief bill. The Opposition went to the electorate and said, "Greiner cares nothing for your living standards. The Greiner Government only offers you more of the same". We produced our legislation that called on the Government to live within its means and produce savings to ease the burden of taxes and charges on long-suffering families. In the last election that became an issue that people understood because of their experience in grappling with the bills loaded on them by the Government. Even after the election this Premier learnt nothing. From 1st July this year the average family in New South Wales is now paying up to $1,400 per year more than in 1988.

Debate adjourned on motion by Mr Carr.

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