Alistair Coe’s National Press Club Address
On 25 October 2019, Canberra Liberals leader, Alistair Coe delivered an address to the National Press Club. He outlined the Liberals’ vision for Canberra’s future and detailed our priorities leading into the 2020 ACT Election.
Read the full transcript: https://canberraliberals.org.au/national-press-club-address/
Video timestamps are listed below:
00:21 Opening remarks
00:50 “Quite simply, Canberra is too good for a bad government”
03:06 Achievements from opposition — rates, violence in schools, petrol pricing, reforming Canberra Hospital culture, probing Government land deals and spending
03:43 Legislative reform — dangerous dog laws, revenge porn, reporting of government land purchases, new ICAC, illegal gang laws, land tax exemptions for community sector
05:59 “Given the money and 19 years of opportunity, the ACT should be Labor’s version of utopia. Instead, it resembles an episode of Utopia”
07:58 The ACT Labor government’s record — Australia’s most expensive education, health and corrections systems, yet frontline workers at breaking point; Australia’s highest cost of living, least affordable housing market for young people, worst hospital waiting times and amongst Australia’s highest rates of Indigenous incarceration
09:46 “We need to cap rates in the ACT. The rates regime is harsh, it’s unfair and hurting Canberra families.”
12:38 “People of different faiths and different customs should be welcome in the ACT.”
14:31 We should be harnessing the links that people have to other parts of the world.
15:23 “I want Canberra to be the best place in the country to run a business, to employ the next person, to make investments and to deliver the products and services that we all use.”
16:16 “We [Canberra] should be known as the business capital [of Australia]; we should be leading the nation when it comes to running a business.”
16:48 Light rail should not come at the cost of buses across the city and should not be at the expense of 50 school buses
17:41 “There’s got to be more to education policy than laptops and buildings.”
18:50 “Why don’t we find out why it is that people want to go to Narrabundah, Lyneham and Telopea [schools], and then replicate it across the ACT?”
20:30 Doctors, nurses and other health professionals deal with many challenges in their daily work…they shouldn’t have to deal with bullying as well
21:52 We are the bush capital, and we can have the best of both city and suburban living
22:55 “You should not have to wait nine, 12, 15 or 18 months to get your DA approved.”
23:58 Competition from across the border in NSW — we are losing families over the border to the Queanbeyan region
26:38 “We need to increase land supply, particularly for stand alone homes. I have no problems with apartments, we need apartments in this city, but people should have a choice.”
28:53 “I want every single Canberran to have a very clear path to property ownership”
33:05 “By 2030, the Canberra I see is one where we’re world leaders in education – where an ACT Year 12 certificate is the most valuable in the world. We are globally renowned for our engineering and technical expertise. All students learn a second language. No person, including kids, has to travel to Sydney for cancer treatment. There are no kids in youth detention because our early intervention is working. Our jails release people that are free of addiction but empowered with qualifications. We’re in a city stadium cheering on the Raiders, United, Brumbies, Capitals, Cavalry, and even a A-League team. We’re a destination of choice where people congregate in our Convention Centre. People are performing, publishing, and exhibiting right across the city. There are no barriers to employing the next person in your business. Our town centres are thriving, we have rapid transit and we’re global leaders in autonomous vehicles. But importantly: all people are respected by their government.”
34:30 “Unlike Labor, we trust people to make the right decisions for themselves, their family, their community and their business.”
35:05 We have the people, the resources and the opportunity to make this place even better — the Canberra Liberals look forward to doing that in 12 months time.
35:37 Questions
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