ACT 2008

A dragway for Canberra

The LDP strongly supports motorsports, including the establishment of a dragway in the ACT.

Interfering politicians, bureaucrats and others have joined forces to prevent the establishment of a dragway based on elitist prejudice against motor racing.

The ACT Government's hypocrisy is apparent from the fact that it actually subsidises some sports and helps them to establish or maintain facilities.

Motorsports enthusiasts deserve a place to race their cars and enjoy their sport in the ACT. Young drivers also deserve a place to enjoy their vehicles, including doing burnouts, without harassment by disapproving police or neighbours.

The LDP would seek to ensure land was made available for this with no regulatory or bureaucratic barriers to prevent its full use and enjoyment.

The LDP also has a comprehensive traffic policy that seeks to refocus law enforcement towards the safety of innocent bystanders rather than mindless revenue raising.

Education vouchers for parental choice

The ACT has a higher proportion of kids taught in non government schools than any other State or Territory.

Furthermore, although non government schools teach 42% of kids, they receive less than half the funding per student that government schools receive.

	Gov Schools	Non Gov Schools
ACT funding	$11,437	$1,469
Commonwealth funding	$882	$3,805
Total	$12,319	$5,274

The LDP believes in restoring to parents both the right and ability to choose where to educate their children.

Its policies are aimed at ensuring schools compete with each other for students on the basis of quality and cost. The role of government should be to ensure the availability of a world-class education system, not to involve itself in providing that education.

With appropriate transitional measures to avoid undue disruption and disadvantage, the LDP will convert ACT school education to a voucher-based system that combines superior education outcomes with freedom of choice.

Affordable housing in the ACT

The ACT has the third most expensive housing in Australia and the most expensive rental prices.

A combination of slow land release and excessive taxation and red tape are a disincentive to property developers and builders.

Housing choices and availability are further restricted by zoning and planning regulations that add hundreds of thousands of dollars to the cost of developing residential land. Regulations also prevent low cost housing alternatives such as hostels and long stay caravan parks.

Despite having the wealthiest, youngest and healthiest population in Australia the ACT has the highest percentage of public housing per capita. Approximately 10% of all Canberra residential dwellings are owned by the Government. Of this, approximately 14% is occupied by higher income earners.

No more pollies for Canberra

For the last eight years ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope has been pushing to increase the size of the ACT Legislative Assembly from 17 to 25 members.

With the support of the Liberals and Greens, he made an unsuccessful bid to increase the Assembly in 2006.

For the Assembly to be increased, the Federal Territories Minister has to agree. Under the previous Government this was refused. With a Federal Labor Government, Stanhope is again lobbying for the increase.

The LDP opposes any increase in the size of the Legislative Assembly. We believe it should concentrate on basics like garbage, roads, schools, hospitals and police.

Local pollies claim an increase in their numbers is required because they are overworked. Little wonder when you consider the Liberals, Labor and the Greens form committees and spend months debating policies such as lowering the voting age from 18 to 16.

More politicians for Canberra means more staffers and hangers on, more people dreaming up ways to spend our money which will require higher taxes and charges.

The Party

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