news, act-politics

Chief Minister Andrew Barr has used ACT Labor's election launch to announce 20 new psychologists for public schools, as he reinforced his key themes of health, education and public transport four weeks from polling day. In an understated launch, which featured addresses from acting federal Labor leader Tanya Plibersek and Senator Katy Gallagher, but no music or videos, the chief minister told supporters at the National Portrait Gallery the choice for voters was to take the city forward or backwards. "This election is a choice about two different ways of thinking about our city, between a progressive, experienced and confident government, or an inexperienced party with outdated ideas," he said. The school psychologists policy would involve five new professionals being introduced each year for four years, at a price of $7 million, minister Yvette Berry later confirmed. Speaking at his first launch as leader on Saturday, Mr Barr said his four fundamental issues were guaranteeing a strong health system, schools that helped children reach their potential, creating and supporting secure and well-paid jobs and delivering the infrastructure for a growing city. He trumpeted Labor's plan, reported on Saturday, to spend $17 million delivering tablets to every public secondary school student. On health, he highlighted the commitment for a major expansion of the Centenary Women's and Children's Hospital, saying only Labor had a 10-year health plan. Mr Barr told the room of about 150 people, most dressed in red campaign shirts, that he had "lived and breathed" the city for 40 years, and did not want to see it "retreat into a conservative, inward-looking provincial town". "I've never believed that Canberra is a Labor city, but I do believe that Labor is a Canberra party," he said. "Only a re-elected Labor government will provide the certainty, forward-planning and the values that will keep our city great." He said frontline cuts to the public service were what Liberals did, and linked the ACT branch with the positions of federal Liberals including Eric Abetz and Cory Bernardi. Senator Gallagher said her former treasurer was courageous, hard-working and completely committed to the job, and someone who cared about reducing inequality. "He's experienced and he runs rings around Jeremy Hanson," she said. Senator Gallagher said the start of international flights in coming days was proof of Mr Barr's ability to deliver on his dream from six years ago. About 20 protesters from the Canberra Greyhound Racing Club, dressed in contrasting yellow and with five of their dogs, held posters outside the gallery calling for a reversal of the Barr government's policy to ban the industry in line with the Baird government's moves in NSW.

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