Private schools caning pupils, the abolition of ACT
self-government, licenses for cyclists, a privatised ACTION bus network
and minimum sentences for child sex offenders.



Is this what life in Canberra would be like if the Young Liberals were in charge?




A set of policy proposals to be considered by ACT party
members suggests private schools "should be offered the option of
disciplining students through corporal punishment, with the use of a
cane".



It calls for the ACT Government to be stripped of all legal
authority until territory voters support a referendum proposal
establishing self-government, and says a national sex offenders'
register should be established with full public access.




It also calls for all public housing to be privatised and tenants to be subject to a voucher system.



The ambitious policy document, obtained by The Canberra Times, is to be debated at a June 14 Young Liberals meeting at the Australian National University.



Despite reading like a broad-based, right-wing political
manifesto, the document's 23 individual motions will be debated as part
of policy development. The document is divided into three sections:
local, federal and "nanny state".



If carried, some of the motions may be considered at future
Liberal Party conferences.  Divided into three sections, including
local, federal and "nanny state" proposals, it also calls for all public
housing to be privatised and tenants to be subject to a voucher system.



Motions support the scuttling of Canberra's proposed light
rail network, the creation of compulsory third-party insurance and
licenses for cyclists and a 10-year moratorium on increases to federal
government expenditure.



"The ACT Young Liberals call on the ACT Government to abolish
legislation requiring cyclists to wear helmets," the document says.



"The ACT Young Liberals call on the federal government to
begin measuring foreign aid spending against outcomes achieved, rather
than a targeted percentage of GDP."



One suggestion will win support from Palmer United Party
leader and Fairfax MP Clive Palmer. It calls on the Abbott government to
replace the existing ComCar network with a taxi-based service operated
by the Department of Finance. Mr Palmer has criticised the ComCar
service since joining Parliament.



ACT Young Liberals secretary James Baillie declined to comment on the document circulated last week.



The Canberra Times understands some Young Liberals are
critical of the proposals and are concerned the group is being overrun
by hard right-wing sentiment. Some members are believed to be
disillusioned with the Young Liberals policy process.



Debate will follow the group's general meeting and a proposal
to adopt the federal Liberal Party's logo in place of one showing the
facade of Canberra's Parliament House.



Other motions included calling on the NSW, Victorian and
federal governments to sell the Snowy Hydro scheme and offer support to
an Abbott government initiative merging immigration, customs and border
protection agencies as the Australian Border Force.



Other controversial federal budget measures, including the
deregulation of universities and easing of tax structures, are
supported.



Members will be asked to condemn "recent violence perpetrated
against current and former Liberal Party MPs on campuses across
Australia as abhorrent conduct".



The motion calls for universities to expel students involved
in the recent protests that have targeted Foreign Minister Julie Bishop
and former Coalition MP Sophie Mirabella.



The ACT Young Liberals recently congratulated Prime Minister
Tony Abbott on his move to reintroduce Australian knights and dames.



Despite opposition from some Coalition MPs, members welcomed the move as a "long-standing ACT Young Liberal policy motion".



The 1978 advisory referendum on territory self-government won
just 30.54 per cent support. Parliament passed the act granting
self-government 1988, establishing the Legislative Assembly.