Page 422 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 27 June 1989
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is a matter of routine - it is a housekeeping Bill - but it is essential that we obtain funds to continue government programs through to the end of the year. The Bill, of course, does just that; it represents a continuation of existing programs. It contains no new policy, and for that reason I think that some of the debate that we have heard would have been perhaps better delivered during the budget process.
Because so many speakers have raised issues of priorities in the budget and of difficulties with the budget, I would perhaps like to outline very briefly what kinds of consultative mechanisms are proposed for the budget. It is something that we have been through before, but it is a very important part of the Government's commitment to openness in government and to a consultative process that is all-embracing and a very meaningful arrangement.
As members know, we have to pass the Supply Bill in June; that is a routine matter. Towards the end of July, a broad budget strategy document will be produced, and I expect that that strategy will have a couple of separate items. One will be an outline of major initiatives, and that will be put up really as a catalyst for community consultation and a round of consultation on the eventual budget. The other aspect that might be put up at the end of July is an outline of what is proposed for the capital works program and some revenue measures.
The reason for that July statement is to establish consultation. Members know that this Government is committed to consultation on the budget, as it is on all other matters. So the July statement will ensure that there is a real basis for consultation, and we will be pursuing that quite vigorously. It is intended that the Government will be introducing the budget in September. That will represent the results of our consultation process and I hope, for that reason, that it will be a very effective budget that should not give too many difficulties to the Assembly.
That brings me to the next point, which a couple of speakers raised, which is the period of supply that is proposed in the Bill that is under debate. It is a six-month period, as opposed to the more usual five-month period. I should say two things about that. First of all, the six-month period is really just an attempt by the Government to err on the safe side. In other words, this is a very new assembly and this will be our first budget; we are all new in this Assembly and we have allowed an extra month for us to complete what has to be completed.
The other thing is if there is a period of supply remaining after the Appropriation Bill is passed that supply simply lapses. It is no great disaster, no great encumbrance; supply simply lapses. It might help if I were to run through with members what the Federal Government does about supply. It has a five-month period for supply - July to
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