Page 2847 - Week 13 - Wednesday, 22 November 1989
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
The second was the provision of a report by the Government on design programs. To paraphrase what I said yesterday, our response was that we could not put forward a detailed proposal on that but took on board the spirit of the Estimates Committee's recommendation. The third matter was the refund of the ambulance levy, and that is covered in the longer report that I tabled in the Assembly yesterday on the question of the ambulance levy.
MR COLLAERY: Mr Speaker, I join with Mr Kaine. Although I was not in the house yesterday, I understand that the Government allowed the recommendations of the Estimates Committee to pass unaltered. I understand that there was a resolution or a vote, or that you put the matter to the vote - I do not have today's Hansard proof yet - and I am troubled about our procedural situation.
Whatever the Chief Minister's reservations, it appears to me on my advice that the Government allowed the Estimates Committee's recommendations to be accepted on the voices. That being the case, we have before us a situation where the Government has accepted recommendations which obviously must lead to a different Appropriation Bill.
Ms Follett: No, they do not.
MR COLLAERY: The Chief Minister says they do not. I would like that point to be clarified.
MS FOLLETT: Mr Speaker, I have just said the same thing twice and I said it yesterday as well. In the Estimates Committee's report three out of the 20 recommendations have a bearing on the budget. I have reported the Government's approach on those three matters. They do not change the Appropriation Bill, so in my opinion there is no reason to do anything other than deal with the Bill that is before us. If there is a lot of confusion, Mr Speaker, the Assembly might wish to consider a very brief adjournment while we clear up the procedural matters.
MR SPEAKER: Thank you for that suggestion. However, I believe it is possible to proceed at this time. I am looking for a nod from the members who raised the question.
MR COLLAERY: For my part, I would prefer a short adjournment so that we can have a round table discussion with the Treasurer and her advisers to determine the manner in which we are approaching this current debate.
MR KAINE: I think that this is a procedural matter and that is why I raised it. I am unclear about the mechanics of it and the Government's position. Perhaps a brief adjournment would be a sensible course of action.
MR SPEAKER: I suggest that the Assembly suspend until 3.30 pm.
Sitting suspended from 3.14 to 3.31 pm
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .