Page 492 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 20 February 1991
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In response to changing circumstances during any year, governments determine policy options that may generate a surplus or deficit in any particular budget or any part of the budget. The budget is not a static thing. It changes from day to day. It requires constant and daily management. Mr Berry asked a question yesterday about the state of the budget for the hospitals. The Treasury will be able to tell us what the state of the budget is for the hospitals - whether at this moment it is a little above or below the expected level and what the expected outcome is - and that is because it is managed daily. It is no surprise, as it was no surprise to Mr Berry last year that he was $7m outside of budget. He knew that. The problem was that he did not do anything about fixing it. So the information is there and it can be properly managed and it is being properly managed.
Mr Speaker, I totally reject the premise of Mr Moore's proposal. Under part 4 of his proposal he intends that the Public Accounts Committee should take over the role of the Government. The budget is an instrument of government policy, yet he is going to have the Public Accounts Committee come back and tell me how I should spend any surplus on the budget. That is not a matter for the Public Accounts Committee; that is the responsibility of the Government and of the Treasurer in particular.
I do not need the advice of the Public Accounts Committee as to what to do with surpluses, if any, on my budget. Last year we made a very sound decision to use the budget surplus to assist the restructuring of the hospital system. That is a matter for the Government to determine, not the Public Accounts Committee. While the Public Accounts Committee might give me the benefit of their expertise - the present chairman did not do so well when she was Treasurer of the ACT, although I am quite sure she is happy to give me further advice now anyway - I will look at that advice, but I am not going to be bound by it. It would be foolish for any treasurer of this Territory to say that he or she is going to be directed by the Public Accounts Committee as to what they will do with their budget.
Mr Moore: You are talking nonsense. Since when have you been bound by any committee?
MR KAINE: It is an absurdity, Mr Moore. The whole motion is an absurdity; it is unnecessary. I suggest that you let the Estimates Committee and the Public Accounts Committee get on with what they are already empowered to do - not ask another committee to do what your Estimates Committee should have done - and let the Public Accounts Committee get on with their real business. That is not to intrude into the prerogative of the responsibility and rights of the government of the day.
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