Page 755 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 12 March 1991
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World Health Organisation of some $20 billion a year spent on Medicare in Australia and $6 billion on preventable diseases. And we do not think that is an opportunity to save money or to increase the health of people in Canberra?
Unfortunately, I have not had time to go through the various systems and the various opportunities we could take to do just that. I certainly intend to raise it - perhaps as a matter of public importance - in this Assembly. I ask all members of this Assembly to take some time to think about this issue. If they are not aware that what we eat and what we do and what we drink, et cetera, have a marked effect on our health, then perhaps they could get one of their advisers to do some research on the subject. Let us work together in bettering the health system within the ACT.
MR COLLAERY (Attorney-General) (4.56): Mr Deputy Speaker, I believe that the alleged budget blow-out propaganda, which is all this censure motion was about, has been adequately answered by those who understand budgets. Just a couple of things struck me, because we have heard all this before across the floor in another guise. I want to read a couple of things into the record from a previous Hansard. On 21 November 1989, my colleague Mr Kaine asked Rosemary Follett, the then Treasurer, about blow-outs, and a $2.5m overrun relating to workers compensation payments in her budget. In her considered response, Ms Follett effectively took the question on notice - - -
Mr Berry: On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker: Is this related to the motion? It is about workers compensation, I think he said.
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Continue, Mr Collaery. I do not think we have got to the point where you have actually ascertained - - -
MR COLLAERY: Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. In her answer, the then Treasurer said at page 2876 of Hansard:
... I indicated that current expenditure was abnormally inflated by workers compensation payments which will be refunded under the new arrangements with COMCARE.
She went on to say that the payments:
are abnormally inflating expenditure for the first quarter, as the refund has not yet been received.
Clearly, what she was talking about, Mr Deputy Speaker, was the concept of budget supplementation. It is a well understood concept; it is a process used in all government budgeting systems. For Ms Follett to use this argument that we are using on 22 November 1989, and then to come here and turn it around and use the reverse argument, shows the height of double standards and hypocrisy.
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