Page 757 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 12 March 1991
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MR COLLAERY: Thank you, Mr Chief Minister. The records that the media keep - and they keep some of their tapes and film - will show that on numerous occasions I have expressed admiration for the courage and the tenacity of this Minister, Mr Humphries. That is on the record, and it is on the record in this Hansard. Those who point to some personal clash and to some profound split in the Government are really just pointing in the wind.
Mr Deputy Speaker, the other remark I wish to make is that we have here members of a Labor Opposition who, holier-than-thou and having distanced themselves from the mess that they had managed to achieve in their miserable term, come to us and speak as if they are experts on budgeting. Woe betide this Territory if this crowd get back in. We know that. We have seen how they set up the Bruce Stadium. We have seen how this Treasurer - - -
Ms Follett: Mr Deputy Speaker, I raise a point of order.
MR COLLAERY: This is completely relevant, Mr Deputy Speaker.
Ms Follett: Is this relevant?
MR COLLAERY: Mr Deputy Speaker, I am talking about the budget style of that - - -
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Yes, everything except the Bruce Stadium may be relevant. You might wish to complain about that.
MR COLLAERY: Mr Deputy Speaker, I refer to the practices that this group opposite used when they were in government, and they were to indicate that they needed supplementation when they got out of kilter in their health budget. The Opposition should be well aware that its Commonwealth colleagues use an additional estimates process to cover unforeseen requirements. On my advice it is a formal process, and this Government is doing nothing more than that.
Mr Deputy Speaker, the Ministers in this Government receive regular reports of expenditure in their portfolios. The Treasury of this Government - as the Leader of the Opposition well knows - keeps a close watch on expenditure within the administration, and for the media and for the Opposition also to have suggested that we had complete surprises on our hands greatly overstated the position.
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