Page 1876 - Week 06 - Thursday, 2 May 1991
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Currently there is no provision which gives a client of a solicitor the right to receive an itemised statement of costs and disbursements from the solicitor. The Bill will provide for such a right. This will benefit consumers of legal services in the Territory.
A practitioner appointed as queen's counsel for the Territory is required to pay a fee which is specified in the Act. The Bill will provide that such a fee may be set by determination. This will bring the ACT into line with current Territory drafting practice. Mr Speaker, I present the explanatory memorandum for the Bill.
Debate (on motion by Mr Connolly) adjourned.
SUPPLY BILL 1991-92
MR DUBY (Minister for Finance and Urban Services) (10.34): Mr Speaker, I present the Supply Bill 1991-92. I move:
That this Bill be agreed to in principle.
This Bill is to authorise expenditure from the Consolidated Revenue Fund after 1 July 1991. It is an interim Bill which will lapse upon the enactment of the Appropriation Bill 1991-92 which will be introduced into this Assembly with the 1991-92 budget for the Australian Capital Territory.
Supply Bills are the traditional means of continuing government services pending passage of the budget. The Bill authorises an amount of $585,749,200 to be issued by the Treasurer from the Consolidated Revenue Fund. This amount will be issued for the programs specified in the schedule to cover payments necessary for the continuing operation of government services.
The amounts for each program represent approximately five months' expenditure as it is expected that the Appropriation Bill will have come into force by the end of November. No provision has been made for new policy initiatives, as is the usual practice. These and other changes in budgetary arrangements, such as the attribution of rental costs to programs, will be addressed in the formulation of the budget for 1991-92 and will be presented to the Assembly in that context.
Provision of $12m has been included for the Treasurer's Advance. This item can be used to advance moneys only for expenditure which is urgently required for the efficient administration of the Territory and generally covers circumstances unforeseen at the time of preparing the Supply Bill. Section 47 of the Audit Act 1989 prescribes the conditions for use of this advance. It should be noted that the 1990-91 advance of $10m was fully utilised. While
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