Page 2076 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 28 May 1991
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Mr Duby: Which Act are we talking about?
MS FOLLETT: The Supply Act.
Mr Duby: Of 1990?
MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Duby, I warn you. Please talk through the Chair.
MS FOLLETT: Mr Speaker, the Government had the opportunity to include as much money as it liked in last year's Supply Bill, and it bungled it. Mr Duby finds that enormously amusing; but he might, in fact, serve this Assembly, not to mention the ACT, a bit better if he were to read his own Act for which he is responsible.
We are left asking whether they literally blew the money by spending it faster and with less control than even they thought possible. How come they got supply so wrong that the Treasurer was forced time and time again to go to the Treasurer's Advance to pay salaries? There is no explanation for it. I believe that, whatever the reason last year, we are entitled to ask whether the Government has made adequate provision for the continuing services of government over the next five months. Perhaps the 20 per cent overall increase in this Supply Bill over the last one is designed to make sure that the Government does not run out.
I give notice to the Minister, Mr Duby, that during the detail stage we will be asking questions about the basis for the figures in his Bill. For example, why is there a 25 per cent increase in this Supply Bill for hospital services? And why is there a 30 per cent cut in the provision for public and community health services? I suggest that Mr Duby address some of these questions in a serious way, and attempt to give some answers in the chamber during the course of debate on this Bill. As I have said, the Labor Party will support the passage of the Bill as a matter of principle, as I believe that it is the only responsible thing to do. But we will not be party to rubber-stamping an important piece of legislation when this Government demonstrated only last year that it cannot get it right.
MR STEFANIAK (8.37): I am glad that the Opposition is, in fact, going to support this Bill. I noted with interest the comments that the Leader of the Opposition made, firstly in relation to what conservative governments have done with supply Bills in the past. I think there is really only one example where anything was done, and that was in relation to the Whitlam Government in 1975.
Mr Wood: In New South Wales in 1931 - Philip Game.
MR STEFANIAK: There might have been some threats, Mr Wood, and I think I can recall some threats made by Labor parties in opposition in relation to supply Bills. I cannot recall
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