Page 4409 - Week 15 - Tuesday, 19 November 1991
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In question time we heard just what that rate is today for youth unemployment. Chief Minister, you criticise Brian Howe strongly for saying that the heat is on State and Territory governments to prove their commitment to increasing employment. Jobs, particularly for young people, are needed. Funding for tourism is not to remain as it was last year. The Government could immediately reinstate that tourism funding to last year's levels and do something positive to increase employment.
Mr Speaker, the committee's report, on page 17, addresses concerns relating to consultants, particularly those used where Government Service employees should have been able to perform the function. There was $15,000 spent on the preparation and management of information about the 1991-92 budget. That function could have been carried out by the Public Affairs Branch. Again turning to the tourism portfolio, some of the concerns relating to staff selection consultancies are detailed at page 18 of the report. Community health services and, in particular, the public health concerns are also well documented in the report, as is the Health Promotion Fund on page 21.
The reduction in funding to the three non-government schools should be reversed. Not only has the Minister not visited the AME School, or he certainly had not when he appeared before the committee, but also, in terms of notice given to schools and parents, it was totally inappropriate. I appeal to the Government to support the funding reinstatement recommendation listed at recommendation 3.64 in the committee's report.
Regardless of the police Minister's statement that the cut to policing is a very modest $1.2m, or 2.25 per cent, it is quite substantial. The committee considers that the reduction may not be in accordance with the agreement with the Commonwealth, and I totally support the recommendations on page 24 of the report. Negotiations must continue with the Commonwealth as the Commonwealth must fund more than the 88 positions out of the 706 police positions in the ACT. We are all aware of how often the policing role is performed for the Commonwealth.
Mr Speaker, in conclusion, I consider that the committee has identified certain areas of major concern, although, as I said at the outset, there are other concerns. Unfortunately, time does not permit me to elaborate on them. I have not even mentioned the health portfolio and the problems associated with getting accurate information or the ramifications of the budget reduction in funding. We have seen many examples of that over recent weeks. Mr Speaker, my thanks go to the committee chairman, to those members who participated in the committee's deliberations, to the committee secretary, Karin Malmberg, and to all the committee office staff and Hansard staff. I commend the report to the Assembly.
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