Page 4425 - Week 15 - Tuesday, 19 November 1991
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I would hope that the next Estimates Committee would request that not just the actual expenditure but also the commitments be provided on such graphs. I think that we may well see, once again, a different picture as far as expenditure and commitment go. The exercise of asking for that information in the same way as the exercise of asking for information right across the Estimates Committee is in itself such an important process that it keeps people on their toes. I think that it should be recognised for its own value.
For me, one of the great disappointments of the Estimates Committee this year compared to last year was that the Ministers were in a position often to throw a response back to a previous Minister and say, "Well, this occurred under your ministry". Therefore, that let them off the hook. I felt that that was a major disadvantage. I imagine that it is one that we will see less often in future years as we get more stable government in the ACT, as I expect. I think most people would agree that a change of government three times over the last three years has had major disadvantages in many ways.
Mr Kaine: Would you like to make it four, Michael?
MR MOORE: Mr Kaine interjected, "Would you like to make it four?". That is something on which I am always prepared to negotiate.
The other areas, I think, have been taken up very well by other members, with the exception of the $1.2m funding reduction for the police. The issue over the police rescue services and the overlap with fire services was raised in the Estimates Committee. The response was received only, I think, some one week ago. I think it reflects very badly on the police force that the response took so long in coming.
Mr Humphries: Or the Minister.
MR MOORE: It reflects badly on the police force and the Minister that the response has been so long in coming. I believe that it is a response that we should have seen at the time that the debate over the $1.2m budget cut was in full flight. We may need to retain that rescue service, but that issue remains to be sorted out. I am not convinced that we do need to retain it, but there may well be some very important arguments there. There certainly is clear room for budgetary savings there, in these tight economic circumstances.
I think all members recognise the constraints under which this budget was formed and I think they have responded responsibly in those terms. I have commented previously on how the three budgets that were brought down by Chief Ministers have all been very responsible in terms of budgetary constraints - I think, in stark contrast to a number of other States. It was inappropriate, therefore,
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