Page 31 - Week 01 - Tuesday, 7 April 1992
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To put it in context, I would like to say that the long term "AA+ with a positive outlook" rating places us ahead of all States except Queensland and New South Wales, which both have AAA, which is the highest rating available. Western Australia also has AA+, but without the positive rating. South Australia and Victoria are AA and Tasmania is AA-. The Northern Territory has not been assigned a rating. I think it is a very good outcome, Madam Speaker, and I think it is one that the whole Territory can be proud of.
Borrowings
MR DE DOMENICO: Madam Speaker, I would like to refer my question without notice to the Chief Minister. I refer the Chief Minister to the ACT Labor Party manifesto, page 22, paragraph 5.4.2, which says:
... Labor believes borrowings are an appropriate method of funding.
Given that the Chief Minister today has already admitted a forward estimate shortfall as a result of on-budgeting for - - -
Mr Berry: I take a point of order. Madam Speaker, this seems to be a question in relation to Labor Party policy.
MADAM SPEAKER: If it is a question of policy, Ms Follett may then choose not to answer it, Mr De Domenico. I will let you finish the question.
MR DE DOMENICO: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I will start again because I do not think many people would have heard it, seeing that I was interrupted. Given that the Chief Minister today has already admitted a forward estimate shortfall as a result of on-budgeting for unpromised Commonwealth funding, is the Chief Minister planning to borrow, in accordance with the ALP platform, to finance the shortfall, and at what cost will this borrowing be to the ACT taxpayer?
MS FOLLETT: Madam Speaker, I thought I had made clear in my answer to Mr Kaine's earlier question our attitude on borrowing. In our last budget, which is the last evidence you have of what we actually do about borrowing, we had no new borrowings. I would ask you to compare that with what Mr Kaine did in his one and only budget.
Mr Kaine: The Labor Party policy is meaningless, except when you want to invoke it. Is that the situation?
MS FOLLETT: Madam Speaker, I do not believe that Mr Kaine, in his interjections, has very strong grounds for criticising me. It was, in fact, his own period in government which saw the greatest level of borrowings.
Mr Kaine: Are you going to reject an abortion clinic as well? That is in your policy too.
MADAM SPEAKER: Order! Let the speaker be heard in silence, please.
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