Page 719 - Week 03 - Thursday, 21 May 1992
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Electoral System
MS SZUTY: Madam Speaker, my question is to the Chief Minister. On Tuesday of this week the Chief Minister gave this Assembly a commitment to expedite legislation to implement the Hare-Clark electoral system for future elections in the ACT. During the debate the Chief Minister responded that the notice of motion proposed by Mr Moore went beyond the terms of the referendum that was passed. Can the Chief Minister inform the Assembly as to when legislation is likely to be ready for consideration, and whether the proposed legislation will include provision for Robson rotation and countback?
MS FOLLETT: Madam Speaker, I thank Ms Szuty for the question. I did, indeed, undertake to expedite the preparation of this legislation, Madam Speaker; but I should say that at this stage, since Tuesday, the Government has not had an opportunity to consider the matter. I will certainly take it up with all due haste. Ms Szuty also asked about provision for the Robson rotation. Madam Speaker, I consider myself bound by the terms of the referendum, which I do not currently have with me; but I can assure Ms Szuty that the terms that are provided for a system of rotation will certainly be adhered to. Whether that is exactly as applied in the Robson rotation I am unable to say; but it is certainly a matter that the Government will be considering, and considering with all due speed.
Borrowings
MR KAINE: I would like to address another question to the Chief Minister. I refer to a statement that she made in the Assembly on 7 April. I am paraphrasing; but, after getting past the bit about social justice and that stuff, she went on to say, "We will produce a budget that does not rely on borrowings". More recently in the Assembly she made a statement in which she said, "I do not believe this Territory should borrow for its day to day expenses". Those two statements, of course, are quite different. I ask the Chief Minister: Can she explain the difference? Is this a reversal or a watering down of her previous attitudes towards borrowing, and is this because her growing budget shortfall has changed completely her attitude towards the virtues of borrowing or not borrowing?
MS FOLLETT: I thank Mr Kaine for the question. I do not see a necessary inconsistency between those two statements. It is the fact, Madam Speaker, that this Government will not be borrowing for its day-to-day expenditure, for its recurrent budget. I believe that it would be a foolhardy government indeed that did borrow for those kinds of expenses. So, to that extent, Madam Speaker, our budget does not rely on borrowings. We clearly will not be borrowing in order to ensure the continued operation of services and the continued operation of government functions, and in the recurrent budget that will continue to be the case. We will produce balanced budgets, as we always have done.
Madam Speaker, on the capital side, of course there will be some borrowings. I do not know of any government which would be able to mount any sort of a capital budget without recourse to some borrowings; but I should say, Madam Speaker, that in my last budget we had no new borrowings - a matter of which I am very proud.
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