Page 819 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 16 June 1992
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with fewer resources. To assist in this better management agenda, the Government is committed to a significant increase in training for staff at all levels. We want to make the training more relevant, of a much higher standard and more widespread across the service.
The Government will continue the approach adopted in previous years of investing additional funds in restructuring projects to achieve long-term savings. Before agreeing to invest funds in projects of this nature, however, we will closely scrutinise the expected outcomes to ensure that the investment is soundly based and the required savings are achievable. To ensure that we are getting value for money, every government program has been asked to review its current resource levels and develop a planned, strategically-based approach to efficiency gains over the next three years.
The Government acknowledges that this is a massive task, but we must cut costs to live within reducing revenues. Reliance on incremental reductions is unlikely to be sufficient on its own. We also need to concentrate on areas where there is clearly considerable scope for efficiency gains. Madam Speaker, we could, in theory at least, choose to spend as much or as little as we like on any particular area of government, irrespective of how much any other State spends; but we must always be conscious that the total bucket is not bottomless, and that more in one area means less in another. I cannot stress too greatly that the ACT community must adjust to the realities of living within our diminishing means.
In the health area, gains are already being made. Our major priority will be to continue to pursue the achievement of significant returns from the very considerable investment of public money in hospital restructuring. Given the modernisation of the hospital structure, we must aim for increased cost-effectiveness and better work practices.
In the light of the Government's commitment to a high-quality education system and the non-closure of schools in this term of government, we must focus on improving educational outcomes. We must also look at the costs of education services, and look to efficiencies in the delivery of those services. There is also an urgent need to greatly improve the consistency of post-compulsory education programs in secondary colleges and TAFE.
The cost of our public transport system is another area receiving close scrutiny. We have already delivered substantial savings and will continue to ensure that this important public service provides an efficient and affordable alternative to private transport.
There is also scope to further cut costs in government accommodation by continuing to reduce our reliance on rented and high cost accommodation. We need to pursue the selective sale and redevelopment of land and buildings that are not benefiting the community or the Government. In particular, Ministers will look at the usefulness of various depots located throughout the city. Unions will be involved in a consultative process as part of this review.
Madam Speaker, in any forward-thinking approach we must be conscious of the fact that Canberra's remaining land is limited and that our ever-expanding suburbs have an increasing social, budget and environmental cost. The pattern of growth in greenfields areas is adding significantly to demands for new capital works and to the day-to-day costs of providing services. Moreover, the population in established areas has been declining for many years.
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