Page 1062 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 23 June 1992
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QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
Budget Consultation
MR KAINE: I address a question to the Chief Minister. I refer back to her budget strategy statement of recent date, at which time she said, in connection with the budget:
It is now time to start a wider consultative process, reaching out to the whole community. The community must have a say in our planning for the future. Indeed, the plan cannot succeed unless it has the confidence and support of the community.
I ask the Chief Minister: Is this just another Labor con, or is it real? Secondly, if it is real, what are the mechanisms through which this consultation is intended to take place? Do they exist, or have they to be created? If they do not exist, when will we see them, and how will the public be informed of what they are?
MS FOLLETT: Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank Mr Kaine for the question. I can assure him that the statement that I made is not a con. In fact, I take exception to that word. I am happy to elaborate on the consultative process that I have traditionally put in place around budget time in order to involve the community more broadly in the decisions which affect them. Members who have read the statement, as Mr Kaine has, will be aware that I have had a preliminary round of consultations, particularly with peak organisations such as the Canberra Business Council, the ACT Council of Social Service, the Trades and Labour Council and so on. Now that the strategy statement has been made, that statement will be made available to anybody who wants it but, most particularly, will be sent to the organisations whom I will be seeking to consult further.
Mr Deputy Speaker, I know that many copies of the statement have already been sent out. I repeat that it is available to anybody who wishes to have a copy. I am very genuine in my view that people have a right to have their say on matters to do with the budget. I hope that the further round of consultation will lead to the same sorts of discussions as I enjoyed before the strategy statement was released. We are very fortunate in our community, in that there are a great many organisations that not only seek an involvement in the budget and in government decisions but also have an extremely valuable input to make. That has been my experience to date. I expect that it will be my experience in relation to the strategy statement which has been made. Indeed, I look forward to hearing from as many people as wish to make a comment.
MR KAINE: I ask a supplementary question. That means, I take it, Chief Minister, that the only people who will comment are those who, first of all, know that you are seeking inputs and, secondly, belong to a community organisation through which they can make such a submission; and the rest of the people do not count.
MS FOLLETT: I think that I have made the point that anybody who wishes to have a copy of that strategy statement is welcome to have one.
Mr Kaine: They have to know about it first.
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