Page 1550 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 18 May 1993
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
In a recent radio interview, Ms Follett's Minister for Health gave the most garbled explanation I have ever heard about his method of calculating the health budget. Mr Berry virtually admitted that the health budget was a sham, that it was not based upon real figures and it did not need to be, because he could run back to the Treasurer for an advance. Mr Berry also said:
A reasonable estimate was made on what last year's performance would be. We knew that we would be able to approach Treasury if there was a change, but we had to do it on the basis of accurate figures.
Mr Lamont: Mr Deputy Speaker, I draw your attention to the appropriate standing order in relation to relevance.
MRS CARNELL: This is exceedingly relevant.
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, I am sure that you are moving to relevance, but I do have to uphold the point of order. We are discussing the 2020 report.
MRS CARNELL: The basis upon which I am making these observations is that it is absolutely impossible to plan for the year 2020 if you cannot manage this year. If it is impossible for the Health Minister at the moment to manage and to be able to predict from one budget year to the next budget year and to keep the budget under control, then how in heaven's name can you - - -
Mr Lamont: Mr Deputy Speaker, can I try for a pair on the point of order as far as relevance is concerned?
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Chair does not recognise you now, Mr Lamont, because you are not sitting in your place. I allowed you one latitude; I will not allow you any more.
Mr Lamont: I rise on a point of order in trying to get a double up on relevance. I do think it is - - -
Mr Kaine: You will get a double up on suspension if you keep this up.
Mr Lamont: That is fine. Relevance is a problem.
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Lamont, I can recognise you now. I think the Leader of the Opposition is addressing the question, though I would ask her to concentrate a little more on the 2020 report.
MRS CARNELL: Again, the point I am making is that it is very difficult for this paper on health to be taken in any way seriously if at this present moment it is impossible for the Government to budget from one year to the next and come up with any reasonable data on what is going to happen in our health system, even 12 months down the track.
The health paper brings forward a number of interesting ideas. I would be interested to know how the paper was written. It seems to me that a number of people sat down and thought of all the interesting things that might happen at some stage in the future, but nobody actually put those interesting possibilities
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .