Page 4747 - Week 15 - Thursday, 16 December 1993
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"My concept of Hare-Clark includes above-the-line voting"? Why did she not say, "My concept of Hare-Clark also includes how-to-vote cards. My concept of Hare-Clark allows for party tickets to be lodged."? Why did she not say those things before we went to the referendum? She did not want people to know that that is what she had in mind for us as a community. I am afraid that Ms Follett's mark has dropped from seven out of 10 to four out of 10.
MS FOLLETT (Chief Minister and Treasurer) (3.55): I welcome the opportunity, Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, to contribute to this matter of public importance discussion today. In contrast to the Opposition, whose leader is apparently not confident or not convinced enough to actually lead their criticism of the Government's performance, I am proud, as the Chief Minister, to stand and defend the Government's record in 1993. Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, 1993 can best be characterised as having been a year of solid achievement - - -
Mr Moore: As the year of the shonky electoral Bill.
MADAM TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mrs Grassby): Do you think we could have some quiet from you, Mr Moore. We have had a lot of interjections and I would like to hear the Chief Minister without them.
Mr Moore: It will continue, Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker.
MS FOLLETT: Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, I think that is a contempt of the Chair. Mr Moore, you have just been asked to stop interjecting and you said that it would continue.
MADAM TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: I would appreciate it, Mr Moore, if the Chief Minister could be heard. You seem to be interjecting a lot.
MS FOLLETT: Madam Temporary Deputy Speaker, 1993 can best be characterised as having been a year of solid achievement and stability for the Government, and insufferable childishness by members opposite. The virtue of stability is particularly pronounced when contrasted with an opposition which, as I will comment upon later, is persistently convulsed by uncertainty as to who is actually leading the party. In September I brought down a budget which achieved that important balance between responsibly tackling the ongoing dramatic cuts in Commonwealth funding and building upon our commitment to social justice in the community. As members will recall, the ACT in 1993 and 1994 faced by far the highest single reduction in Commonwealth funding of any State or Territory in history, with the Premiers Conference resulting in a $78.4m cut in the ACT's general revenue grant.
In response to this extremely harsh financial environment, the Government developed a budget which placed the ACT on a solid, medium-term path of restructuring to accommodate this adjustment in a way that will avoid the social dislocation occurring in some other States. I would remind members of the redefinition of the three R's in Victoria - reading, rioting and 'rithmetic. Key features of our budget included a recurrent budget surplus which will ensure that no borrowings are required for day-to-day activities; improvements in our government efficiency; capital works which will generate 3,000 jobs; capital borrowings to fund income producing assets and savings initiatives; and maintenance of a policy of setting aside funds to meet superannuation liabilities.
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