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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 3 Hansard (27 March) . . Page.. 723 ..

MR MOORE (3.38): Mr Speaker, I must say that this is a most disappointing statement. Rosemary Follett, as Chief Minister and Treasurer, was able, for the first time, to deliver a budget at a time which enabled us to consider and pass the Appropriation Bill before half the money had been spent. It seemed to me, Mr Speaker, that we were on target for delivery of the budget. I know that there are some serious ramifications for the budget that come out of the Premiers Conference. When you put back a budget, a whole series of things happen in terms of the Public Service and the way people relax and do not meet the goals that they have been asked to meet. We will be asked to pass a Supply Bill.

Mrs Carnell: No, you will not.

MR MOORE: We will not be asked to pass a Supply Bill?

Mrs Carnell: Hopefully not.

MR MOORE: We have an indication from the Chief Minister that we will not have to pass a Supply Bill.

Mrs Carnell: A financial management Bill, but not a Supply Bill, hopefully.

Mr Whitecross: She has renamed it.

MR MOORE: Indeed. She will rename it; but, speaking in terms of the current jargon, there will be a Bill that provides supply until we can consider the budget. I can understand why the Chief Minister would be particularly embarrassed by this. It seems to me, Mr Speaker, that it is an issue that members will need to discuss further. One of the reasons why some of us were supportive of the Chief Minister having extra time for the budget last year had to do with her suggesting that she wanted a three-year budget. She wanted a whole series of things and she needed more time. I was supportive of that and believed that that was appropriate.

Mrs Carnell: Michael, you cannot bring down a budget before you have had a Premiers Conference.

MR MOORE: I hear the Chief Minister interjecting constantly that we cannot do it because we do not know how much money we are going to get - - -

Mrs Carnell: Or how we are going to get it.

MR MOORE: Or how we are going to get it, until the Premiers Conference; but often, in terms of budgeting and in terms of other processes, we make projections. We do a whole series of things that are entirely appropriate.

Mrs Carnell: But you cannot put a budget together on projections when you do not know how much money you are going to get.

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