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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 11 Hansard (24 September) . . Page.. 3302 ..

MRS CARNELL (continuing):

The development of a more transparent taxation regime is a key financial priority, and I will continue to keep the Assembly informed about progress in resolving the anomalies that currently exist. Delays in receiving specific purpose payments that the ACT will receive from the Commonwealth this year have also made the task of finalising this budget more difficult.

This Government was elected with a commitment to regaining control over the Territory's escalating debt without reducing services to the Canberra community. The financial outcome for 1995-96 demonstrated just that. Despite the significant deterioration in revenue that occurred in the final six months, the deficit position for the general government sector was $30m, almost $15m lower than the original budget estimate. This result, achieved under difficult circumstances, showed that we are well placed to achieve our objectives of reduced debt, cash surpluses and better services for all Canberrans. The budget I am bringing down today will further reinforce this approach.

The ACT is leading Australia in budget management and financial accountability. The financial management reforms we have introduced have achieved what taxpayers and governments alike have always wanted to know: What their services really cost and what they are getting for their money. This budget is the first to be presented by any Australian government in such a comprehensive accrual format. With our financial management reforms, we have achieved in one year what the previous Government promised for four years but could never deliver.

This budget goes beyond the Federal Government's charter of budget honesty. No longer does the Territory focus on inputs, that is, things like salaries, stationery and cars, as measures of performance. Instead, we have moved to outputs, which are the goods and services the Government buys to achieve better outcomes on behalf of all Canberrans. We have introduced the concept of government as a purchaser of goods and services on behalf of the community. Our agencies are recognised as providers of services, so appropriations are, in effect, the price the Territory is prepared to pay for goods and services produced. These and other reforms will, for the first time, give managers the ability to make informed decisions about how the Territory's scarce resources are being employed. Last year, our budget papers provided a level of accountability that was previously unheard of in the ACT. This year, our output statements and other supporting documents have demonstrated that we are committed to open, transparent government and independent scrutiny of our performance and our finances. As well as our "Jobs for Canberra" statement, we have again produced a special budget paper which provides a summary of where your money is being spent and why.

The budget I present today unashamedly reflects this Government's utter determination to bring the Territory's economy back to life. It is about employment, economic growth and urban revitalisation. This budget will create new jobs in the ACT Public Service and provide for numerous apprenticeship and training opportunities. We have also committed significant resources to boost the housing and construction industry and the private sector more generally. We have taken a conscious decision that it must be this Government that takes the lead in restoring confidence in our future. Against this background, we will achieve this without having to borrow and, at the same time, generate a modest cash surplus of approximately $10m. It will also enable us to retire approximately $15m worth of existing debt.

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