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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 12 Hansard (19 November) . . Page.. 3778 ..

MR WOOD (continuing):

I was a Minister. We told the people where there were changes. I can recall the media statements I put out, included in the budget papers, saying where we were reducing expenditure. We were quite open about it. But nowhere have we seen that in the last two budgets. The reductions are there, but they are disguised. Ms Tucker was trying to get a grasp on some of that today, but she was not getting too far in her questions. It is typical of this Government that it deals so much in obscurity. So much is disguised. It is a pattern of this Government.

The budget is not an open response to the problems of Canberra. It is not the best response. The Estimates Committee's report is clearly a strong criticism of the Government in many areas. In particular, it does not deliver on the jobs it promises. Therefore, it does not deliver a budget that is appropriate for the ACT at the moment. It is simply a bad budget.

MR HIRD (8.00): Mr Speaker, I would like, first of all, to draw to the parliament's attention a number of points in the Estimates Committee's report on the 1996-97 budget. The most important is the reference to the budget format. The 1996-97 budget brought down by the Carnell Government is unique, in that this Government is the first in any Australian jurisdiction to introduce output-based accrual budgeting. As a result, the ACT is now leading Australia in budget management and financial accountability.

The output-based accrual budget, supported by agency and ownership agreements, plus performance agreements between Ministers and chief executives, is a clear demonstration of this Government's commitment to open and transparent government and independent scrutiny of our performance. Indeed, so radical is the move forward into the new era of accountability and performance monitoring that some members of the Estimates Committee, especially those with no commercial experience, had difficulty in comprehending the change. The committee process itself was a very useful learning experience. By the end, I believe that the committee had a much better appreciation of the importance of the new budget format, as well as the necessity for the Government's adopting it. Both major parties in this parliament agree that it will provide better accountability for expenditure of the community's money. And you cannot argue with that.

Furthermore, this parliament should be proud of the fact that the Australian Society of Certified Practising Accountants, of which Mr Kaine is a member - - -

Mr Kaine: A fellow, not just a member.

MR HIRD: A fellow, I beg your pardon. The society has acknowledged the introduction of this advanced system of public sector accounting with a major award. This accolade from such a professional body is a feather in the cap of the Chief Minister and Treasurer, Mrs Carnell, and the Government's Office of Financial Management.

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