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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 6 Hansard (19 June) . . Page.. 1839 ..

MRS CARNELL (continuing):

The committee has recommended that a domestic violence project coordinator position be established. The Government, in its response last year to the Community Law Reform Committee Report No. 9 on domestic violence, announced its decision to establish a Domestic Violence Prevention Council, not a statutory position of domestic violence project coordinator. The Government made it clear at the time, and it remained the Government's view, that the structure which has been proposed for the council will provide the policy and procedural framework to achieve a coordinated interagency response to domestic violence. It would be premature for the ACT to commit itself to the establishment of a statutory position of coordinator before the extent of demand for a full-time coordinator's services is known and it has been possible to evaluate how the structure the Government is proposing has worked. These are issues which will be examined by the council, and we will revisit this issue in light of the domestic violence strategy that the council produces.

Mr Speaker, turning to the 1997-98 budget itself, I believe that it provides a sound basis for responsible and accountable financial management over the next three years. The forecast general government sector operating loss for 1996-97 is now $201m - an improvement of $31m compared to the published budgeted operating loss of $232m. The 1997-98 budgeted operating loss of $211m is an improvement of $13m against the estimated 1997-98 operating loss published in the last year. Total Territory debt of $54.547m was retired in 1996-97, and no new borrowings are forecast for the 1997-98 budget and forward estimates in the general government sector. Our AAA credit rating was confirmed in April. Mr Speaker, I commend the Government's response to the Estimates Committee report on the 1997-98 budget to the Assembly.

Debate (on motion by Ms McRae) adjourned.

MR HUMPHRIES (Attorney-General and Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning): Mr Speaker, I indicated to the Assembly yesterday that I would be presenting the determination of fees for Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. What I can table today, and I now do so, is a copy of the determination relating to the fees for Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, together with the explanatory memorandum. I have in fact made this determination, but I am advised that the determination needs to be gazetted before it can be laid before the Assembly formally and before any process of disallowance, should any member wish to initiate such a process, can be commenced. For the information of members, today I am producing a copy of the determination, which I am advised will be gazetted tomorrow and formally laid before the Assembly on Tuesday.

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