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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 13 Hansard (2 December) . . Page.. 4362 ..
Clause 9
MR BERRY (Leader of the Opposition) (9.23): Mr Speaker, I move:
Page 3, line 28, proposed new subsection 34A(2), omit the subsection.
The Financial Management (Amendment) Bill (No. 2), on page 3, refers to end-of-year balances of departmental banking accounts. Proposed subsection 34A(1) reads:
Where at the end of a financial year amounts appropriated for a department for that financial year are held in a departmental banking account, the amounts may be applied after the end of that financial year for the purposes for which they are appropriated.
That rollover seems to be pretty straightforward and quite acceptable, because for some years there has been some concern about those issues. But proposed subsection (2) concerns me. It reads:
Where at the end of a financial year a departmental banking account has a debit balance, the Chief Executive of the department shall devise and implement a scheme to recoup the amount of the deficit.
The chief executive might then earn the title of chief schemer to ensure that these deficits are recouped. I like the way that that is put. That is a curious provision. I would like to hear the Chief Minister's argument in support of it, but at this point I would not support such a move. It is an issue of clarity and transparency and an issue which should not be dealt with in house. It ought to be more transparent than the proposed subsection suggests.
MRS CARNELL (Chief Minister and Treasurer) (9.25): I do not have any notes on this one. I did not think this one would be important if we had already passed the first one. I do not understand what Mr Berry is talking about.
MR HUMPHRIES (Attorney-General) (9.26): Mr Speaker, the Opposition stands condemned for its irresponsible attitude on these matters. Their complete disregard for the principles of fairness and equity which so clearly imbue all that they do in this place has once again shown itself in an ugly fashion with this contemptible amendment of Mr Berry's. We on this side of the chamber will uphold the true amenity and benefit of the Territory - - -
MRS CARNELL (Chief Minister and Treasurer) (9.27): Mr Humphries, you can sit down now. The reason that we are having a bit of trouble with this one, Mr Speaker, is that we cannot quite work out what Mr Berry is trying to do with this amendment. Mr Berry's view is that if somebody - - -
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