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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 6 Hansard (1 September) . . Page.. 1600 ..

MR MOORE (continuing):

Indeed, the majority of the responses are positive ones - things that we will do and things that we have taken on. I do not particularly like some of those in my portfolio area. However, the Estimates Committee has suggested that the Government do things and I believe we have responded positively where at all possible.

There is still the overriding issue that the Chief Minister spoke of - the operating loss that this Territory runs. We have been running a $150m operating loss. I made my commitment prior to the election that I would do what I could to address that, as indeed I know Mr Kaine and other members of this Government did. This Government is determined to do what it can to address that operating loss. Unfortunately, that will mean some hard decisions have to be taken. Mr Kaine, I recall that when you were Chief Minister and I was on an Estimates Committee cross-examining you there were times you said to me, "Mr Moore, some hard decisions have to be made here. We are newly into self-government and there are some financial issues that are going to get harder and harder for this Territory".

Mr Kaine: This is 10 years on, mate.

MR MOORE: Although I argued with you strenuously at the time, I must say I respected your approach because it was open and the community knew where you were going with those issues. You correctly point out now that it is 10 years on. Unfortunately, Mr Kaine, over those 10 years we still have not been able to get our financial circumstances in as good a condition as they should be. We still have a significant operating loss. This budget goes to addressing that operating loss and should continue to address that operating loss. At the same time, we seek to ensure that we have a caring and clever approach to the way we are dealing with things. We could have dealt with the operating loss in one fell swoop, but the damage that would have done to education, health and a range of other issues clearly would have been entirely inappropriate and would not have allowed us to show genuine care in the areas that are most important.

Mr Speaker, I am determined to ensure that we can get the best possible health care for people in the ACT, that we can have the healthiest possible society and, in so doing, that we respond, where possible, to the Assembly. There will be some differences of opinion about what is the best way to deal with it. When I sat where Mr Rugendyke is sitting now, on the crossbenches, and I drew attention to the things that I opposed in the Government's budget when you were part of the Government, Mr Kaine, I also said, "However, the Government is entitled to its budget". The Government is entitled to its budget - I think, Mr Kaine, that is something we would agree on - and the budget is the role of the Executive.

Now, that does not stop you criticising the Government in the way that you have on things such as the Institute of the Arts and the insurance levy, but in the end those are decisions that a government is entitled to make because the way we deal with the separation of powers, the way we have operated in this Assembly, ensures that the Government makes those decisions and wears those decisions. You do not have to wear it and it is appropriate that you criticise. It is appropriate that Mr Rugendyke and Mr Osborne criticise those areas. But, in the end, it is also a case of a higher order principle recognising that the Government is entitled to its budget and can proceed with it.

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