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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 2 Hansard (9 March) . . Page.. 396 ..

MS CARNELL

Members of this Assembly would be aware that the budget overrun at Canberra Hospital is expected to cost up to an additional $10m. Certainly, we hope that it will be less than that, Mr Speaker, but there is an overrun. Members of this Assembly would be aware that the potential costs associated with the hepatitis C financial assistance package are $8.68m, with at least $5.8m required next year, in 1999-2000. Mr Speaker, it has nothing to do with this Government; it has nothing to do with this Assembly; but it is a reality nonetheless.

With regard to public transport, while the EBA negotiated with the TWU delivered productivity savings, these are only sufficient to maintain ACTION's costs on the forward estimates. The revenue shortfalls still need to be funded from budget, and ACTION will require about $1.2m in recurrent funding. In addition, it requires $7.2m in cash capital injection to maintain operations. And that is on top of, and after, the EBA negotiations.

Mr Speaker, in urban services, with the growth of the city, an additional $1m is required for mowing the grass. It seems like a little thing, but that is just to respond to the complaints and requirements of the community generally.

In areas such as justice and community safety, significant pressures exist in corrective services areas. I will mention just two areas. There are quite a number. Let us just look at prison and remand arrangements. Increased numbers of ACT prisoners in New South Wales gaols, plus increases in charges from New South Wales, mean that this year, in 1998-99, we will face extra payments of $1.2m, while in later years the increases are in the order of $2.2m, rising to $4.7m by 2002-03. Mr Speaker, there is not much that the Government can do about that, I have to tell you. We are looking at a private gaol in the ACT, but those figures are in place now. There is not much that we can do - in fact, there is nothing that we can do - except pay.

Mr Speaker, increased pressure on the Belconnen Remand Centre, including the need to expand capacity in 1999-2000, means additional costs of $0.2m this year and $1.3m in 1999-2000, rising to $1.4m in 2002-03. There are a range of other pressures on the corrective services system. For example, improved correctional health services would involve over $0.2m annually. Those services have been requested - required - by coroners and by members of this place. Again, it is not something that is easy for any government to say no to.

The renegotiation of the 1990 agreement with the Commonwealth concerning community policing will require us to better define the outcomes and outputs we want, and there are indications that we will have to pay more if we want to maintain existing services - not more services, Mr Speaker, but more for existing services.

Pending changes to the criminal injuries compensation arrangements, the blow-out in the amount for damages and settlements under existing arrangements is likely to be $3m this year. Unless this Assembly comes to grips with that, that will just get worse. It will be a challenge, Mr Speaker, a hard decision; but at this stage you would have to say that it is hard to find members of this place with the sort of backbone to take these decisions on board. And this Government is a minority government. We cannot do it on our own.

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