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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 2 Hansard (11 March) . . Page.. 628 ..
MR OSBORNE: Was. It is still a problem though. I would also like to see the rule of efficiency laid over the Government's business incentive scheme. If the Government truly wants my help in formulating a budget then it can come clean and give this place a complete account of what has been spent so far, in what ways and to what effect. I believe a significant amount of money has been wasted on business and welfare and it is time to stop throwing good money after bad. I would like a complete cost-benefit analysis of this section of the Government's business.
Moving on to roads, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker: Is it my imagination or is every square inch of road in Canberra being repaved at the moment? I know that maintenance is better than letting the asset run down completely, but I question the amount that we spend on roadworks in this Territory. It may be that we have to put up with streets that are a bit more like those of Sydney and Melbourne in the future to try to save some money.
Finally, Mr Temporary Deputy Speaker, before the last election I proposed significant changes to the way this place was run. I proposed that we look at a number of options for using the complete talents of this place more completely in the budget process. I proposed a draft budget and was ridiculed by the Government for not having every element of how the proposal would work in place before floating the idea. As I have said, I wish I had the Government's resources. This is an issue that has been covered in the review of governance committee. I was interested recently to see the Business Council of Australia proposing a more open budget process nationally where business could have an input into the way the Federal budget was formed. I have found in my four years here that things - - -
Debate interrupted.
MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! It being 5.00 pm, I propose the question:
That the Assembly do now adjourn.
Mr Smyth: I require the question to be put forthwith without debate.
Question resolved in the negative.
Debate resumed.
MR OSBORNE
: I have found in my four years here that things are shouted down as impossible only when the Government does not want them to be done. Letting this parliament have a meaningful say in the budget process is not a novel idea. The
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