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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1999 Week 5 Hansard (6 May) . . Page.. 1575 ..

MS CARNELL (continuing):

need to be resolved before a working model can be introduced on the issue of social

accounts. Again, there are difficulties in definition and management. Until a generally supportable conceptual and reporting framework is developed, the issue is far too early to legislate.

Mr Speaker, the proposal does refer to the possibility of incorporating environmental and social accounts into the financial management framework. I accept that that does not say that it needs to be done this time. But I have to say that a lot of work has been done already by the Government and others and we are still quite a long way away, as I have said, from definitions and conceptual approaches. For a review of the operation of the Financial Management Act - and Mr Quinlan might listen for a moment as he will have to conduct this inquiry - to incorporate at this stage the possibility of incorporating environmental and social accounts into this particular framework would seem to be taking a fairly fundamental leap in any data that we have on the table. From Mr Quinlan's perspective, it would be a big job to look at this Act to start with, let alone look at new areas that do not have definitions, not even conceptual agreements, yet. I have absolutely no problems with an Assembly committee looking at this issue again. Remember, we do have a paper on the table which has had no input whatsoever from this Assembly, not even from the Greens, because it is too hard.

Mr Quinlan: Get some soldiers ready. I feel a departmental work recommendation coming on.

MS CARNELL: Mr Speaker, we have done it. We can give it straight back to you, Mr Quinlan. The ball is back in your court if you want this provision in this inquiry. Again, the motion does not say that it definitely has to happen, but it does seem to me to be detracting from the work that this committee could do in looking at an Act that is currently on the table. I suppose almost as much work as went into the Financial Management Act would go into establishing conceptual guidelines and definitions on the whole deal, Mr Speaker. I just ask for comment.

MR SPEAKER: Chief Minister, may I suggest that you foreshadow your amendment.

MS CARNELL: I foreshadow the amendment circulated in my name.

MR SPEAKER: Thank you. Mr Quinlan, would you like to - - -

MR QUINLAN (11.03): I foreshadow the amendment circulated in my name, Mr Speaker.

MR SPEAKER: No, I would like you to move it, because it precedes the Chief Minister's amendment.

MR QUINLAN: Mr Speaker, I move:

Question resolved in the affirmative.

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