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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 4 Hansard (30 March) . . Page.. 1125 ..

MR MOORE: Thank you very much for that question, Mr Hird. I am prepared because I suspected I might get a question along those lines. Mr Quinlan still has not publicly accepted his errors, which is a pity, because they were obvious mistakes and he should be embarrassed.

Mr Quinlan: Mr Speaker, I take a point of order. Could I suggest that Mr Moore be allowed to incorporate his answer in Hansard, given that it is pre-written?

MR SPEAKER: There is no point of order.

MR MOORE: I can understand Mr Quinlan's sense of humour about these things, because it is embarrassing. For Mr Quinlan's information, a few simple facts are important. The Government has injected an amount of $4.259m to index the health portfolio - - -

MR SPEAKER: Excuse me, Ms Tucker. Could you have your discussions outside if you wish to have them, particularly during question time.

MR MOORE: Ms Tucker, I encourage you to listen. This is very important to your understanding when Mr Quinlan approaches you with his ideas. You need to have some facts in front you. Firstly, the Government has injected an amount of $4.25m to index the health portfolio for inflation in the next budget. Secondly, the Government is proud to say that additionally it has injected $5.11m into the health portfolio to make allowance for estimated growth in service provision. I am sure you will be pleased about that extra $5m for service provision.

MR SPEAKER: Mr Hargreaves, excuse me. You were complaining about the same thing this morning. Would you mind having your conversation outside?

Mr Berry: I take a point of order. It is an entirely different thing. Another member asked the question, not Mr Rugendyke.

MR SPEAKER: I know, but if people wish to have discussions they should leave the chamber. I am tired of the constant chatting that is going on when people are speaking.

MR MOORE: We are very proud of what has happened in the draft budget. In the following three years the injection grows from $5m - we are putting an extra $5m into service provision - to $9m, $13m, and $20m by 2003-04. These are large sums of money for additional service provision. In total, the government payment for outputs goes up by $8.8m next year. No ifs, no buts - an increase of $8.8m. We are also providing $1m on top of that to the YMCA to assist their Ronald McDonald House project. So this coming year there will be $10m in increases.

It is worth taking a moment to dwell on the importance on the growth needs funds. It is a new initiative adopted in the draft budget and represents very significant extra money for health. As I said a moment ago, by the fourth budget from now, they will have increased our provision for health services by over $20m.

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