Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .
Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000 Week 6 Hansard (23 May) . . Page.. 1576 ..
MR HUMPHRIES (Treasurer, Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Community Safety) (3.01): Mr Speaker, I present the Appropriation Bill 2000-2001, together with its explanatory memorandum and the following supplementary budget papers:
Budget 2000-2001
Financial Management Act, pursuant to section 13-Budget 2000-
Speech Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2000-2001 (Budget Paper No. 1).
The 2000-2001 Budget at a Glance (Budget Paper No. 2).
Overview 2000-2001 (Budget Paper No. 3).
Budget Estimates 2000-2001 (Budget Paper No. 4).
Canberra: Building Social Capital.
Later this afternoon I will be presenting the ownership agreements and the purchase agreements relating to my portfolios. Other ministers will be presenting the purchase agreements relating to their portfolios.
Title read by Clerk.
MR HUMPHRIES: I move:
That this bill be agreed to in principle.
Mr Speaker, it gives me great pleasure today to present the 2000-2001 budget for the Australian Capital Territory-the first ever balanced budget which, as a result, allows us to invest heavily in building the social capital of our city. This is a budget which contains no new taxes, no new centralised redundancies and no major asset sales. This budget delivers an accrued surplus of $4.2 million, and projections of rises in that surplus in future years. It does that while making significant investments in areas of need in our community. These investments are only possible because we have attained a solid budget position-something which this government has worked hard to achieve since being elected in 1995.
This responsible approach to our budget remains a critical difference between those on this side of the chamber and Labor. We accept that spending more than we earn is a principle of budget management which is fundamentally wrong.
Today sees the dividend of five years of responsible financial management by this government-a dividend which allows us to foster a community which builds, and uses, its social capital. This is a budget which has already undergone significant public scrutiny, following our decision to release a draft budget in January. Since that time, more work has gone into preparing the final budget today, which includes analysis of comments offered by Assembly committees and the community.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .