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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 6 Hansard (16 May) . . Page.. 1698 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

This budget also includes measure to rein in expenditure. Mr Quinlan referred to the pharmaceutical benefits scheme, for example. Obviously, no-one likes to see expansion reined in. No-one likes to see money having to be cut or saved. But a certain amount of crocodile tears is being shed over these matters in this place. The idea of increased co-payments for pharmaceutical benefits, for example, reminds me that it was a federal Labor government which first suggested co-payments for Medicare services. So I do think Mr Quinlan can beat his chest with any great realism and say how shocking it is that people should be asked to pay additional amounts for provision of basic health services.

An important part of this federal budget is the intergenerational report examining the impact of current polices and trends on the Commonwealth budget over the next 40 years. That has very important implications for state and territory governments as well-direct ones, such as on health and education spending; indirect ones, such as consequences for the care of aged people and the product of our immigration polices over the next few years.

It is important that in the ACT we take up the issues raised in that important paper and we make sure we act to project a forward frame of mind on the way in which this territory can position itself to be financially secure in the same time frame as is talked about for the period of this paper-that is, until 2042. It means that in the ACT we need a disciplined approach to budgeting; we need to continue transparent reporting of both intentions in the budget and outcomes; and we need accountability for decisions and for results.

Obviously, this federal budget has serious implications for the ACT budget, which is just one month away. Given the steady growth of the federal budget and the economic stability of recent federal and territory Liberal budgets, it is important that that stability not be upset by what happens in the ACT. As we know, it is increasingly unlikely that the territory will be in loss this financial year, and the basis for the government to conduct a slash and burn budget is increasingly shaky. I hope the lesson that you can be tough but strong, you can be forward-thinking even when you are managing the bottom line in a responsible way, is a message which is getting through to the local Labor government.

I want to respond to a couple of things Mr Quinlan said. There was a bleat about how the federal government won the last election-the "we was robbed" line. We have heard that before, and I think we will hear it again. It fails to acknowledge some serious problems with federal Labor which some of Mr Quinlan's federal colleagues are facing up to. It is a pity Mr Quinlan does not face up to those as well.

Mr Quinlan complains about election budgets here and in the federal scene. I find that very hard to understand. If Mr Quinlan is saying, "We will never deliver an election budget," then I will take him at his word and I will rest assured he can make these criticisms. But I have never seen a Labor Treasurer anywhere of any complexion who refrained from delivering election budgets. I very much doubt, with great respect, that Mr Quinlan is the man who is to break that mould.

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