Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .

Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 7 Hansard (6 June) . . Page.. 2004 ..

Estimates 2002-2003-Select Committee

Establishment

MR WOOD (Minister for Urban Services and Minister for the Arts) (11.41): I move:

That:

(1) a Select Committee on Estimates 2002-2003 be appointed to examine the expenditure proposals contained in the Appropriation Bill 2002-2003 and any revenue estimates proposed by the Government in the 2002-2003 Budget.

(2) the committee be composed of:

(a) two Members to be nominated by the Government;

(b) two Members to be nominated by the Opposition; and

(c) one Member to be nominated by the ACT Greens or the Australian Democrats;

to be notified in writing to the Speaker by 4.00 pm today.

(3) the Committee report by 15 August 2002.

(4) if the Assembly is not meeting when the committee has completed its deliberations it may send its report to the Speaker or, in the absence of the Speaker to the Deputy Speaker who is authorised to give directions for its printing, circulation and publication; and,

(5) the foregoing provisions of this resolution so far as they are inconsistent with the standing orders, have effect notwithstanding anything contained in the standing orders.

Members will anticipate the great occasion it will be when they welcome the first Stanhope-Quinlan budget. I am sure they will enjoy being on this estimates committee and examining that. It is a process well established here. I think the names of the people who are likely to be nominated before 4 o'clock are already known, and I commend the motion to you.

MR HUMPHRIES (Leader of the Opposition) (11.46): Mr Speaker, the opposition supports the reference of the budget to the Estimates Committee as usual. Composition of the committee seems to be appropriate. We have traditionally had two members of the crossbench on the committee but, in the present circumstances of a smaller crossbench than usual, I think one member is adequate-and I assume the members can sort out which of them prefers to take that spot.

I think it is important that the budget receive the usual and full scrutiny which would be expected after, particularly, the first budget of a new government. It would be the view of the Liberal Party that there should be an attempt to be able to seek some public submissions on the effect of the budget and perhaps to conduct hearings involving ministers in the last two weeks of July in order that there would be a chance for the budget detail to be digested and for the ministers to explain their views about how their budget affects particular portfolio areas.

Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . .