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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2002 Week 10 Hansard (27 August) . . Page.. 2792 ..

MRS DUNNE (continuing):

This is a simple and straightforward proposal that puts into effect a decision made by Mr Wood when he was minister for planning in about 1994 to allocate some land in Fadden and Gowrie to a public park. I commend the report to the Assembly.

Debate (on motion by Mr Corbell ) adjourned to the next sitting.

Estimates 2002-2003-Standing Committee

Report-government response

MR QUINLAN (Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development, Business and Tourism, Minister for Sport, Racing and Gaming and Minister for Police, Emergency Services and Corrections) (10.38): Mr Speaker, for the information of members, I present the following paper:

Estimates 2002-2003-Select Committee-Report-Budget 2002-03 (presented 20 August 2002)-Government response.

I move:

That the Assembly takes note of the paper.

The government is quite proud of this year's budget. It has been set in an economic and financial climate that is tighter than that experienced by our predecessors over the past two years. It delivers an aggregate surplus over the life of the budget and forward estimates and an expected surplus for the 2002-03 financial year.

This budget also presents our vision for shaping Canberra's future. It outlines what we stand for and how we deliver on our priorities. And this budget delivers on the promises we made to the citizens of Canberra leading into the 2002 election.

Mr Speaker, the select committee's report discusses a wide range of issues. However, there do not appear to be any major issues that go to the fundamentals of the budget. Certainly it would have given the government greater satisfaction to have been able to address more areas of need in the community. However, financial constraints will always exist.

The government's response addresses the Estimates Committee's 65 recommendations on their merits. I will not take the Assembly's time by working through the 65 recommendations. They are discussed in the response document. I will nevertheless touch on a few.

Firstly, I observe that several recommendations reflect discussion in the estimates hearing that in turn centred on when and how the government was implementing several of its programs or projects. We appreciate that the Assembly members wish to be fully appraised of the government's actions, and we will do what we can to provide such information. However, sometimes it may not be possible or advisable to telegraph all of our actions or all of the options. As stated, we will do our best.

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