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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2003 Week 7 Hansard (25 June) . . Page.. 2506 ..
MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER: You don't need leave, Treasurer; leave is not required.
MR QUINLAN
: I table the following paper:General Government Sector Operating Result-2002-03 Estimated Outcome.
This brief document gives the latest estimate, an estimate that has been given in this place at question time before. It was given by Mr Stanhope; it was given by me. Should we take a recess before we discuss the motion?
MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER
: Are you drawing attention to the state of the house, Treasurer?MR QUINLAN
: I'm just drawing attention to the fact that the mover of this motion and the bloke that actually needs to learn a little bit isn't here and might come back.Mr Stefaniak
: He's just had an urgent phone call. Just carry on.MR QUINLAN
: Urgent phone call, my foot! He gets out another press release which says, "Conspiracy, conspiracy."I think Mr Smyth, in matters financial, has some difficulties of explanation. We've seen over the years the perpetuation of the untruth of the fabled $344 million deficit. It's not true, but it's been repeated and repeated.I have been encouraged-and I mentioned it yesterday-that there seems to be a growing understanding that things financial, no matter where you are, are fluid; just as so many other things in life are fluid. As the common measure of much of what governments do is dollars, then the movement of other things compounds upon the level of dollars.
Let me assure this place that, when I've been satisfied as to the numbers, I've informed this place of the bottom line as it has been relayed to me-not within five minutes, but when I've been satisfied that that figure should be put forward. That has been ever thus. Governments don't come in every day and say, "By the way, we've got a meter,"like a jackpot string of poker machines with the figure ticking up and down.
In these pieces of paper that I have distributed, or will be distributing, or have distributed and taken back and will be distributing now-
MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER
: Treasurer, the papers have been tabled. It's up to members then to request that from chamber support. Ms Dundas has already done that. It's members' responsibility to do that, not yours.MR QUINLAN
: Can I seek leave for them to be distributed to all members?MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER
: You can make a request.MR QUINLAN
: Thank you. I so request that they be distributed.
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