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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 07 Hansard (Tuesday, 29 June 2004) . . Page.. 2996 ..

MRS BURKE: No. You see, Mr Hargreaves, eventually there comes a time near to the election when we can say, “We’ll take responsibility; we’re in government; we should be making the decisions.” There is an enormous amount of money being pushed towards child protection, but it is under this Labor government that matters have gone unchecked. It is no good continuing to push the line that problems go back years.

The government said it was going to be the saviour of the city. Well, here we are: what a fiasco! What a cover up! What a sham! It is nothing more than an audacious attempt to bury the real facts and sideline responsibility, no matter how much money you put into it. The fact is we are told that this money will make a difference. I am sure it will. Large amounts of money are going to increase resources.

The minister is aware; and she will have something to say on this, that I am very concerned about the culture within the department. That does not come from me alone; it comes from the people who approach me constantly about this matter. You can smirk, Mr Quinlan. I do not know who talks to you; perhaps nobody does. But I certainly get a constant flow of calls, emails and letters, which I pass on to the minister and/or to others: there is a culture there. I really want to move forward, like the minister, but you have to address some of the problems. You cannot keep glossing over things in the hope that they will go away.

It is quite clear, from the many figures that have been bandied about by the minister—and the Chief Minister, come to that—that the minister and her department are in disarray. I can say that because I have a sheet here full of child protection funding, and I will list some of the items. It is worth it for the public record to see the number of times different figures have been raised. The clear figure, we are told now, is $71 million, but there have been many different figures cited. Budget paper 4 on page 348 shows $7.382 million; budget paper 4 at page 339 shows $1.615 million; budget paper 3 at page 183, new initiatives, shows $2.845 million, $46,000 and $6.152 million.

A media statement put out by Mr Stanhope on 14 May said $1.8 million in February, then it said $37.2 million over four years. The Canberra Times on 18 May said $1.8 million and then $40 million over four years. In another media statement put out by Mr Stanhope on 25 May—at the media launch at the Assembly—he said $75 million. In a media statement, again by Mr Stanhope, on 25 May on ABC radio he quoted $68 million and $70 million.

In the estimates hearings we heard $61 million over the period of funding, and we heard $24 million—I presume that must be a one-off. It says that $61 million in new funding has been allocated to support children at risk over the next four years. This includes moneys from the third appropriation of 2003-04 and an additional $24 million to be allocated in response to the Territory as Parent. The total proposed annual budget for the area is approximately $33 million.

The funding allocation, I have to say, is all over the shop. There are no clear figures about what is being spent where, unless the Treasurer is going to stand up in a moment and tell me everything—or perhaps the minister will stand up. This is a great little game, isn’t it? It is just a shame that we do not have the facts to hand to know what you are

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