Page 1715 - Week 06 - Tuesday, 3 May 2005
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Budget 2005-06—
Financial Management Act, pursuant to section 10—
Speech (Budget paper No 1).
Budget at a glance (Budget paper No 2).
Budget overview (Budget paper No 3).
Budget estimates—
Budget paper No 4.
Budget paper No 4—Appendix.
CD—Budget 2005-06.
Supplementary budget paper—A guide to changes in 2005-06 budget presentation.
Later this afternoon, I will be presenting the ownership agreements and the purchase agreements relating to all portfolios.
Title read by Clerk.
MR QUINLAN: I move:
That this bill be agreed to in principle.
Mr Speaker, it is my honour to rise today to deliver the 2005-06 budget for the Australian Capital Territory—the fourth of the Stanhope government. The budget continues to deliver on this government’s commitments. It is both financially responsible and responsive to the needs of our community. This budget continues the substantial progress of the past four years, provides new programs and new funding for targeted services, and continues to invest in our infrastructure.
Mr Speaker, the 2004-05 operating result is estimated to be a $52.2 million surplus. The government’s stated policy is the provision of a balanced budget over the economic cycle. Successive production of budgets that are balanced over the forward estimates period of four years will obviously—obvious to most—lead to achievement of the stated policy. Although this budget will provide a deficit in the next financial year, it is estimated to achieve a modest surplus between now and 2008-09. The general government aggregate result of the budget and forward estimates is a surplus of $22 million.
As predicted in the 2004-05 budget, the 2005-06 budget is in deficit. The 2005-06 general government sector deficit is $91.5 million. While this is indeed a substantial change from last year’s estimate, it is worth understanding that there have been several quantum shifts in funding pressures since the Stanhope government came to office.
Three major reports have identified areas that were inadequately resourced, probably since self-government—the Gallop report on disability services, the McLeod report on the response to the 2003 bushfire, and the territory as parent—Vardon—report on child protection.
Between 2002-03 and the end of this forward estimates period, the government will provide additional funding for disability services of $75.7 million, particularly as a response to the Gallop report. Child protection and family support have proved to be an
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