Page 2057 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 21 June 2005
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As far as the chair shutting down the debate for those opposite is concerned, I would like to refer to some figures that show that the Labor members of this committee used up just under 21 per cent of the time. Dr Foskey used slightly more with nearly 22 per cent of the time. But those opposite, the two Liberal members, actually took 57.26 per cent of the time. So we can see that they were shut down and not allowed to talk!
During my time in estimates over the past few weeks examining in detail every appropriation made in this budget, I was impressed by the management and leadership shown by the ACT cabinet. I believe the role of the estimates committee is not to micro-manage government policy, nor it is it to pass judgment on the priorities of a government. Rather, it is to ensure that the appropriate accountability mechanisms are in place so that the Assembly can be assured of the sound financial management of the territory. Unfortunately, at times the opposition members of the committee became a little too eager to run government from the opposition benches and tried to overstep the role given to them by the voters of the ACT.
In difficult financial circumstances, with unprecedented financial pressures emanating from years of neglect by the former Liberal government in the areas of disability support and child protection and following the disaster of the 2003 firestorm, we have a responsible budget. The examination of this budget showed that this government is meeting the emerging needs of the Canberra community in a timely and responsible manner and for that I commend the government.
The government, in its decision to ensure service delivery to the people of Canberra, has called for efficiencies and this will mean alterations to the make-up of the government work force. At this stage of the cycle it appears it is necessary to make some labour force cutbacks. However, these were discovered to be in the areas of administration rather than in service delivery. Through the estimates questioning process, ministers explained where these cuts were coming from within their particular departments. This was a facet of all ministers’ presentations before the committee and in my opinion the departments and their responsible ministers are doing everything in their power to minimise the social cost of the streamlining process and are looking for innovative solutions to the challenge before us.
I would particularly like to congratulate the government on their obvious commitment to the key governmental areas of health and education. The budget commits over $680 million to the health sector in the ACT, with new initiatives to minimise the risk to Canberra mothers in childbirth and significant stimulus to reduce waiting lists in dental care and in elective surgery, as well as over $2 million to install state-of-the-art medical technology in our hospitals; all of this on top of 20 extra beds in ACT public hospitals. The ACT government is committed to the health and wellbeing of ACT residents. Unlike the previous administration, it has put its money where its mouth is.
Similarly, this budget exemplifies the ACT government’s commitment to education. This budget has honoured its election commitment to improve school infrastructure. In only the first year of its new term it has allocated over $8 million to this worthwhile task. Additionally, the government has allocated over $3 million to vocational education in order to address the ACT’s skills shortage. These are just two areas where the ACT
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