Page 3039 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 17 October 2007
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That is what Mr Mulcahy says as he comments on our surpluses. But as he spends his $70 million, as he takes his $70 million hit on the budget, all of a sudden the current accounting system utilised by the government is okay; it is legitimate. It has to be legitimate because if it is not legitimate, if we go to Mr Mulcahy’s pure GFS, the $70 million takes us immediately into a $70 million or $60 million deficit. There is no escape for Mr Mulcahy. He has owned up, through his leader and his deputy leader’s—
Mr Mulcahy: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker.
MR STANHOPE: promises of a $54 million spend on health. I am not surprised that he stands up and objects.
Opposition members interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Order! Mr Mulcahy.
Mr Mulcahy: As entertaining as this inaccurate representation is—
MR SPEAKER: That is not a point of order.
Mr Mulcahy: The question was: what are the principles under which the government is operating, not what were my views about the accounting system, which I stand by.
MR STANHOPE: There we go. Then, of course, we can go to Mr Mulcahy’s media release of 8 March 2007. Mr Mulcahy says, “If you look at his budget papers”—that is, my budget papers—“it is interesting to note that under the GFS system,” the one that the government was driven into accepting because Mr Mulcahy trotted off to New York to visit them—
Mrs Dunne: I raise a point of order, Mr Speaker. Mr Mulcahy took a point of order, which you did not address, and the Chief Minister has just continued in the same way. It relates to the question.
MR SPEAKER: Ms MacDonald, just read out your question again, please.
Ms MacDonald: Treasurer, can you advise the Assembly on the government’s approach to budgeting in maintaining the territory’s financial position into the future?
MR SPEAKER: Stick to the subject matter of the question.
MR STANHOPE: I will, Mr Speaker. I will conclude on this remark. In March this year, Mr Mulcahy stated in this place that the true position this year was a negative $80.3 million outcome. That is what he said.
Opposition members interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Order! Chief Minister, resume your seat.
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