Page 617 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 11 February 2009
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We are very good at twisting. We get the spin; we hear it from the minister. But the reality is that large amounts of the money that went in early on in the term of this government were simply for administration. It was an accounting treatment. The previous minister got himself into some trouble over this, and you need to be careful, minister.
I just want to finish by again commenting on what Mr Hanson said about the way this report has just magically appeared. We have certainly asked for reports in the past and had hoped for the support of the Greens. We did not get to see things like the Costello review, for instance. It is very important that these things be made available. The Costello review actually had a lot to say about health as well, apparently. But none of us know because none of us have seen it.
The fundamental foundations of this government’s reform strategy in 2006 that was meant to bolster the economy and save us from downturns, and apparently has chronically failed, is the Costello functional review. It really is about time that the Costello functional review was made available. We hear it from the Chief Minister every day. He refers to embedded savings, that we have done the hard work, that we are set for the future. Clearly, it has failed.
The problem is that none of us know whether those statements are valid because none of us were allowed to see the review. I wish it would be as easy when the opposition asked for a document to be tabled for it to be just be proffered up, though I guess we are not members of the Greens-Labor alliance, the GLA. Obviously, there will be two standards of treatment in this place for at least the next three—
Ms Gallagher: Get used to it.
MR SMYTH: “Get used to it.” There we go; a confirmation. Thank you, minister, for confirmation. If you are in the alliance, you get whatever you want. You get documents early, you get briefings early, you get special treatment. “Get used to it,” she says. “Get used to it.” So there we are. That is the condition of the Greens-Labor alliance that we had not heard about, that there will be preferential and special treatment.
I guess the Greens, in terms of their social platform about equity and justice for all, will have to address this, Madam Assistant Speaker. They will have to address this. They will have to address this in that there is now preferential treatment in the Assembly, confirmed by the Deputy Chief Minister, that if you are a member of the GLA—sign up to the agreement—you get preferential treatment. So much for more honesty, more openness, more accountability. The community will judge both the Labor Party and the Greens on the GLA as it goes forward over the next couple of years.
In regard to the motion, it is nice to see that the draft report has been released. A question also for the minister—perhaps I missed it and she said it—is when will the final report be received and when will it be made?
Ms Gallagher: Well, who knows? There is a lot of work to be done.
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