Page 156 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 15 February 2012
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amendment. Ms Bresnan’s amendments are to my amendment; so if you do not support my amendment, Ms Bresnan’s amendments do not amend my—
Mr Hanson interjecting—
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Hanson.
MS GALLAGHER: Anyway, it is unusual. It is an unusual position.
But in relation to the growth funding, as we have explained a number of times in this place, in estimates and annual reports hearings, in questions on notice and, indeed, in the growth funding briefing that had been arranged with Mr Hanson that his staff attended, as we have explained in all of those meetings, the growth formula is allocated each year. The budget papers that Mr Hanson has in front of him show the allocation of the funding in that financial year that is embedded in the forward estimates. So across the forward estimates there is an average of about 6.2 per cent growth funding that will be allocated to health. Then when that growth year comes, the initiatives where that growth is allocated are identified in the budget paper.
When we take over funding in 2014-15, a percentage of that 6.2 per cent growth will be allocated to the walk-in centre and will be clearly shown in the budget papers, as Mr Hanson knows, the way it is done now. That is the way that it has been done every year. What? Every year, when we announce the growth funding, you do not believe it is there? That is a new level to the conspiracy theories that exist in this place.
Mr Hanson interjecting—
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Hanson, please remain silent.
MS GALLAGHER: We have taken the responsible decision around growth funding. The Liberal Party never acknowledged that health was going to grow faster than any other area of government and that it should be embedded in the forward estimates of every year.
Mr Smyth interjecting—
MADAM DEPUTY SPEAKER: Mr Smyth, remain silent.
MS GALLAGHER: It should be embedded. It should not come as a surprise to budget cabinet every year that you have to allocate over and above the normal indexation arrangements to government.
What we have done, and I will explain it again for Mr Hanson, is: every year the growth funding for that year is allocated. It grows in addition—
Mr Smyth: Yes, we know that. I started it.
MS GALLAGHER: Mr Hanson does not understand. This is what I am trying to say. Yes, the forward estimates cover the 2014-15 year, but the growth has not been allocated, and it will be in that budget year.
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