Page 2410 - Week 06 - Thursday, 10 May 2012
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The second one, as mentioned, was the Ashley Drive upgrade. This was about improving traffic flows and relieving significant queuing and delays that are currently being experienced during peak periods at key intersections on Ashley Drive, so it was around improving the traffic flow and so forth. I do note, as has Mr Smyth, that the government has agreed to the public accounts committee report recommendations around that road upgrade project.
There is nothing in this appropriation bill that is of concern to the ACT Greens and we will be supporting the bill this afternoon.
MR BARR (Molonglo—Deputy Chief Minister, Treasurer, Minister for Economic Development and Minister for Tourism, Sport and Recreation) (4.45), in reply: I thank members for their support of the appropriation bill. This could perhaps be a precursor to support for the budget in a few months time.
Mr Smyth: Don’t hold your breath.
MR BARR: Don’t hold my breath? I am sorry; it has just been one of those days where there seems to be a bit of agreement across the political divide on budget strategy. I am still recovering from the shock of the shadow treasurer endorsing an appropriation bill of the government, but that is welcome, and I thank Mr Smyth and Ms Hunter for their comments and support.
Just to reiterate, the bill before us provides for the additional costs to agencies for funding the recently agreed enterprise agreements. We had made partial provision for wage increases in the 2011-12 budget. However, there was a need to appropriate additional funding now that the negotiations have concluded. The $18 million in appropriation for 2011-12 provides for the additional costs of pay increases to territory public servants negotiated through the normal enterprise bargaining processes.
The public service not only represents the largest expenditure component of the territory budget; it is also our greatest asset and one which we should protect, and I am sure all members appreciate this. The government recognise that to maintain a capable workforce, to deliver high quality services to the community, our remuneration must be competitive with those of our state and commonwealth counterparts. With the recent enterprise bargaining outcomes we have not allowed that gap to grow to a level which could result in a leakage of staff to other employers.
The two capital works projects that are authorised through this process, the Malkara hydrotherapy pool replacement and Ashley Drive improvements, are indeed important projects for their respective communities. I note, though, that actual funding of these projects will be managed through capital underspends this year and topped up in the 2012-13 budget. However, commencing work on these projects is necessary now; hence the authorisation contained in the bill.
I thank the committee for their support of the bill and for their report and I commend the bill to the Assembly.
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