Page 2477 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 6 August 2013
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As I said, there are a range of other recommendations that I will leave to members to read. But what I would like to do, in conclusion, is thank the members of the committee, particularly Mick Gentleman as deputy chair, Chris Bourke and Brendan Smyth, for their diligence. One thing that the committee has all agreed on is the superb effort of the secretariat staff. And I would like to particularly thank Nicola Kosseck, the committee secretary, and wish her well on behalf of the committee for her future endeavours, most particularly a baby that is due soon. We will find out whether perhaps delivering an estimates report is more difficult than delivering a baby if she can come back to us and let us know when she returns from mat leave. And to all of the other staff, thank you very much.
Finally, in accordance with standing order 253A, I would like to present to the Assembly a schedule of questions on notice for which answers are still outstanding. The standing order provides a process for handling outstanding responses.
DR BOURKE (Ginninderra) (10.40): Unlike Mr Hanson’s assertion, as deputy chair of the select committee considering the 2013-14 budget, it is clear to me and Mr Gentlemen that the ACT government’s overall vision is delivering a responsible budget that leads a way back to surplus. Our view is supported by the CIE, the independent budget adviser advising the committee in their final report. This budget is also about maintaining jobs in the ACT public service at a time when employment, including public sector employment, in Canberra is under threat. The budget is also about doing the essentials needed to deliver good government to the people of the ACT, while at the same time, I am pleased to say, advancing longer term projects for revitalising the city and transforming Canberra, such as city to the lake, capital metro and the University of Canberra hospital.
The 2013-2014 estimates committee held 12 days of public hearings which generated 1,296 pages of transcript. The chair’s draft report went for 204 pages, with 137 recommendations. The government members of the committee, Mr Gentleman and I, produced an additional 496 draft recommendations.
Unfortunately, Madam Speaker, this work was marred—
Members interjecting—
MADAM SPEAKER: Order, members! Dr Bourke has the floor. Dr Bourke.
DR BOURKE: Unfortunately, this work was marred, marred by the poor chairing of Mr Hanson, firstly, in the hearings where he, despite regular protests from committee members, allowed opposition committee members and MLA visitors to the committee vastly more questions than the government committee members. This is in contrast to his public statements last year when he demanded, in the Canberra Times, that the democratic basis of the committee be protected and all members get a fair go.
Secondly, Mr Hanson repeatedly badgered and bullied witnesses during the hearings, even after we challenged this behaviour. There is nothing new there, it is his modus
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