Page 1322 - Week 05 - Thursday, 18 June 2020

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(6) calls on the ACT Government to table, by the end of this sitting day, the Government’s:

(a) operating statement;

(b) balance sheet; and

(i) year-to-date; and

(ii) estimated outcome for 2019-20.”.

I have circulated a straightforward amendment which adds three points after the existing motion from the Treasurer, Mr Barr. As my colleague Mr Coe has already outlined, the Canberra Liberals have tried to take a constructive approach to the response to COVID. We have advocated for rent relief; drive-through testing; a place for the homeless to sleep; relief for pubs and clubs, and small businesses; and many other measures.

We realise that this is a difficult and challenging time for the ACT, for Australia and, indeed, for the world. That is why we have asked for additional consultation and information. We want to continue being constructive, where that is appropriate, but we want to ensure appropriate transparency and accountability and information.

That is why we are asking, in this amendment, for consultation with all leaders of all parties in the Assembly before measures are publicly announced. We have asked for information to be tabled about the government’s operating statement, balance sheet and cashflow to the end of 30 April. I note, and it is noted in the amendment, that the commonwealth government provide monthly reports; they publish the general government sector monthly financial statements.

If the federal government, with all the complexity that is involved in it, can publish monthly reports then, surely, in our smaller jurisdiction, we have these reports already available. They must be reported on monthly, so they could be made available. The amendment is straightforward: three additional points to Mr Barr’s existing motion. I look forward to the support of this Assembly for this amendment.

Debate (on motion by Ms Le Couteur) adjourned to a later hour.

Financial Management Amendment Bill 2020

Debate resumed from 4 June 2020, on motion by Mr Barr:

That this bill be agreed to in principle.

MR COE (Yerrabi—Leader of the Opposition) (11.53): The Canberra Liberals will be supporting the bill today, continuing in our bipartisan, collegiate approach to this pandemic crisis. The Assembly has agreed to delay the handing down of the 2020-21 budget until after the election later this year. Therefore, this bill is necessary to appropriate funds to ensure that the government functions throughout this period.

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