Page 1157 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 22 August 1989
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
was given the Field Government in Tasmania. We have heard no comment from the Chief Minister why Tasmania gets off paying its $48m debt and why we should still have scheduled in the budget papers of this Territory an acknowledgement that we are to hand over that $67.7m. (Extension of time granted)
The efficiency of the Federal Budget in its impact on the Territory requires detailed assessment and analysis. To receive a one-page assurance that all is well, that everything is okay, in a thankful tone is not reassuring to the ACT people.
Mr Speaker, there are clear issues in the Federal budget papers that do impact on the Territory. Let me give just one example in the time allowed to me. The Federal budget proposes that no new subsidised overseas students come into this country after 1990 for higher education and technical and further education courses and that private overseas students will, in future, be full fee paying students. That is a profound decision. It is taken after a number of reviews, including the Jackson committee review, with which I am familiar. But it requires comment from a city so dependent for its image and some of its income on subsidised students and scholars in this Territory. At a time when the ACT has perhaps the most vibrant TAFE network in the country, we are giving up the chance to bring in here subsidised students. I speak particularly of those from the Third World, Pacific rim countries - Tonga, Vanuatu and other places.
Mr Speaker, that is one aspect that this Minister failed lamentably to address in the budget. There are many other examples, but I do not believe I should detain the house any longer on those issues, other than to say finally that the Residents Rally believes that the steady-as-you-go, cynical Federal budget that really has hidden expansionary issues in it is no document that this Chief Minister should have applauded. She has her own problems with her budget. We will reserve comment on those for another occasion.
MR DUBY (4.03): Mr Deputy Speaker, I join with Mr Kaine and Mr Collaery in commenting on the almost lackadaisical attitude adopted by the Chief Minister in relation to the Commonwealth budget and its effects upon the ACT. This budget was brought down a week ago. There are quite disturbing features in it for people who, like me - and I do not class myself as an economic expert - have to wade through these figures. The bottom line is that it appears that funding for the ACT from these figures is reduced by the order of $148m.
When inquiry was made of the Government, as Mr Collaery has also brought to our attention, the day after the budget, there was a steady-as-she-goes, everything-is-okay statement released by the Chief Minister. What are we provided with? There is this cryptic piece of paper which details astronomically large amounts of money - $67m, $47m for superannuation, and $30m cuts in expenditure on education -
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .