Page 1402 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 26 September 1989
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
I am very bewildered by these suggestions because I believe that the other parties in some way regard the Government's proposal to refer the budget to an estimates committee as some indication of indecision or lack of commitment by the Government to the budget. But in fact, Mr Speaker, the purpose of an estimates committee, as I am sure most members would know, is to provide Assembly members with an opportunity to question Ministers and officials on matters to do with the funds the Government is seeking from the Assembly itself. In other words, the estimates committee is all about the legislature having the chance to effectively scrutinise the actions of the executive arm of government. What is more, the Government does see the use of an estimates committee as an integral element of the way in which this Assembly actually debates the Appropriation Bill, which I will be introducing later on today. The report of an estimates committee to the full Assembly would form the basis on which the detail stage of the budget debate could occur.
So given that background, Mr Speaker, I am very surprised indeed that Mr Collaery and Mr Kaine appear to be promoting the view that the Assembly should not take up its responsibility to the people of the ACT to fully scrutinise the expenditure proposals that the Government has put forward and to fully debate those matters.
Mr Kaine: I can assure you that they will be scrutinised.
MS FOLLETT: I am also surprised that there does appear to be some confusion in some party leaders' minds on the question of community consultation concerning the budget and the question of an estimates committee. The community consultation which has taken place over the past couple of months, I believe, has been a very valuable process and has enabled members of the community, interest groups, individuals and so on - - -
Mr Kaine: On a point of order, Mr Speaker, I thought the question was addressed to estimates committees, not community consultations. Would the Chief Minister answer the question and only the question?
MR SPEAKER: The point of order is overruled. Please proceed, Chief Minister.
MS FOLLETT: Thank you, Mr Speaker. As I was saying, there does appear to be some confusion over the consultation process which has been undertaken as part of this budget and the role of an estimates committee, which is a process available to members of this Assembly, as was, of course, the consultation process, but they did not all take up that opportunity fully. But they are two quite different processes, one of which is available to the public at large and one of which is a special arrangement made with members of the Assembly to enable them to make detailed consideration of all the matters in the budget. I see the use of an estimates committee, as indeed the use of a
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .