Page 2584 - Week 12 - Wednesday, 15 November 1989
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Government that it cannot or will not put into effect its budget decision and it cannot control the expenditure of the money that is available.
In conclusion I would like to say that this Government showed some clear undertakings in its budget statement which it does not now apparently wish to implement. If it cannot get this function right, how is it ever going to succeed further down the track in getting extra money for funding the upgrading of the Royal Canberra Hospital in order to maintain it as an effective community hospital?
The Government must make some hard decisions and the Minister must take some responsibility for his portfolio. Part of that responsibility is being accountable to this Assembly and to the community, which so far he has flatly refused to acknowledge.
MR MOORE (4.01): In rising to take part in the debate on this matter of public importance, I must say I am disappointed that the Liberals have not shared with me the document that they have, because I feel that I would have been more able to support their arguments.
Mr Kaine: The Government will not share its document. Why should we share ours?
MR MOORE: It looks as if I miss out both ways, does it not, Mr Kaine?
Mr Humphries: I offered you a copy, Michael.
MR MOORE: When?
Mr Humphries: When I saw you yesterday.
MR TEMPORARY DEPUTY SPEAKER (Mr Jensen): Mr Humphries, would you mind allowing Mr Moore to continue, and address your remarks through the Chair.
MR MOORE: Yesterday in question time the Liberal Party asked several questions without notice and I understand that it also tabled a further 70 questions which were taken on notice. Given that the Liberal Party - and presumably Mr Humphries in particular - hopes that the answers to these questions will go a considerable distance towards supporting Mr Humphries' suspicions, including his allegations of mismanagement within the health system, I feel that raising this issue in the Assembly before these answers were available was a little premature. What the Liberals are asking us to do is, in effect, condemn a Minister and at a time when the evidence which may well back up that condemnation is not yet available. I grant the Liberals the right to have their enthusiasm, because for once in this Assembly they have managed to sink their teeth into what seems to be a very juicy bone. But this bone may, of course, prove entirely illusory.
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