Page 4450 - Week 15 - Thursday, 22 November 1990
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The Government has further proposed that, in determining funding priorities and formulating budgets, Ministers will continue to liaise with advisory groups. The revised arrangements will bring the funding of community organisations into line with those of other ACT expenditure programs. It will also enable the Legislative Assembly to decide on community funding priorities through the direct approval of annual appropriations.
Mr Speaker, in order to give legal effect to the decision, it has been necessary to introduce legislation. In addition to this Bill, I will present to the Assembly today the Pool Betting (Amendment) Bill of 1990 and the Gaming Machine (Amendment) Bill (No. 2) of 1990. Together, the Bills are designed to close the CDF and to amend existing legislation to allow gambling levy revenues to be paid to the Consolidated Revenue Fund from 1 January 1991.
I turn briefly to the operation of this Bill. Mr Speaker, the Community Development Fund (Repeal) Bill of 1990 will, from 1 January 1991, repeal the sections of the principal Act dealing with the purpose, method and manner in which funds are advanced from the fund. The Bill, however, also includes transitional provisions. The provisions contained in subclauses 4(1) and 4(2) of the Bill provide that CDF funds which have been committed prior to 31 December 1990 but which remain unspent are transferred to the Consolidated Revenue Fund and that the entitlement of community groups to these funds is preserved.
Funds allocated to community groups from 1 January 1991 have been provided for in the 1990-91 Appropriation Act. Subclause 4(3) preserves the Minister's powers and the provisions in the principal Act which ensure that conditions applying to grants previously advanced from the CDF are met.
In summary, the change in the arrangements for funding community programs will not disadvantage community groups. Entitlements to CDF funds committed for programs before 31 December 1990 are protected by transitional provisions contained within this Bill. The Government has already given a commitment to maintain 1991-92 recurrent expenditure at the 1989-90 levels in real terms. Further, there will still be opportunity for community input to the grant allocation process. Mr Speaker, I now table the explanatory memorandum to all three of the Bills.
Debate (on motion by Ms Follett) adjourned.
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