Page 4737 - Week 16 - Wednesday, 28 November 1990
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
MR HUMPHRIES: I repeat, Mr Speaker, that I believe that it has. I do not wish to give a different answer to that given on the last occasion, but my recollection of that answer on that occasion is that the service offered by the unit will have to, of course, be continued. It will be required because there is a certain need for that service in the ACT. Where it is to be located and what format it will take, I cannot say at this stage. But I would be very happy, as I think I indicated on the previous occasion, to advise the house of the answers to those questions as soon as they are known.
Mini-Budget
MS FOLLETT: My question is to the Treasurer. I ask Mr Kaine: would he inform the Assembly whether his Cabinet will be meeting next Monday to consider a mini-budget? Is this mini-budget necessary because the Government's own budget which was passed only last week no longer adds up - in fact, it did not add up at the time - and because he has personally failed to negotiate the release of funds from the Commonwealth?
MR KAINE: Mr Speaker, the Cabinet will meet next Monday, as it does every Monday. No, it will not be discussing a mini-budget. There is absolutely no need for that as our budget is well and truly in place. As a result of some of the actions that have occurred over the last few weeks, there will be a need to adjust within the budget to take account of changed expenditure patterns resulting from some of the decisions that have now been made. But that in no way entails a mini-budget.
MS FOLLETT: I have a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. Can the Treasurer promise the community that there will be no further increases in taxes and charges this financial year, or will he again be breaking that promise that he will not increase taxes?
MR KAINE: Mr Speaker, the question from the Leader of the Opposition, of course, is predicated again on some notion of ill will or bad will on the part of the Government. I refute that entirely. The answer to Ms Follett, of course, is that there will be no additional taxes imposed this year. The budget is on the table. There is legislation which will go through the Assembly to set in place some of the revenue measures that are already involved in the budget and on which the budget is predicated, but there will be no new tax measures this year. Next year is well into the future and we have already begun the budget process leading up to the budget for 1991-92. There will be many considerations that the Government will take into account at that time, including the total inability of the previous Government to make any decisions about anything leading up to the transitional arrangements on finance from the Commonwealth.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .