Page 170 - Week 01 - Thursday, 9 April 1992
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Health Business Rules
MR KAINE: I have another question without notice, Madam Speaker.
Mr Connolly: You are cutting out your own members.
MR KAINE: If your members can have two, presumably the Leader of the Opposition can.
MADAM SPEAKER: Mr Kaine moved first; it is Mr Kaine's question.
MR KAINE: Mr Berry yet again in answer to a question has referred to his magical business rules. They are magical because they converted what he used to call budget blow-outs into what he now calls agreed supplementation. My question is addressed to the Treasurer, Madam Speaker, because I know that Mr Berry will not answer it. I ask the Treasurer: What is the difference between these business rules that provide supplementation to the health budget and the rules that provide supplementation to other people's budgets in the Government? Just what is the difference? Why was there deemed to be a necessity for a different procedure for Health from that for everybody else? If there is a difference, is it legal within the Audit Act and the financial rules relating to government transactions? Finally, since these agreed supplementations must be coming out of the Treasurer's Advance, when is the Treasurer going to tell us how much this supplementation is, in fact - and the sooner the better?
MR BERRY: Madam Speaker, I think it would be best if I answered that question because - - -
Mr Kaine: Madam Speaker, I addressed my question to the Treasurer and I would like the Treasurer to answer it. I did not ask him.
MR BERRY: Direct it to the Minister responsible.
Mr Kaine: The Treasurer is the Treasurer, Madam Speaker. I insist. I am not prepared to be fobbed off, yet again, by Mr Berry. I want the Treasurer to answer the question. It is her appropriation, it is her Treasurer's Advance, and only she can answer the question about the Treasurer's Advance.
MR BERRY: You are just going to have to put up with the Minister responsible.
Mr Kaine: Madam Speaker, I take a point of order.
MADAM SPEAKER: I understand your point of order, Mr Kaine; but I believe that the purpose of question time is to receive an answer. If the answer is to come from Mr Berry, then I believe - - -
Mr Kaine: No. I want an answer from the Treasurer, Madam Speaker; not from Mr Berry.
MADAM SPEAKER: The Treasurer has asked the Minister responsible to answer the question. I believe that it is appropriate for the Minister who is responsible to answer the question.
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