Page 1825 - Week 07 - Tuesday, 15 June 1993
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
Mr Kaine asked also about education. The twenty-seventh pay is an issue for education, and also the fact that the first pay is due on 1 July 1993. The education amount also includes some increased Commonwealth payments by way of specific purpose payments. Under the Canberra Institute of Technology there is a capital amount which is considerable. That is a provision for expenditure on the international hotel school. It is a provision; we are not sure whether that amount will be required in the supply period or not, but we have made provision for it.
Madam Speaker, I think those are the major issues that the two speakers have raised. I do not agree with Mr Kaine that the budget is not open to scrutiny. Of all parliaments, this one has had probably more open budget processes and more scrutiny than any other I know of. Certainly, with the Estimates Committee processes, with the tabling of financial reports on a quarterly basis, with Treasurer's reports and so on, there is a lot of opportunity for members to query how the budget is going. I take Mr Kaine's point that at this stage of the year the next opportunity for members to scrutinise these matters will be after the close-off of this budget, when we get our end of year figures and work out exactly how everybody did go in the budget sense. We are very close to that point now and, again, members will have the opportunity, through the estimates process, to scrutinise all of those expenditure areas. I am sure that they will take up that opportunity with vigour, as they have done in the past.
I commend the Supply Bill to the Assembly. I will take on board members' comments about providing more information in the future. I think that is a matter that could well be considered. I take their point that, where there are major variations, it might be worth a comment in the introduction.
Question resolved in the affirmative.
Bill agreed to in principle.
Leave granted to dispense with the detail stage.
Bill agreed to.
BETTING (TOTALIZATOR ADMINISTRATION) (AMENDMENT) BILL 1993
Debate resumed from 20 May 1993, on motion by Mr Berry:
That this Bill be agreed to in principle.
MR DE DOMENICO (9.18): Madam Speaker, let me say from the outset that the Opposition will be opposing this Bill. We will be opposing it most vehemently because, to sum it up in a few short words, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it". It is not broke. I do not know why Mr Berry has his cotton-picking fingers mixed up in this; he should leave it alone.
Let me give some background first, Madam Speaker. On 13 December 1990 the Gaming and Liquor Authority of the ACT was abolished. The totalisator function previously carried on by the authority was transferred to a new entity called ACTTAB Ltd, and a public company incorporated under the corporations law.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .