Page 3038 - Week 10 - Thursday, 15 September 1994
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We went further than that, though, Mr Deputy Speaker. We said, "Do not just stop there. There are other ways that you ought to look at to reduce the price of petrol". One of the most obvious ways, of course, is a reduction in the government levy on petrol. That has all sorts of ramifications because, if we save $9m by reducing the price of petrol by 1c, 2c or 3c a litre, or whatever is required, then obviously we are going to have to pick up that $8m or $9m somewhere else. There are clear ramifications; but at least in that case the pain would be spread across the community, as opposed to being applied to a small group of business people. It does seem to me that when we deal with compensation in such circumstances - when we talk about where there is a direct impact - it is an issue that ought to have been taken into account.
Mr Deputy Speaker, we heard in submission after submission a series of people arguing that the Minister ought not be able to make these decisions and there should have been a whole range of processes beforehand so that he would follow standard bureaucratic process, which would have come out with a different result. I do not accept that. One of the most important things, I think, that should be taken from this committee's report is that it at no stage said that the Minister ought not to have made this decision. It recognises, very clearly, that the Minister ought to be able to make a decision but, equally, he must also wear the ramifications of that decision. I think that through the five or so years of Labor government very little has been done; people have avoided decisions - other than those that are safe and bureaucratically secure - when, in fact, there was a problem which needed a resolution. In this case the Minister decided that that was a problem.
Debate interrupted.
ADJOURNMENT
MR DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! It being 4.30 pm, I propose the question:
That the Assembly do now adjourn.
Mr Berry: I require the question to be put forthwith without debate.
Question resolved in the negative.
PUBLIC ACCOUNTS - STANDING COMMITTEE
Report of Inquiry into Petrol Supply Arrangements
Debate resumed.
MR MOORE: Nevertheless, the Minister recognises and realises that he is responsible. Ultimately, he is responsible to the people of Canberra as, indeed, his Government is. Of course, that responsibility is one that he, like all of us, will face within the next few months.
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