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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 8 Hansard (28 August) . . Page.. 2602 ..

MR BERRY (continuing):

some money out of it. Those who stand to make money out of it want to hang onto it for a day or two longer. I rather suspect that that will be the Commonwealth. I think many millions of dollars is going to be collected in the stuff that is made round to go round. Mr Speaker, this is a pragmatic approach to a particular problem that came like a bolt out of the blue, and I trust that it will work.

One other matter which I have discussed with the Chief Minister and Treasurer is the issue of how we report whom these payments are made to. It raises another curious problem. How can we breach the privacy required under various tax and revenue-raising pieces of legislation? I suspect that we might have to discuss that more. I think it has to be reported in some way, so that it can be demonstrated in the books that the money has flowed to the Territory and it has flowed to the person entitled to receive it. It has to be quantified and set out somehow. They are comments that people may wish to take on board. I would be very interested in furthering that discussion to determine how we can do that in a way that would satisfy an auditor.

MR MOORE (12.10): I rise to support the legislation and the approach taken by the Leader of the Opposition. It seems to me that for a very difficult situation we have a rather pragmatic response. It is appropriate that it be dealt with quickly so that the people who are dealing with the Federal Government can proceed. It is a very unusual approach. It is for that reason that in discussions I asked that we put a sunset clause in this legislation. I am very pleased that a proposed amendment recognises that and that the legislation will cease to have effect on the expiration of 30 June 2000.

The main reason I was interested in that is that, if we do go through this very strange process of payment under certain agreements with the Commonwealth in any other form, then the Assembly really ought to know about it. I do not foresee it happening, but I was uncomfortable with the notion that this would sit in the Financial Management Act until somebody trying to work out a clever way to use money might look at it and say, "This might be a possible way". I think it would be cleaner to deal with a specific situation. That is what we are asking for. I think a period of a few years to allow this to settle down is a very good idea. It has a second benefit, a side benefit, as I see it, in that it puts pressure on to make sure the matter is resolved in a sensible way as quickly as possible. I will be supporting the legislation.

MS TUCKER (12.12): The Greens also will be supporting this amendment today. It is indeed a necessary pragmatic response. It has been made necessary by the High Court decision of 5 August. We do not anticipate any particular problem with this amendment. However, I do believe it would be unforgivable to let this moment in the development of the Australian taxation system pass without calling for this debate to be broadened and for participation in this debate to be broadened. The revenue base of the ACT is narrow and we struggle to provide our citizens with the services they need. A report in the Chronicle this week illustrates the severity of the problem. Teachers, parents and children are suffering increasing pressure, and in some cases discrimination, because of the need to provide money for basic schooling needs, even to the extent, quotes the report, that parents of an inner north primary school are being asked to fund from fundraising basic heating and wiring for the school.

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