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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1998 Week 9 Hansard (19 November) . . Page.. 2717 ..

MS CARNELL (continuing):

The last Assembly budget was for an election year. Assembly budgets are higher in election years because of the extra expenses. My advice is that the extra money was able to be found inside the budget. I would like to reiterate for members' benefit that any extra money that would be required this time will also be found within the Assembly budget. No new dollars will be allocated.

Mr Berry: They will be if you are forced to.

MS CARNELL: No. No new money will be allocated, full stop, to the Assembly budget, Mr Deputy Speaker. I would suggest to members that if they do want a different approach here, a non-discriminatory approach, as many people have said, the obvious way for the extra money to be found is for everyone to contribute along the lines of Mr Osborne's amendment.

Mr Berry: Everybody pay for your vindictiveness.

MS CARNELL: Mr Deputy Speaker, those opposite have talked a lot about discrimination. I am quite happy for everybody to get the same amount. What I am not happy about is for extra dollars to be made available - - -

Mr Berry: Except if it is for Mr Moore or Mr Osborne.

MS CARNELL: No. As I am advised, the money was found from within current resources. There are no buckets of money out there in the ACT budget that are not allocated, apart from the Treasurer's Advance. The Treasurer's Advance is quite specific in what it can be used for and it has to be for unforeseen circumstances. I have to tell you that this was very foreseen.

Mr Hargreaves: Well, if you have foreseen this then - - -

MS CARNELL: Everyone foresaw it.

Mr Berry: Did all the Executive staff have to offer up for Mr Moore?

MS CARNELL: Regardless of anything else, the money will be found within existing resources if the Assembly chooses to go down this path. May I also make the comment that in the past, regularly, Chief Minister's allocations have been argued with. I think that Mr Cornwell was less than impressed with an allocation at one stage. Mr Humphries spoke earlier about us, when we were in opposition, being less than impressed with an approach that Rosemary Follett took. This is not unusual. What is unusual here is the Assembly choosing to direct the Chief Minister. Okay. That is fine. But, if that is the case, why would the Chief Minister be involved in salary allocation at all? Why do we not go to a situation where non-government members can decide for themselves? We will give you a budget and you can all decide for yourselves.

Mr Berry: Don't you like the heat?

MS CARNELL: No, I have no trouble in taking the heat. I have no trouble whatsoever.

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