Page 1363 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 9 May 2006
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Admittedly, we budgeted for a deficit of $91 million and certainly that even grew to $110 million, I think, in one of the quarterly reports, before in the midyear review being revealed now as an anticipated deficit for this financial year of $37 million. So I have to say that it has come back quite nicely, and, of course, time will tell whether or not that particular trajectory will continue or otherwise.
Those are the facts. The fact is that we utilised the Australian accounting standard. We always have, as did you in government; you always did. We have achieved four surplus budgets in a row. We have achieved $250 million of accumulated surpluses over that particular period. We have the strongest balance sheet of any jurisdiction in Australia. We have the strongest economy. We have the lowest rate of unemployment. The economy is sound. The balance sheet is the strongest in Australia. We have achieved four cumulative surpluses in a row.
You can jump between this number and that and, as you were wont to do last week, you can even manufacture a range of numbers and suggested outcomes, completely manufactured, completely false—not a skerrick of truth in the mischief that you created last week in relation to your manufactured alleged deficits. And you then, of course, compounded your felony by attributing it to others, in a completely false way. My office now has had a contact with, I think, every single one of the people that attended that meeting, bar one, the one that we have yet to contact. I know at one stage in the media you said there were “a number of people”. That is simply not true—or they are not being honest with my office.
MR SPEAKER: The minister’s time has expired.
MR SMYTH: I have a supplementary question, Mr Speaker. Treasurer, what advice did Mr Costello provide to the ACT government to reduce the significant disparity between forecasts and outcomes for the ACT budget?
MR STANHOPE: I beg your pardon, Mr Smyth. I did not catch the start of the question. I would be pleased it you would repeat it.
MR SMYTH: Let me do it again. Treasurer, what advice did Mr Costello provide to the ACT government to reduce the significant disparity between forecasts and outcomes for the ACT budget?
MR STANHOPE: Thank you for repeating the question, Mr Smyth. I genuinely did not hear the opening part of the sentence. As members are aware, the advice of Mr Costello and Mr Greg Smith is contained within a detailed report, which is still receiving the attention of cabinet. Cabinet has not yet concluded a response to the particular issues that were raised by Mr Costello and Mr Smith in their report to government. As I have previously indicated, the report was commissioned by me for the purposes of budget cabinet. It is a document that, in that particular instance, at this stage attracts cabinet confidentiality and I do not at this stage propose to release it or to reveal the detail of its content. It is a document that, for very good reasons, attracts the confidence of cabinet.
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