Page 542 - Week 02 - Wednesday, 5 March 2008
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that this one is going to bring down these institutions as tourism providers for Canberra, is a ridiculous proposition. In fact, one needs to look at the attitude of the shadow Treasurer. Does he believe that there should be no efficiency dividends ever for government agencies?
Mr Smyth: I haven’t said that. You make these things up.
MR BARR: He has not said that. So you support the 11 previous ones—just not this one?
Mr Seselja: What about the NCA cuts, Andrew?
Mr Smyth: You make these things up.
MR BARR: It is just not this one that you support. You just happen to not support this efficiency dividend—
Mr Seselja: You don’t want to talk about the NCA cuts?
MR BARR: but you supported all of the other efficiency dividends.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Let us not turn it into a conversation.
MR BARR: Sorry, Mr Speaker. I apologise, but it is very clear the hypocrisy of those opposite—to have said nothing for 11 years when this efficiency dividend was applied to these same institutions and yet just scream blue murder this year. Why is that? Why is it that after 11 years of efficiency dividends they have suddenly woken up to the fact that there are efficiency dividends required of government agencies? I will say consistently, and I apply it to my own agencies within the ACT government, that efficiency dividends are an important way to drive reform and effectiveness in public sector service delivery, and if you want to be able to deliver programs more effectively, deliver more programs and do all of the things that you want to do, you need to ensure that you are using the resources you have efficiently. That is important for all public sector organisations; it was important throughout the 11 years of the previous government and remains important now.
My concern is that those opposite remained mute throughout that entire 11-year period and yet suddenly they have discovered that they do not like efficiency dividends any more. If that is going to signal their approach to budget management in the territory, the former shadow Treasurer Mr Mulcahy was absolutely spot-on when he said that this Liberal opposition is not fit for government. The only person—
Mrs Dunne: Tell me now. You need another ally, do you?
MR BARR: I said it before in this place when he was sitting over there that I felt very sorry for Mr Mulcahy as shadow Treasurer—that he was surrounded by a bunch of colleagues who had no economic understanding. Mr Smyth, the alternative Treasurer, struggles with the concept of diminishing marginal return, and that is a real problem for someone who purports to be the alternative Treasurer in this place.
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