Page 410 - Week 01 - Thursday, 11 December 2008
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process. We could have made a better start. But we did not. We did not come back early.
The minister also said that other people have said—not her—that this was part of the government’s response to the global financial crisis. I simply refer her to the fifth paragraph on page 2 of her speech, which states:
Secondly, the bill provides, in a responsible and responsive manner, initiatives to stabilise the economy against the trickle-down impacts of the global financial crisis.
We are quoting you when we say that you said that. It is there in your speech. I will read it again for you so you hear it:
Secondly, the bill provides, in a responsible and responsive manner, initiatives to stabilise the economy against the trickle-down impacts of the global financial crisis.
That is why people thought this bill was part of a stimulus—because you said it, minister. It is interesting that the minister also said when she delivered this speech to the Assembly:
This bill delivers on the election commitments which we indicated through the campaign would be introduced immediately. It is largely one-off and targeted to those in most need.
If it was that, that would be fine, but it is not. Less than a third of what will be spent between now and the end of this financial year is for those in need; it is not largely for those in need. More than $10 million of it is to suit the government. The minister can read her own speech and work it out. She also said:
And, finally, the bill provides for increased accountability and transparency of the Assembly.
So she is going to provide a bill which, in her own words, should provide increased accountability and transparency of the Assembly, but she is going to truncate the process in this case. I do not know if that is an oxymoron, but it is a contradiction anyway and it is very silly. On page 21 there is $414,000 for changes arising from the composition. But we still have five members of the executive and it is still the same five members, so the composition of the executive has not changed. The provision for additional capacity within the executive: I think we all know that the officers are well worked; I do not believe one can quibble with that. But, in comparison to the non-executive members, the offices are well staffed.
The remuneration increase came through the Remuneration Tribunal. It was stated that the additional resources would increase the Assembly’s capacity to undertake its work and improve government accountability. That is an interesting statement: the additional resources to the executive would increase the Assembly’s capacity to undertake its work and improve government accountability. I hope what that means is that we will not get FOIs that are all blacked out, that we will get answers to our questions on notice on time and that when we request briefings we will actually get
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