Page 1696 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 3 May 2011
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We have sought internal efficiencies. We have asked for wage restraint. We have done a whole range of internal measures to make sure that we minimise the costs where we have influence on the Canberra community. I think any objective measure of those three budgets that I have delivered, or the one I am about to deliver, as Treasurer will be seen in that light. We have sought efficiencies from ourselves before we have gone to the Canberra community and asked them to have an increase in revenue.
That is not to say that our revenue lines will not grow. I will be interested to hear Mr Seselja’s right of reply. I presume he is going to announce that he is not going to allow our own revenue lines to grow. But it is not unreasonable, in an environment where government services are growing—
Members interjecting—
MR SPEAKER: Order, members!
MS GALLAGHER: in an environment where services that government are providing are increasing, that you would index your own revenue lines. That is what we have done. We have done that in every budget and it is to pay for the additional services we deliver.
MR SMYTH: A supplementary, Mr Speaker?
MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Smyth.
MR SMYTH: Treasurer, are families receiving services that are 75 per cent better as a result of your taxes and charges?
MS GALLAGHER: If you look at the health budget alone—
Opposition members interjecting—
MS GALLAGHER: Mr Speaker, the opposition ask a question; I presume they are interested in the answer. If you look at the health budget alone, over 200 additional beds are being provided. Over 200 additional beds, from the beds that you guys ripped out, have been replaced and we now—
Mr Hanson interjecting—
MS GALLAGHER: for the first time, Mr Hanson—I know this is something that you will have known and been very excited about—in the hospital report we are now above the national average for bed numbers across our hospital system. We have more students in public schools. We have more public schools. We have more families using our community services.
Look at any area of government service delivery and you will see increases and expansion of services in line with the growth of our city, and we are going to have to
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