Mr MILLS - 2009-08-18
Will you confirm that the Under Treasurer met with chief executives of NT government departments in the past fortnight to discuss the state of the NT budget, and were you present at that meeting? Will you also confirm that the Under Treasurer advised that the NT budget position is worsening? Have there been any cuts to specific programs, intakes or other items of expenditure as a result of the worsening budget position?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I meet with all heads of public service agencies on a pretty regular basis. It is standard for a Chief Minister to look at the implementation of the government’s policy agenda. It is also normal at those meetings for the Under Treasurer to present an update on the state of the budget. That is a fairly normal and consistent thing to go.
The government’s budget, obviously, does fluctuate; it is a moving feast. We set the budget parameters during the year. We have additional Commonwealth revenues coming in. Those revenues may change, given their forecasting arrangements. These are a standard issue. What I can confirm, from that meeting, is that there were no cuts required of public service agencies.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I meet with all heads of public service agencies on a pretty regular basis. It is standard for a Chief Minister to look at the implementation of the government’s policy agenda. It is also normal at those meetings for the Under Treasurer to present an update on the state of the budget. That is a fairly normal and consistent thing to go.
The government’s budget, obviously, does fluctuate; it is a moving feast. We set the budget parameters during the year. We have additional Commonwealth revenues coming in. Those revenues may change, given their forecasting arrangements. These are a standard issue. What I can confirm, from that meeting, is that there were no cuts required of public service agencies.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016