Andrew Leigh (Fraser, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Assistant Treasurer) Share this | Hansard source

If the government were confident of its own policy on a Medicare co-payment, they would be focusing a little more on what they said last year, rather than what I said while I was at university. The fact is that every prominent health expert opposes the government's GP tax, as do I.

It has been disappointing to hear the parliamentary secretary, the author of a book called And the big boys fly, flying away from some of the key questions that I have been putting to him this evening. I appreciate the parliamentary secretary's willingness to take on notice a number of the specific questions about staffing, but I was disappointed that he was unable to reassure many of my constituents who work for the Department of Finance that the department is not presently undertaking a 'spill-and-fill' of all positions. As parliamentary secretary, that is a piece of information that ought to be directly available to him. If he is unable to rule it out, then many of my constituents who work in the Department of Finance will be concerned that just such a 'spill-and-fill' is taking place. Those of us in this place expect a 'spill and fill' to take place every three years, but my constituents, hardworking public servants serving both sides of politics, should not be treated in such a way.

The parliamentary secretary was also unable to explain why there was a nearly $100 million decrease in departmental expenses for Finance, raising further concerns of a hit to Finance. The parliamentary secretary instead regaled us with tales of his visits to Queanbeyan, concerning me that he thought this was in fact consideration in retail, rather than consideration in detail. But I shall press on and put some further questions to him.

First, can the parliamentary secretary confirm that a) the capital and earnings of the Asset Recycling Fund will be available for new projects and b) only the earnings of the Medical Research Future Fund will be available for new projects? Can the parliamentary secretary advise what rate of return has been estimated for both the Asset Recycling Fund and the Medical Research Future Fund?

Second, can the parliamentary secretary advise the House of the amounts over the forward estimates that the Medical Research Future Fund is forecast to hold? Can the parliamentary secretary advise the House of the split between uncommitted funds in the Health and Hospitals Fund and savings from the health budget that make up the investment credits line for the Medical Research Future Fund?

Third, can the parliamentary secretary confirm that projects to be funded out of the Asset Recycling Fund have already been approved? Can the parliamentary secretary confirm that the amounts in earnings in the Asset Recycling Fund are greater than the amount in projects that have already been approved?

Fourth, can the parliamentary secretary advise the House whether the government is actively considering privatisations of the following entities: Snowy Hydro Ltd, the Australian Submarine Corp., Australia Post, Moorebank Intermodal Company Ltd, COMCAR and the Australian Rail Track Corporation Ltd? The potential privatisations of these entities are of great concern to Australians, who are entitled to know whether they are under active consideration by the government.

See this speech in context