Nick Minchin (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance and Administration) Share this | Hansard source

On Senator Wong’s point: spending under other programs is of course a function of us agreeing to spend money in response to proper bids from the states. If the states fail to put in properly costed and sensible bids then we are unable to release the funds. That is responsible government. I do agree with the Treasurer that, obviously, exact details of the profile of the spending of this plan are subject to the states agreeing. We first have to get a proper and legal referral of the powers of the four states unified to the Commonwealth before we can determine the spending profile that will occur. We will release that profile as soon as we are able to. I would certainly hope and expect that in the budget there will be a profile of the spending of this $10 billion, because we do want to do it. We are an open government; we want to negotiate with the states on this matter and we are interested to hear the states’ ideas about this. (Time expired)