XN000022-1993-03-31 — Page 17

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 1993

BUDGET REFLECTS ASPIRATION OF COMMUNITY: FS

THERE

WAS GENERAL SUPPORT FOR THE APPROACH IN THE BUDGET OF MAINTAINING A BALANCE BETWEEN INCREASING SOCIAL SERVICES, AND INVESTING IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND FUTURE GROWTH, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON HAMISH MACLEOD, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

THAT IS, A BALANCE BETWEEN ECONOMIC REALITIES AND THE COMMUNITY'S ASPIRATIONS.

WINDING UP THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE APPROPRIATION BILL

1993, MR MACLEOD SAID MEMBERS' COMMENTS, WHETHER CRITICAL OR SUPPORTIVE, WILL FORM THE FIRST INPUT INTO THE EXERCISE OVER THE COMING MONTHS TO IDENTIFY PRIORITIES FOR RESOURCE ALLOCATION AND FOR THE NEXT BUDGET.

BUDGET,

HE SAID HE WAS EXTREMELY GRATEFUL FOR THE

BOTH IN LEGCO AND IN THE WIDER COMMUNITY.

SUPPORT FOR HIS

"PERHAPS [ SHOULD NOT BE SURPRISED AT THE LEVEL OF SUPPORT WHICH MY BUDGET PROPOSALS HAVE RECEIVED BECAUSE, OF COURSE, WE HAVE WORKED TOGETHER TO PRODUCE THEM AND I BELIEVE THAT THEY REFLECT THE ASPIRATIONS OF THE WHOLE COMMUNITY AND THE PRIORITIES EXPRESSED BY MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL.'

HE SAID HE LOOKED FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS PARTNERSHIP IN PREPARING FUTURE BUDGETS.

"DURING THIS DEBATE, ONE MEMBER REFERRED ΤΟ A GENERAL ASSUMPTION THAT TO PRAISE THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY'S BUDGET WOULD BE POLITICAL SUICIDE. WELL, IF THAT IS THE CASE, WE CLEARLY HAVE SOME FEARLESS MEMBERS OF THIS COUNCIL.

"NEVERTHELESS, A HANDFUL OF

MEMBERS SEEM UNABLE TO FIND A SINGLE THING TO PRAISE OR SUPPORT IN WHAT ONE MEMBER JIAS KINDLY DESCRIBED AS "A BUDGET WHERE THERE IS SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE.

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"IT IS DIFFICULT TO KNOW WHAT I HAVE TO no ΤΟ WIN THEIR SUPPORT, OR TO ENGAGE IN A RATIONAL AND CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOGUE, MR MACLEOD SAID.

NEXT MRF WILL COVER 1997/98: FS

*

THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON HAMISH MACLEOD, SAID IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT THE MEDIUM RANGE FORECAST (MRF) NEXT YEAR WOULD BE ROLLED FORWARD A YEAR TO COVER 1997/98, AND AN ADDITIONAL YEAR WILL BE ADDED IN EACH SUBSEQUENT BUDGET.

SPEAKING AT THE RESUMED BUDGET DEBATE FOR THE ADMINISTRATION, MR MACLEOD SAID HE WAS STRUCK BY THE NUMBER OF MEMBERS WHO URGED THAT THE PLANNING SHOULD GO BEYOND 1997 BECAUSE THEY HAD THE MISTAKEN IMPRESSION THAT THE ADMINISTRATION REGARD THAT YEAR AS A CUT-OFF POINT.

/"I THINK