XN000022-1993-03-31 — Page 26

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 31, 1993

10

"S0,

I AGREE WITH MEMBERS THAT WE NEED TO KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON OUR REVENUE SOURCES AND ENSURE THAT WE DO NOT MAKE OURSELVES TOO DEPENDENT ON VOLATILE SOURCES OF REVENUE.

--

BUT HE SAID HE ALSO BELIEVED THAT THE SIGNIFICANT REAL REDUCTION IN THE TAX BURDEN FOR SALARIES TAXPAYERS IN THIS YEAR'S BUDGET WAS JUSTIFIED, AS WELL AS REFLECTING MEMBERS STRONG CALLS FOR REAL IMPROVEMENTS.

"I AM ENCOURAGED THAT ONLY ONE OR TWO MEMBERS STILL CLAIM THAT THE VARIOUS SALARIES IMPROVEMENT'S THAT WE HAVE MADE OVER THE YEARS HAVE BARELY KEPT UP WITH INFLATION.

"I RELIEVE THE FIGURES WHICH WERE PUBLISHED IN THE BUDGET AND ELSEWHERE SHOW CONCLUSIVELY THAT WE HAVE DONE MUCH BETTER THAN MERELY KEEP UP WITH INFLATION."

DEBATE ON SOCIAL SECURITY NOT VERY SUCCESSFUL: FS

*

* *

IT' IS VITAL THAT, IN THE ENTIRELY LEGITIMATE DISCUSSION ABOUT HOW MUCH ASSISTANCE THE LESS WELL-OFF NEED, THE ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE WHICH WILL BE PROVIDED UNDER THE NEW COMPREHENSIVE SOCIAL SECURITY ASSISTANCE SCHEME HAS NOT BEEN UNDERSTATED.

THIS WAS STATED BY THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON HAMISH MACLEOD, IN THE RESUMED DEBATE ON THE BUDGET IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

MR MACLEOD SAID IT WAS NOT HELPFUL TO CONDUCT SUCH A DEBATE IN TERMS OF THE OLD BASIC RATE WHEN THE AVERAGE FIGURE OF WHAT WAS PAID OUT WAS VERY MUCH HIGHER.

AND,

INDEED, 99% OF ALL. BENEFICIARIES RECEIVE FAR MORE THAN THE BASTC RATE BECAUSE OF THE VARIOUS OTHER ADDITIONAL PAYMENTS TO WHICH THEY ARE ENTITLED.

"LET ME REMIND MEMBERS THAT WHEN THE NEW SCHEME IS IN JULY, THE AVERAGE PAYMENT FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR WILL RE MONTH, OR APPROXIMATELY EQUAL TO THE SEPTEMBER 1992 MANUFACTURING WORKERS' WAGE.

"LET US NOT BELITTLE THE VERY SIGNIFICANT LEVEL OF THAT THIS BRINGS TO THOSE IN NEED.

INTRODUCED $5,880 A AVERAGE

ASSISTANCE

SERIOUSLY

NONETHELESS, HE SAID HE WOULD CONTINUE TO TAKE VERY VIEWS WHICH MEMBERS EXPRESS ABOUT WAYS IN WHICH THE SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM CAN BE IMPROVED.

THE

/11