The 1993-94 ACT Budget had come in $37 million under estimate, the Chief Minister, Rosemary Follett, said yesterday.
Expenditure was $50 million below estimate and revenue was down $13 million because of lower Commonwealth payments.
The Consolidated Fund deficit was $40 compared to the Budget estimate of $77 million.
Ms Follett said planning delays in the capital works such as the Magistrates Court had contributed to the result.
She said health spending had been “”contained in the original appropriation limits by financial transfers within the program”.
The Leader of the Opposition, Kate Carnell, said the $37 million was “”an exercise in clever accounting”.
The underspending was attributable to delay in capital works and was therefore unlikely to have resulted from efficiency or prudence in other areas.
Ms Carnell listed $54.7 million in delayed capital projects: magistrates court $16.5 million; works associated with casino premium $14.5 million; refurbishment of Kurrajong Hotel site $4.5 million; hospice $3 million; men’s shelter $0.5 million; housing works $1.3 million; bus replacement $6.9 million; public works under-spending $7.5 million.
As to health, she said the Government had announced just a short time ago that it had overrun budget by $7.5 million in 1993-94.
On another Budget matter, she questioned the stand of independent MLA Michael Moore on rates.
Mr Moore had criticised Liberal policy to cap rates to CPI, yet this was in his own policy speech.
She said his proposal to extend rates relief for properties in areas subject to redevelopment and dual occupancies was impractical because dual occupancies were occurring all over Canberra.
She called on Mr Moore to support the Liberal Party’s plan to develop a fairer system for rates and for rates to be limited to CPI until this was done.
His present positions were inconsistent.