The threat by Independent MLA Dave Rugendyke to block the ACT Government’s Budget over safe injecting rooms is dangerous twaddle. Mr Rugendyke says he cannot in conscience vote for a Budget which contains money for a safe-injecting room.
His stand is twaddle because although the Budget papers show a notional allocation of $80,000 for a safe-injecting room, the Appropriation Bill that Mr Rugendyke will be voting on does not mention the safe-injecting room. It just has an overall health Budget.
His stand is dangerous because it is a form of blackmail, which if taken to its logical end will make government in this territory unworkable. Under present proportional electoral arrangements we will always have minority government. We could change that by the single-seat system in this small territory would provide clean sweeps of all or nearly all seats by the party that gets the most votes. There would be no effective opposition, such that Mr Rugendyke provides, which would be unhealthy.
But to have stable Government, the minority Government should have its Budget. If Mr Rugendyke or any other independent or party objects to certain items in the Budget papers, they should move a motion of no-confidence in the Government on that issue, not on the Budget as a whole.
The reason for this, is that it is inevitable that all the cross-bench members and the Opposition will oppose one or more, by usually different, aspects of the Budget. There will always be an manufactured majority against the Budget as it stands. In this case, one Green and Labor, who favour the injecting room but reject other elements of the Budget, could join with Mr Rugendyke and United Canberra MLA Trevor Kaine, who oppose it, and the Budget goes down. A Labor Budget could share the same fate.
It would be better for the territory if the major parties agreed to each other’s Budgets. But if there were any issue that so concerned the Opposition or any independent or minor-party MLA, but if they had an issue upon which they thought the government have behaved unacceptably it could form the basis of a separate no-confidence motion and debated on its merits. On that basis there is plenty of room to ensure Governments do not abuse their budgetary power, but without threatening stable government.
Mr Rugendyke’s approach invites perpetual instability. There is plenty of room for Mr Rugendyke to demonstrate the courage of his convictions. He should give notice at the next Assembly sitting that he will move a motion of no-confidence in the Government on the basis of the safe-injecting room.
His present tactic is unprincipled, opportunist, hypocritical, grandstanding blackmail because it will rely on the vote of MLAs who reject his stand on the safe-injecting room.