State Mini-Budget

Mr PETER DRAPER: My question is directed to the Premier. As a recent pensioner review background study found that Australia's two million pensioners are worse off than seniors in most other affluent countries, will the State Government ensure that New South Wales pensioners are not further disadvantaged as a result of the November mini-budget?

Mr NATHAN REES: I thank the member for his question. It is an excellent and important question from a good Independent local member. He is a champion of his community, much like I expect the new member for Port Macquarie to be. As for the question, I can inform the member that we are going through a mini-budget process and I have consistently said that it will be driven by doing the right thing. The Government needs flexibility to identify areas of savings. On that basis I have not provided a running commentary of proposals that might be included in or excluded from the mini-budget. At the same time I assure the member that I am not in the business of contemplating silly proposals.

Some of the ridiculous proposals I have already said I will not consider include curtailing pensioner travel discounts, converting sports fields into residential development, introducing fees for disadvantaged kids in need of glasses, axing seniors concerts, introducing seniors card fees and cutting cancer services. They are simply silly suggestions from people who are out of touch, and they contradict the traditional priorities of good Labor governments.

The SPEAKER: Order! Members will cease interjecting.

Mr NATHAN REES: Silly proposals affecting services for pensioners, veterans and their carers will not proceed. In developing the mini-budget, the Government is taking a serious look at areas where sensible savings can be achieved. In doing so, there will be some hard decisions, but the golden rule will be fiscal responsibility that serves New South Wales well now and into the future.