Economic Stimulus Package

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (14:25): Supplementary: is it fair to say from the Treasurer's answer, in which he mentioned budget cabinet committee, cabinet and individual conversations, that expenditure would be reported to him at least twice weekly?

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (14:25): No, one doesn't discuss what goes on at budget cabinet committee or cabinet. I can understand the deputy leader has not been in cabinet or in government, but I am not going to take the bait of discussing what might or might not go on in budget cabinet committee. I have just provided to the honourable member the general oversight mechanisms which are available to this government, one of which is the budget cabinet committee and the cabinet process, but others are individual conversations that I may have with ministers or, indeed, senior Treasury officers might have with senior officers within various departments and agencies.

Similar to the discussions yesterday and a similar line of questioning—and also at the federal level; I think the Treasury secretary was asked a question in relation to how much money was being spent within the first four weeks or however long the period might have been—the reality is that ministers and public servants are working as hard as they possibly can in terms of implementing the decisions of the government. There is certainly nothing from ministers or cabinet which is holding up the implementation of the decisions.

It is just the work that needs to go into the various schemes in terms of ensuring that the money gets out to those who are eligible for it, and certainly you won't find me being critical of the hardworking public servants who are working very hard during the COVID-19 pandemic. I would hope that the deputy leader would not be critical of the hardworking public servants, who are working as hard as they can to try to get the money out, the contracts done and signed. They are certainly not being held up by ministers in the cabinet.