State Budget

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (Leader of the Opposition) (14:35): Supplementary: so the minister cannot confirm that there won't be any budget cuts to her department?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:35): I note that I think it is a confusing question in terms of double negatives. However, what I can tell the honourable member is that the budget is revealed when the budget is revealed, and the revealing of the budget will be on Thursday.

On Thursday there will be budget papers. There will be a budget speech. I appreciate that there are a number of new members and they perhaps do not realise that things are not ruled in and out of a budget before the budget is handed down, but I do suggest perhaps the honourable Leader of the Opposition would like to talk to the former Treasurer, the Hon. Rob Lucas, who was in this place for so long—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: —and I am sure—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: I was suggesting that perhaps the Leader of the Opposition might like to consult with the former Treasurer, the Hon. Rob Lucas, if she is not sure of how the processes around the budget do occur. I certainly would make no criticism of her, if that's the case—we are all new to this—but I think it's important that she realises that it would not be at all appropriate to either rule things in or rule things out.

The Hon. N.J. Centofanti interjecting:

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN: I now hear the honourable Leader of the Opposition saying it would be outrageous to rule things in and rule things out, and I agree with her on that: it would, indeed, be outrageous, which is why, obviously, I cannot answer her questions about the budget in anticipation of the budget.