Deputy Chairperson, you will be surprised there will be people to do declarations after I am done. Hon Deputy Chair, the flimsy 21 page report represents hours of work by the committee of the NA and the NCOP but also of many other institutions and individuals who took time to engage critically and constructively with the contents of the Minister of Finance's Medium-Term Budget Policy Statement. These institutions and members of the public are to be appreciated by us as Members of Parliament as they represent the people who elected us to be here to speak on their behalf.
Admittedly, some of the inputs were from narrow interest groups and addressed only specific issues. However, there are issues which need to be highlighted and which should be brought to our attention as legislators. It is our role to practically evaluate the proposals of the Executive; to interrogate them through the eyes of our people and to ensure that this Parliament passes laws that are fair and just. The pleas of people of benches to consider the need to cries of tobacco industries to make level playing fields, where laws are equally applied, the savour reckling of Cosatu and their members feel the pressure of Marion Fiscus. The harsh realities of a fiscal cliques study groups, the SA Institutes of Chartered Accountants and the Budget Justice Coalition, the warnings from Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse, OUTA and Women and the Innovations of Short Sporters. All of this fit into the picture that we were presented with. Yet the FFC, a constitutional mandate and entity who gave the input to the committee had to describe to them the supreme arrogance of Treasury, the disdain with which inputs are treated.
While we appreciates the presence of the Minister today his absence yesterday when he was required to be here to answer questions is perhaps a confirmation of the arrogance of Treasury. The current fiscal climate is bleak. This is no time for business as usual. Treasury's arrogance has brought us here. They are instructed in
section 216 of the Constitution to exercise control over the country's finances. They have failed. They must now submit themselves to this House and begin the account.
The Minister needs to...