Ms MARTIN - 2001-05-31
The CLP candidate, Dave Tollner, lifted the lid on CLP intentions to lobby for an extension of the GST across the board and particularly on food. He told ABC radio on Monday, ‘I think GST should apply across the board.’ He went on to say, ‘If I get to Canberra, that’s certainly something I’ll be fighting for.’
Chief Minister, the CLP has publicly declared it will fight to extend the GST to food, pushing prices up another 10%, and not one word from you. Is this your idea of putting the Territory first?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I have read the full transcript and I would make the observation first: who sent Laurie Oakes the transcript?
Mr Stirling interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BURKE: Who sent Laurie Oakes the transcript and was it the full transcript? I would make that the first observation. Second, in reading the transcript it seemed to me that the thrust of David Tollner’s comments was that his overriding aim was to ensure that the tax base on individual taxpayers was lowered by any ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BURKE: If he got to Canberra he would ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Would members on the opposition benches please just settle down.
Mr BURKE: If he got to Canberra he would do everything he could to ease the burden on individual tax payers, including the business community.
Ms Martin: How? By extending the GST?
Mr BURKE: Would you listen? If you ask the question, listen to the answer. I will give you an honest answer. If he got to Canberra, and I certainly hope he will, he will do everything he can to fight for Territorians to ensure that the tax threshold on individuals and businesses is lowered.
He made the observation that the Howard government, in its initial moves to introduce the GST, tried to introduce the GST across the board and indicated in the transcript that he agreed with that position. Now, that is the thrust of his comments. That is the fact of it.
Dr Toyne: Do you agree with him?
Mr BURKE: The question from the other side of the Chamber is: do you support changes to the GST to include tax on food? I can tell you that what this government supports is the new tax system for Australia supported by every government in Australia.
Dr Toyne: So you do?
Mr BURKE: Listen! We do not support any changes to increase the tax threshold on GST on any additional items. We believe that the system should be allowed to settle down. I will have a talk to David Tollner because I admire his spirit, I admire his independence. I admire the fact that he will, at the very first opportunity, state his position: to fight for a better deal for Territorians and fight to lower the tax threshold.
I remind the members opposite - and of course I will explain that to David - that whilst members opposite wish to make a great play of all of this, the tax system cannot be changed by any lobbying of any individual in Canberra. It requires the unanimous agreement of all the premiers. Therefore I see no change in the Northern Territory’s position in the near or medium future. I see no change in the position of the states.
I note that the opposition’s leader, Kim Beazley, has not made any comment about lowering the tax base. In any case, there will be no changes to the new tax system for Australia without the unanimous agreement of the states and territories.
Chief Minister, the CLP has publicly declared it will fight to extend the GST to food, pushing prices up another 10%, and not one word from you. Is this your idea of putting the Territory first?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I have read the full transcript and I would make the observation first: who sent Laurie Oakes the transcript?
Mr Stirling interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BURKE: Who sent Laurie Oakes the transcript and was it the full transcript? I would make that the first observation. Second, in reading the transcript it seemed to me that the thrust of David Tollner’s comments was that his overriding aim was to ensure that the tax base on individual taxpayers was lowered by any ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BURKE: If he got to Canberra he would ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Would members on the opposition benches please just settle down.
Mr BURKE: If he got to Canberra he would do everything he could to ease the burden on individual tax payers, including the business community.
Ms Martin: How? By extending the GST?
Mr BURKE: Would you listen? If you ask the question, listen to the answer. I will give you an honest answer. If he got to Canberra, and I certainly hope he will, he will do everything he can to fight for Territorians to ensure that the tax threshold on individuals and businesses is lowered.
He made the observation that the Howard government, in its initial moves to introduce the GST, tried to introduce the GST across the board and indicated in the transcript that he agreed with that position. Now, that is the thrust of his comments. That is the fact of it.
Dr Toyne: Do you agree with him?
Mr BURKE: The question from the other side of the Chamber is: do you support changes to the GST to include tax on food? I can tell you that what this government supports is the new tax system for Australia supported by every government in Australia.
Dr Toyne: So you do?
Mr BURKE: Listen! We do not support any changes to increase the tax threshold on GST on any additional items. We believe that the system should be allowed to settle down. I will have a talk to David Tollner because I admire his spirit, I admire his independence. I admire the fact that he will, at the very first opportunity, state his position: to fight for a better deal for Territorians and fight to lower the tax threshold.
I remind the members opposite - and of course I will explain that to David - that whilst members opposite wish to make a great play of all of this, the tax system cannot be changed by any lobbying of any individual in Canberra. It requires the unanimous agreement of all the premiers. Therefore I see no change in the Northern Territory’s position in the near or medium future. I see no change in the position of the states.
I note that the opposition’s leader, Kim Beazley, has not made any comment about lowering the tax base. In any case, there will be no changes to the new tax system for Australia without the unanimous agreement of the states and territories.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016