Ms MARTIN - 1999-11-23
Let’s hope he can find a little more truth in his answer than the Chief Minister just has.
Mr DUNHAM: A point of order, Mr Speaker!
Mr SPEAKER: Yes, the Leader of the Opposition can’t imply a mistruth.
Ms MARTIN: I withdraw, Mr Speaker.
The centrepiece of the government’s Planning for Growth exercise was the centralisation of corporate services functions within the new Department of Corporate and Information Services. This was predicted by the Treasurer to save $15m annually. We have looked at the numbers in the Treasurer’s Annual Financial Report. Instead of $15m under budget for these functions, the Country Liberal Party has managed to come in $26m over. Will the Treasurer explain to Territorians how a blowout of $41m equates to prudent financial management?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, since the Leader of the Opposition has been the shadow spokesperson for Treasury matters, I’ve often mentioned in this House that she has never asked me a question in Question Time about Treasury matters.
Ms Martin: Oh, rubbish!
Mr REED: No, it isn’t rubbish.
Ms Martin: Well, answer the question then.
Mr REED: Don’t try to cover up your inability to do your job ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: The shadow treasurer, the Leader of the Opposition, hasn’t asked questions on Treasury matters. So members might be a bit bemused as to why all of a sudden she’s had a Treasury implant. The reason is that she has a new economics adviser to write questions for her, so she doesn’t have to make them up for herself. She couldn’t make them up for herself in the past. Now she has someone else, a new member of her staff who can feed her questions. ‘Boss, could you stand up and ask this one in parliament tomorrow? I think this would get at them a bit’.
Well you have to do a bit better than that. You are so shallow, you are so incompetent. It is more than evident – just look at the look on her face – how embarrassed she is because she has not written these questions. She has not analysed the Treasurer’s Annual Financial Statement. She has not even read the budget papers that she has had in her office collecting dust since April this year. If you had, you would have been pursuing these questions before instead of waiting for someone else in your office to write the questions for you. You are a gross embarrassment. You have demonstrated ...
Mr Stirling interjecting.
Mr REED: ... by your inability to ask questions of your own volition that you do not have the capacity to do the job that you are in. You should have that embarrassed look on your face, and your deputy should be shouting to try and protect you, as he is.
In relation to the matter that the Leader of the Opposition asks about - on behalf of her new staff member, not herself - if she had taken the time to read the documentation, the statements that were provided in this House in relation to Planning for Growth, it wasn’t all going to happen in a year.
Mr Ah Kit interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: I don’t trust for a moment her analysis of the outcome of the budget. And the member for Arnhem is such a treasurer in words, he is such an economic whiz that his contribution is mirth and laughter. That’s the best contribution that he can make to this debate.
The Department of Communication and Information Services is providing excellent service to government agencies.
Mr Stirling: Yep.
Mr REED: Oh, you recognise that! By virtue of that, you obviously support the government’s move to establish that agency. Otherwise …
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: They’re having second thoughts. They can’t decide because their adviser didn’t write that part of the answer down.
The government’s implementation of the Planning for Growth initiatives is serving the Territory well. There were a lot of policy decisions and a lot of political decisions made that were tough decisions. Those didn’t make the government shy from the responsibility that it has to manage the resources of government effectively to ensure that the taxpayer gets the best results and the best services.
The Department of Communication and Information Services is providing a good service to Territory agencies and they, in turn, to Territorians. With regard to the Leader of the Opposition’s interpretation of the budget papers, as has been the case in the past you can’t trust her. She can’t even read the questions right or interpret them. Go back and read the information yourself. Don’t depend on your staff. Show a bit of initiative and competence yourself.
Mr DUNHAM: A point of order, Mr Speaker!
Mr SPEAKER: Yes, the Leader of the Opposition can’t imply a mistruth.
Ms MARTIN: I withdraw, Mr Speaker.
The centrepiece of the government’s Planning for Growth exercise was the centralisation of corporate services functions within the new Department of Corporate and Information Services. This was predicted by the Treasurer to save $15m annually. We have looked at the numbers in the Treasurer’s Annual Financial Report. Instead of $15m under budget for these functions, the Country Liberal Party has managed to come in $26m over. Will the Treasurer explain to Territorians how a blowout of $41m equates to prudent financial management?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, since the Leader of the Opposition has been the shadow spokesperson for Treasury matters, I’ve often mentioned in this House that she has never asked me a question in Question Time about Treasury matters.
Ms Martin: Oh, rubbish!
Mr REED: No, it isn’t rubbish.
Ms Martin: Well, answer the question then.
Mr REED: Don’t try to cover up your inability to do your job ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: The shadow treasurer, the Leader of the Opposition, hasn’t asked questions on Treasury matters. So members might be a bit bemused as to why all of a sudden she’s had a Treasury implant. The reason is that she has a new economics adviser to write questions for her, so she doesn’t have to make them up for herself. She couldn’t make them up for herself in the past. Now she has someone else, a new member of her staff who can feed her questions. ‘Boss, could you stand up and ask this one in parliament tomorrow? I think this would get at them a bit’.
Well you have to do a bit better than that. You are so shallow, you are so incompetent. It is more than evident – just look at the look on her face – how embarrassed she is because she has not written these questions. She has not analysed the Treasurer’s Annual Financial Statement. She has not even read the budget papers that she has had in her office collecting dust since April this year. If you had, you would have been pursuing these questions before instead of waiting for someone else in your office to write the questions for you. You are a gross embarrassment. You have demonstrated ...
Mr Stirling interjecting.
Mr REED: ... by your inability to ask questions of your own volition that you do not have the capacity to do the job that you are in. You should have that embarrassed look on your face, and your deputy should be shouting to try and protect you, as he is.
In relation to the matter that the Leader of the Opposition asks about - on behalf of her new staff member, not herself - if she had taken the time to read the documentation, the statements that were provided in this House in relation to Planning for Growth, it wasn’t all going to happen in a year.
Mr Ah Kit interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: I don’t trust for a moment her analysis of the outcome of the budget. And the member for Arnhem is such a treasurer in words, he is such an economic whiz that his contribution is mirth and laughter. That’s the best contribution that he can make to this debate.
The Department of Communication and Information Services is providing excellent service to government agencies.
Mr Stirling: Yep.
Mr REED: Oh, you recognise that! By virtue of that, you obviously support the government’s move to establish that agency. Otherwise …
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: They’re having second thoughts. They can’t decide because their adviser didn’t write that part of the answer down.
The government’s implementation of the Planning for Growth initiatives is serving the Territory well. There were a lot of policy decisions and a lot of political decisions made that were tough decisions. Those didn’t make the government shy from the responsibility that it has to manage the resources of government effectively to ensure that the taxpayer gets the best results and the best services.
The Department of Communication and Information Services is providing a good service to Territory agencies and they, in turn, to Territorians. With regard to the Leader of the Opposition’s interpretation of the budget papers, as has been the case in the past you can’t trust her. She can’t even read the questions right or interpret them. Go back and read the information yourself. Don’t depend on your staff. Show a bit of initiative and competence yourself.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016