Ms MARTIN - 2001-05-29
Let us look at another element in the CLP’s record of delivering budgets. Last year’s budget predicted a deficit of $45m for 2000-01. December’s quarterly financial report showed that after just six months of the financial year the deficit had blown out to $146m, a blowout in the bottom line of over $100m in a matter of months.
When asked about the blowout the Treasurer did not have any answers, a dismal performance given he that had signed off on the document. His signature was on the bottom of the document and he did not know the answer. The question is: CLP budgets have a history of bearing little relation to the truth. Why should Territorians believe this one should be any different?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the day will soon arrive when the Leader of the Opposition will be called upon to answer some questions rather than pose questions, which she has continually done whilst she has been the leader. Mind you, she got gagged and got hidden and will soon disappear when the self-proclaimed headkicker on her left takes over.
The Leader of the Opposition knows the reasons for the increase in spending. She knows that they are essentially non-discretionary items. She knows that because it has been debated in this House. She referred one of the purchases, the Katherine transmission line, to the Auditor-General. She has received the Auditor-General’s report which clearly explains the legitimacy of that purchase and yet she still continues to put out the most appalling misinformation that that line was purchased to look after Paul Everingham and his mates. Unfortunately, that is something we have to deal with. Probably ‘mischievous’ is too kind a word. She is probably the most deceitful opposition leader this Territory government has ever had to deal with. She continues to be deceitful, has the gall to talk about debt in the Northern Territory, and has the gall to compare the Northern Territory government to Kirner Labor governments in Victoria. She has the gall to compare the Northern Territory government to Bannon Labor governments in South Australia, and, when it comes to debt, she has the gall to compare the Northern Territory government to Labor governments in Western Australia.
She knows, as Territorians know, that we are building this economy for the future. We manage debt in a responsible way. We are achieving the large projects for the Northern Territory. We are spending more than $160m-odd on the railway; we are spending more than $200m on a new port; we are going to put in the infrastructure for the gas developments in Timor Sea; we are spending $40m on the Darwin Hospital; and we are spending $40m on the Alice Springs Hospital. What is she going to do?
Remember that New South Wales only paid off the Sydney Harbour Bridge a few years ago. New South Wales went into enormous amounts of debt to build that essential infrastructure in the 1930s and only paid it off a few years ago. That is what you do when you are building essential infrastructure for the citizens of your state. We are a new entity in Australia. We have only been in existence since the 1970s and we have to build essential infrastructure. We will continue to do that for Territorians. We will deliver for them the quality of life that they want for themselves and for their children, and we will give them a future. And if that takes some debt, it will be debt that we can manage and we will continue to manage. We will take the criticisms that may come our way. Any criticism so far has been an acknowledgement that it has been essential spending on essential infrastructure. We should not forget that we all ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is too much interjection across the Chamber.
Mr BURKE: ... would like to live in a debt- free environment. Every Territorian household would like to put an extension on to a house and not go into debt. Everyone knows you have to accept some debt. The real issue is being able to responsibly manage that debt. Debt in the Northern Territory has been continually reduced in terms of our interest payments on the debt. At the same time we continue to invest in the large infrastructure projects for Territorians.
What the Leader of the Opposition has to do at some stage in the future is this: explain to Territorians how you reduce revenue; explain to Territorians how you reduce payroll tax; explain to Territorians how you put more subsidy on fuel to reduce the retail price of fuel; explain to Territorians how you do that as well as reduce debt; and then tell Territorians how you are going to pay for it.
When asked about the blowout the Treasurer did not have any answers, a dismal performance given he that had signed off on the document. His signature was on the bottom of the document and he did not know the answer. The question is: CLP budgets have a history of bearing little relation to the truth. Why should Territorians believe this one should be any different?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the day will soon arrive when the Leader of the Opposition will be called upon to answer some questions rather than pose questions, which she has continually done whilst she has been the leader. Mind you, she got gagged and got hidden and will soon disappear when the self-proclaimed headkicker on her left takes over.
The Leader of the Opposition knows the reasons for the increase in spending. She knows that they are essentially non-discretionary items. She knows that because it has been debated in this House. She referred one of the purchases, the Katherine transmission line, to the Auditor-General. She has received the Auditor-General’s report which clearly explains the legitimacy of that purchase and yet she still continues to put out the most appalling misinformation that that line was purchased to look after Paul Everingham and his mates. Unfortunately, that is something we have to deal with. Probably ‘mischievous’ is too kind a word. She is probably the most deceitful opposition leader this Territory government has ever had to deal with. She continues to be deceitful, has the gall to talk about debt in the Northern Territory, and has the gall to compare the Northern Territory government to Kirner Labor governments in Victoria. She has the gall to compare the Northern Territory government to Bannon Labor governments in South Australia, and, when it comes to debt, she has the gall to compare the Northern Territory government to Labor governments in Western Australia.
She knows, as Territorians know, that we are building this economy for the future. We manage debt in a responsible way. We are achieving the large projects for the Northern Territory. We are spending more than $160m-odd on the railway; we are spending more than $200m on a new port; we are going to put in the infrastructure for the gas developments in Timor Sea; we are spending $40m on the Darwin Hospital; and we are spending $40m on the Alice Springs Hospital. What is she going to do?
Remember that New South Wales only paid off the Sydney Harbour Bridge a few years ago. New South Wales went into enormous amounts of debt to build that essential infrastructure in the 1930s and only paid it off a few years ago. That is what you do when you are building essential infrastructure for the citizens of your state. We are a new entity in Australia. We have only been in existence since the 1970s and we have to build essential infrastructure. We will continue to do that for Territorians. We will deliver for them the quality of life that they want for themselves and for their children, and we will give them a future. And if that takes some debt, it will be debt that we can manage and we will continue to manage. We will take the criticisms that may come our way. Any criticism so far has been an acknowledgement that it has been essential spending on essential infrastructure. We should not forget that we all ...
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! There is too much interjection across the Chamber.
Mr BURKE: ... would like to live in a debt- free environment. Every Territorian household would like to put an extension on to a house and not go into debt. Everyone knows you have to accept some debt. The real issue is being able to responsibly manage that debt. Debt in the Northern Territory has been continually reduced in terms of our interest payments on the debt. At the same time we continue to invest in the large infrastructure projects for Territorians.
What the Leader of the Opposition has to do at some stage in the future is this: explain to Territorians how you reduce revenue; explain to Territorians how you reduce payroll tax; explain to Territorians how you put more subsidy on fuel to reduce the retail price of fuel; explain to Territorians how you do that as well as reduce debt; and then tell Territorians how you are going to pay for it.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016