Mr MILLS - 2001-05-31
On 8 March, the Treasurer launched QuickStart, this government’s latest initiative to boost the residential construction industry and to improve home ownership levels. Predictably, Labor was quick to criticise this scheme. Can the Treasurer please inform honourable members of the QuickStart scheme’s performance and if it is meeting objectives?
Ms MARTIN: A point of order, Mr Speaker! He just told a direct lie in that question, that we did not support the QuickStart when we thoroughly support it.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! If you believe you have been misrepresented you can come to me about a personal explanation
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, in terms of QuickStart, it has indeed exceeded its expectations in terms of success. The government was ...
Ms Martin: I said you should extend it.
Mr REED: Whingeing again.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: The government was proactive in developing a program that would assist the building industry, particularly the housing construction industry, which we admit was experiencing a very low level of activity. It was after an approach to the Territory Construction Association and their members, and a suggestion as to how we might be able to generate some activity by the introduction of a scheme to encourage people to move from the desire to build a new home to an intention to build it and make the commitment.
Now a very important part of that, and I pick up the interjection from the Leader of the Opposition, was to ensure that it was one of a tight timeframe. It was clearly enunciated in terms of what it was going to provide in terms of assistance and how long it would be available for. Indeed, I recall in one of last weekend’s newspapers a builder making the comment that one of the successes of the scheme was the fact that it did have a tight timeframe, that it was going to end at the end of March. That is where the Leader of the Opposition fails to understand why some things are done. She wanted to try and hitch a ride on the success of the scheme by saying, ‘Let’s extend it.’
Well, the reason it was not extended was because it would make people make a decision and, indeed, the report by that particular building operator said that was exactly why it was a success. It offered $5000 to anyone, not means tested, who was intending to build a new home, took the decision to do so and will have the slab laid by July. Now, in those terms we had hoped that if it was successful ...
Ms Martin: I challenge you. Extend it, come on.
Mr REED: People listening ...
Ms Martin: Would like to have QuickStart extended.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: ... would be horrified at her rudeness. I am trying to advise Territorians of the success of the scheme. In terms of trying to establish herself as an alternative leader of an alternative government, she does a pretty rude job of it.
In terms of the scheme, we would have been very happy if we had 100 successful applicants. It looked like, towards the end of last week, we might have achieved that and if so it would generate $20m worth of housing construction activity. Indeed, the figure now looks like being up towards 200. It will certainly be 150. It will generate $30m worth of work in the construction industry. It may well generate $40m worth of work. From that point of view, it has been hugely successful. One of my colleagues this morning said he had contacted the builder to see if he could get a verandah built on to his house and the builder said: ‘Look, I am so busy building houses because of the QuickStart scheme that I can’t come and help you’.
A great demonstration of a proactive government, one that sees the needs of Territorians, identifies the needs of Territorians and then responds to them. If we can achieve $30m worth of construction activity in the housing industry with expenditure of about $1m of taxpayers’ funds, that has been a very successful program. I know the building industry is very pleased with it. I spoke to a builder who sent me a letter the other day. He was sorting out an issue for one of his clients and he explained to me that since April, his business alone has picked up 18 homes. The lead up to April was a huge advance on the level of activity over the last six or eight months and that is typical of the success of the QuickStart program. It is typical of the government’s proactive approach to assisting QuickStart Territorians, recognising their needs, listening to them, discussing it with the constituents and the business community and responding in a way that has been hugely successful.
Ms MARTIN: A point of order, Mr Speaker! He just told a direct lie in that question, that we did not support the QuickStart when we thoroughly support it.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! If you believe you have been misrepresented you can come to me about a personal explanation
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, in terms of QuickStart, it has indeed exceeded its expectations in terms of success. The government was ...
Ms Martin: I said you should extend it.
Mr REED: Whingeing again.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: The government was proactive in developing a program that would assist the building industry, particularly the housing construction industry, which we admit was experiencing a very low level of activity. It was after an approach to the Territory Construction Association and their members, and a suggestion as to how we might be able to generate some activity by the introduction of a scheme to encourage people to move from the desire to build a new home to an intention to build it and make the commitment.
Now a very important part of that, and I pick up the interjection from the Leader of the Opposition, was to ensure that it was one of a tight timeframe. It was clearly enunciated in terms of what it was going to provide in terms of assistance and how long it would be available for. Indeed, I recall in one of last weekend’s newspapers a builder making the comment that one of the successes of the scheme was the fact that it did have a tight timeframe, that it was going to end at the end of March. That is where the Leader of the Opposition fails to understand why some things are done. She wanted to try and hitch a ride on the success of the scheme by saying, ‘Let’s extend it.’
Well, the reason it was not extended was because it would make people make a decision and, indeed, the report by that particular building operator said that was exactly why it was a success. It offered $5000 to anyone, not means tested, who was intending to build a new home, took the decision to do so and will have the slab laid by July. Now, in those terms we had hoped that if it was successful ...
Ms Martin: I challenge you. Extend it, come on.
Mr REED: People listening ...
Ms Martin: Would like to have QuickStart extended.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: ... would be horrified at her rudeness. I am trying to advise Territorians of the success of the scheme. In terms of trying to establish herself as an alternative leader of an alternative government, she does a pretty rude job of it.
In terms of the scheme, we would have been very happy if we had 100 successful applicants. It looked like, towards the end of last week, we might have achieved that and if so it would generate $20m worth of housing construction activity. Indeed, the figure now looks like being up towards 200. It will certainly be 150. It will generate $30m worth of work in the construction industry. It may well generate $40m worth of work. From that point of view, it has been hugely successful. One of my colleagues this morning said he had contacted the builder to see if he could get a verandah built on to his house and the builder said: ‘Look, I am so busy building houses because of the QuickStart scheme that I can’t come and help you’.
A great demonstration of a proactive government, one that sees the needs of Territorians, identifies the needs of Territorians and then responds to them. If we can achieve $30m worth of construction activity in the housing industry with expenditure of about $1m of taxpayers’ funds, that has been a very successful program. I know the building industry is very pleased with it. I spoke to a builder who sent me a letter the other day. He was sorting out an issue for one of his clients and he explained to me that since April, his business alone has picked up 18 homes. The lead up to April was a huge advance on the level of activity over the last six or eight months and that is typical of the success of the QuickStart program. It is typical of the government’s proactive approach to assisting QuickStart Territorians, recognising their needs, listening to them, discussing it with the constituents and the business community and responding in a way that has been hugely successful.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016