Mr BALCH - 2000-10-17
In a ministerial statement last week you told this House the value of merchandise exports from the Northern Territory rose to $2.5bn in 1999-2000. The minister went on to say that the Territory recorded a trade surplus of over $1bn.
In response, the Leader of the Opposition challenged these figures claiming they were wrong and out of date. Can you please explain this apparent discrepancy?
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! It is becoming very tiresome the amount of unnecessary interjection from the opposition. Interjections should be short and sharp and to the point.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I know why they are interjecting because again the Leader of the Opposition got it wrong again and they like to make a lot of noise when the processes that she becomes engaged in are brought to the attention of the community.
The latest official figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that the total exports from the Northern Territory in 1999-2000 total $2.537bn and the surplus of exports over imports is shown to be $1.138bn. I am quoting from the ABS International Merchandise Trade Data using three on-board customs values which is generally the accepted measure used for trade data. In fact, it is the standard used internationally. It is the standard used when we are quoting export import. They are the proper and appropriate figures. But the Leader of the Opposition, and I will table these figures for the benefit of members opposite although they are freely available because they are ABS figures.
I wanted to show that the Leader of the Opposition deliberately caused a problem in our community by quoting figures which were incorrect, claiming that the import and the export, the balance of trade was only $700m, and I had a few people ringing up saying: ‘What’s going on?’ I had a bit of a look to find out where the opposition leader got her figures from, and there are some ABS figures and they are quoted in the Australian National Accounts and there are two lots of figures, one based on current prices, one based on chain volume measures. Now, if you use the current prices, in fact, you get even a better figure than the $1.1338bn; you get a figure of almost $1.3bn. Now, she would not use that, she used the chain volume measures, probably does not know what it means, but in fact they only show a figure of $700m, so true to form, any opportunity to kick the Territory, and this is not the government, this is Territory industry, she stands up and she deliberately misinforms this House as to the figure and what she is doing is knocking Territory industry. The industry here which has shown a terrific response in their ability to export, creating jobs for the Territory, a record which is second to none in the country.
But that is no good, the Leader of the Opposition wants to get up and have a kick. She thinks she is hurting the government. In fact she is attacking the hardworking Territorians who have brought about this terrific result and I say to her, get the proper figures. Maybe she did not understand them, and that could be the case because she does that quite often. The Deputy Chief Minister quite often points out in this House where she gets it wrong and maybe I should give her the benefit of the doubt. She does not understand them, but in future I would say rather than mislead the community and denigrate Territory business, give us a ring and we will arrange a briefing and you can double check your sources and check the ABS figures and get the right answer. That way she can praise Territory business for the great job that they are doing.
In response, the Leader of the Opposition challenged these figures claiming they were wrong and out of date. Can you please explain this apparent discrepancy?
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order! It is becoming very tiresome the amount of unnecessary interjection from the opposition. Interjections should be short and sharp and to the point.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I know why they are interjecting because again the Leader of the Opposition got it wrong again and they like to make a lot of noise when the processes that she becomes engaged in are brought to the attention of the community.
The latest official figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that the total exports from the Northern Territory in 1999-2000 total $2.537bn and the surplus of exports over imports is shown to be $1.138bn. I am quoting from the ABS International Merchandise Trade Data using three on-board customs values which is generally the accepted measure used for trade data. In fact, it is the standard used internationally. It is the standard used when we are quoting export import. They are the proper and appropriate figures. But the Leader of the Opposition, and I will table these figures for the benefit of members opposite although they are freely available because they are ABS figures.
I wanted to show that the Leader of the Opposition deliberately caused a problem in our community by quoting figures which were incorrect, claiming that the import and the export, the balance of trade was only $700m, and I had a few people ringing up saying: ‘What’s going on?’ I had a bit of a look to find out where the opposition leader got her figures from, and there are some ABS figures and they are quoted in the Australian National Accounts and there are two lots of figures, one based on current prices, one based on chain volume measures. Now, if you use the current prices, in fact, you get even a better figure than the $1.1338bn; you get a figure of almost $1.3bn. Now, she would not use that, she used the chain volume measures, probably does not know what it means, but in fact they only show a figure of $700m, so true to form, any opportunity to kick the Territory, and this is not the government, this is Territory industry, she stands up and she deliberately misinforms this House as to the figure and what she is doing is knocking Territory industry. The industry here which has shown a terrific response in their ability to export, creating jobs for the Territory, a record which is second to none in the country.
But that is no good, the Leader of the Opposition wants to get up and have a kick. She thinks she is hurting the government. In fact she is attacking the hardworking Territorians who have brought about this terrific result and I say to her, get the proper figures. Maybe she did not understand them, and that could be the case because she does that quite often. The Deputy Chief Minister quite often points out in this House where she gets it wrong and maybe I should give her the benefit of the doubt. She does not understand them, but in future I would say rather than mislead the community and denigrate Territory business, give us a ring and we will arrange a briefing and you can double check your sources and check the ABS figures and get the right answer. That way she can praise Territory business for the great job that they are doing.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016