Ms CARTER - 2001-05-30
Treasurer, you have been briefing the business community on yesterday’s budget. What has the response been to the budget and do business people share the view of the Opposition Leader that the budget is somehow irresponsible?
ANSWER
First of all, Mr Speaker, yesterday at a lunch I had the opportunity, using a PowerPoint presentation, to explain the content, direction and intent of the 2001-02 budget to 150 Territory businessmen. That reception was very strong and people were encouraged by the budget and by its intent.
This morning, at a breakfast organised by the Chamber of Commerce, I addressed 250 people. It was a record attendance for a budget breakfast and completely ...
Mrs Hickey: Pretty desperate.
Mr REED: No, not desperate as the member for Barkly rudely interjects, and I am pleased to put that interjection on record because that clearly demonstrates to the 250 businessmen and women who were at the breakfast this morning, the attitude and the contempt with which the opposition hold the business community. That is why the business community do not want Labor’s policy - not that they know what they are.
In terms of the reception at the breakfast this morning, it too was very positive. The government’s advice in terms of this being a budget not just for this year but with a five year horizon was to take into account the needs of the emerging gas industry, to make sure that Territorians can avail themselves of the opportunities that lie before them in terms of jobs, investment and development, and to ensure at the same time that the wonderful lifestyle of the Northern Territory is maintained and the environmental issues that come from it. I think it has clearly been well received in that arena.
It is a great shame that the Leader of the Opposition has continued to whinge and tried to misrepresent components of the budget when, in fact, as the whinging, whining opposition leader ...
Ms Martin interjecting.
Mr REED: No, you have the words. In that regard I would have to say for the Leader of the Opposition not to have any future vision as to what can happen, I would ask her to read the development outlook because the development outlook clearly demonstrates the benefits that are going to accrue to Territorians from two world class projects, the railway, its construction and subsequent operation, and the enormous benefits of up to $13bn of investment that will be undertaken if the gas projects go ahead.
This document has been so popular that we are already onto the printer to have a rerun. That is how well that document and the budget have been received. The information in this document will be of enormous assistance to Territory business and to potential national and international investors. The Territory is now attracting their attention and that the Leader of the Opposition cannot understand the benefits and the opportunities that lie ahead, and the purpose of this budget to maximise those chances for Territorians, is a great shame.
It reflects very poorly in terms of her vision for the Northern Territory. But, straight after Question Time, she will have the opportunity to stand up, to announce some of her policies and also put a costing on them. To put a costing on them not just in terms of what she has been saying with ‘when I’m in government we’ll have a Queensland version of the payroll tax’. When I advised them that that was going to cost something between $22m and $30m in lost revenue, last week on the radio she said, ‘We won’t do it straight away’. She has started to backtrack already. ‘Oh, we won’t introduce it straightaway. We will introduce it over a period of time’. So, it is your big opportunity today.
Enunciate some of your policies, put costings to them, and make sure that Territorians are aware, as we come into the last phase of this parliamentary term, that you put forward your policies with costings so that Territorians can make the choice. Because the challenges ahead are big. The work won’t just fall in our laps. We are going to have to work hard for it, and this experienced team on the government benches has delivered it so far. We intend to be able to position ourselves with this budget to accrue those benefits in full terms for Territorians. The Leader of the Opposition will have an opportunity today to tell Territorians how she would do it.
ANSWER
First of all, Mr Speaker, yesterday at a lunch I had the opportunity, using a PowerPoint presentation, to explain the content, direction and intent of the 2001-02 budget to 150 Territory businessmen. That reception was very strong and people were encouraged by the budget and by its intent.
This morning, at a breakfast organised by the Chamber of Commerce, I addressed 250 people. It was a record attendance for a budget breakfast and completely ...
Mrs Hickey: Pretty desperate.
Mr REED: No, not desperate as the member for Barkly rudely interjects, and I am pleased to put that interjection on record because that clearly demonstrates to the 250 businessmen and women who were at the breakfast this morning, the attitude and the contempt with which the opposition hold the business community. That is why the business community do not want Labor’s policy - not that they know what they are.
In terms of the reception at the breakfast this morning, it too was very positive. The government’s advice in terms of this being a budget not just for this year but with a five year horizon was to take into account the needs of the emerging gas industry, to make sure that Territorians can avail themselves of the opportunities that lie before them in terms of jobs, investment and development, and to ensure at the same time that the wonderful lifestyle of the Northern Territory is maintained and the environmental issues that come from it. I think it has clearly been well received in that arena.
It is a great shame that the Leader of the Opposition has continued to whinge and tried to misrepresent components of the budget when, in fact, as the whinging, whining opposition leader ...
Ms Martin interjecting.
Mr REED: No, you have the words. In that regard I would have to say for the Leader of the Opposition not to have any future vision as to what can happen, I would ask her to read the development outlook because the development outlook clearly demonstrates the benefits that are going to accrue to Territorians from two world class projects, the railway, its construction and subsequent operation, and the enormous benefits of up to $13bn of investment that will be undertaken if the gas projects go ahead.
This document has been so popular that we are already onto the printer to have a rerun. That is how well that document and the budget have been received. The information in this document will be of enormous assistance to Territory business and to potential national and international investors. The Territory is now attracting their attention and that the Leader of the Opposition cannot understand the benefits and the opportunities that lie ahead, and the purpose of this budget to maximise those chances for Territorians, is a great shame.
It reflects very poorly in terms of her vision for the Northern Territory. But, straight after Question Time, she will have the opportunity to stand up, to announce some of her policies and also put a costing on them. To put a costing on them not just in terms of what she has been saying with ‘when I’m in government we’ll have a Queensland version of the payroll tax’. When I advised them that that was going to cost something between $22m and $30m in lost revenue, last week on the radio she said, ‘We won’t do it straight away’. She has started to backtrack already. ‘Oh, we won’t introduce it straightaway. We will introduce it over a period of time’. So, it is your big opportunity today.
Enunciate some of your policies, put costings to them, and make sure that Territorians are aware, as we come into the last phase of this parliamentary term, that you put forward your policies with costings so that Territorians can make the choice. Because the challenges ahead are big. The work won’t just fall in our laps. We are going to have to work hard for it, and this experienced team on the government benches has delivered it so far. We intend to be able to position ourselves with this budget to accrue those benefits in full terms for Territorians. The Leader of the Opposition will have an opportunity today to tell Territorians how she would do it.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016