Mrs HICKEY - 1998-08-18
I return again to the disastrous radio interview referred to in the previous question. The Chief Minister told Territorians that the housing industry would not be hurt by a GST. I suggest that he answer the question this time. Once again, his comment flew in the face of the facts. The Housing Industry Association says the price of a new home that costs $165 000 now will be pushed up $14 000 by a 10% GST. The housing industry is predicting a boom-bust cycle, with disastrous results for builders and home buyers, if the GST is introduced. The GST will push up the price of established homes and cause rents to rise. Will the Chief Minister admit he misled Territorians on the real impact of the GST, and will he apologise to Territorians and publicly retract his misleading statements?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this package has obviously rattled the Leader of the Opposition. It has her thinking. However, she did not mention the $7000 that will be available to first home owners ...
Mrs Hickey: That won’t offset the $14 000 increase.
Mr STONE: This is the problem with members of the opposition. They are very quick to try to highlight what they see as negatives. As I said in that radio interview, Territorians should make up their own minds and not be spooked by the buffoons opposite. Go and read the information.
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: Look at them! They have the Power of One sitting at the back. Johnny and Jack are saying that she will be gone after the federal election because they will make their move. That accounts for 3 of the 7, leaving 4 – and she wouldn’t even know whether she will vote for herself.
Why does the opposition seek to spook and scare people into thinking that they will be worse off when they will be better off? The Leader of the Opposition quoted the Housing Industry Association, but she did not quote the Territory Construction Association. She has to run to her colleagues down south to get quotes to suit her. The Leader of the Opposition did not tell Territorians that, if they are first home buyers, they will receive $7000 in cash. Nor did she tell Territorians that they will have more money in their pockets, or that, at the end of the tenth year, the Territory’s funding base will be $350m greater. Territorians, listening to this broadcast, know what that means. It means more sporting facilities, more tourism infrastructure and more facilities for the community. We will have that because of Howard’s tax package. We will not have it if the Labor Party, dishonest to the core, goes back to the policies of Paul Keating in the mid-1980s.
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: You supported those measures. The Labor Party has simply jumped the fence.
Mrs Hickey: Who has been telling lies about this?
Mr STONE: The public have caught on to you. Territorians are better off under this package. For the first time, we will have a tax system that works for the workers, and tax cheats will be caught.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this package has obviously rattled the Leader of the Opposition. It has her thinking. However, she did not mention the $7000 that will be available to first home owners ...
Mrs Hickey: That won’t offset the $14 000 increase.
Mr STONE: This is the problem with members of the opposition. They are very quick to try to highlight what they see as negatives. As I said in that radio interview, Territorians should make up their own minds and not be spooked by the buffoons opposite. Go and read the information.
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: Look at them! They have the Power of One sitting at the back. Johnny and Jack are saying that she will be gone after the federal election because they will make their move. That accounts for 3 of the 7, leaving 4 – and she wouldn’t even know whether she will vote for herself.
Why does the opposition seek to spook and scare people into thinking that they will be worse off when they will be better off? The Leader of the Opposition quoted the Housing Industry Association, but she did not quote the Territory Construction Association. She has to run to her colleagues down south to get quotes to suit her. The Leader of the Opposition did not tell Territorians that, if they are first home buyers, they will receive $7000 in cash. Nor did she tell Territorians that they will have more money in their pockets, or that, at the end of the tenth year, the Territory’s funding base will be $350m greater. Territorians, listening to this broadcast, know what that means. It means more sporting facilities, more tourism infrastructure and more facilities for the community. We will have that because of Howard’s tax package. We will not have it if the Labor Party, dishonest to the core, goes back to the policies of Paul Keating in the mid-1980s.
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: You supported those measures. The Labor Party has simply jumped the fence.
Mrs Hickey: Who has been telling lies about this?
Mr STONE: The public have caught on to you. Territorians are better off under this package. For the first time, we will have a tax system that works for the workers, and tax cheats will be caught.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016