Mrs HICKEY - 1998-08-20
The overall effect of the goods and services tax is to increase transport prices. John Howard’s tax package indicates that road transport costs to consumers will rise by 2.6%. Members opposite should read the tax package. These increases in prices will flow through to the prices of virtually everything that Territorians buy. Considering the federal government’s own forecast, will the Chief Minister now admit the cuts to transport related taxes will not compensate Territorians adequately for price hikes under a goods and services tax?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I can imagine the phone call that must have been made to the Leader of the Opposition’s office, perhaps last night or this morning, from the very worried and probably very disillusioned federal candidate, Warren Snowdon. He would have said: ‘Look, you have had 2 weeks to get the hit on this GST and tomorrow is your last chance’. If that is the Leader of the Opposition’s best shot, I can understand his frustration and concern.
How could anyone come to the conclusion that, with the reduction in diesel fuel costs, with the abolition of the wholesale sales tax, with tax breaks, and with more money in people’s pockets, Territorians will be worse off? People will be paying less for the fuel and less for the spare parts for the vehicles that move goods up and down the Track.
Yesterday, we heard about the shopping basket. What a spectacular little performance that was! At the very same time, thrust onto my desk was the front page of the West Australian with an article that claimed that Western Australians pay more for food than anyone else in Australia. What sort of tactics are being run around this country at the present time?
Territorians need to remember that 81% of Australians will be on a tax rate of 30 in the dollar or less. Territorians need to remember that, by the end of the first 10 years, we will have an additional $350m in our funding base. That means better schools, better hospitals, better facilities, and greater amenity of life. On top of that, there will be more money in the hip pocket. That is what Territorians want to know. Territorians want to know whether they will have more money in their pockets. The answer is a resounding ‘yes’. This tax package deserves the support of Territorians.
I make this final point. All one ever hears from the Labor Party is criticism. We do not see the Labor Party putting any alternatives on the table. We do not see the Labor Party coming up with a different proposal. However, now that Gareth Evans has been briefed by the Treasurer, after having bagged the package for at least the last 2 weeks, perhaps we will start to see the Coalition package recast under the imprimatur of the ALP.
This package works for Territorians. I urge them to vote for the Coalition federally and, in the Territory ...
Ms Martin interjecting.
Mr STONE: ... to vote for the CLP, the Territory party, the party that has always stood up for Territorians.
Madam SPEAKER: I remind opposition members that their interjections should be orderly. We do not want another example of what happened yesterday.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I can imagine the phone call that must have been made to the Leader of the Opposition’s office, perhaps last night or this morning, from the very worried and probably very disillusioned federal candidate, Warren Snowdon. He would have said: ‘Look, you have had 2 weeks to get the hit on this GST and tomorrow is your last chance’. If that is the Leader of the Opposition’s best shot, I can understand his frustration and concern.
How could anyone come to the conclusion that, with the reduction in diesel fuel costs, with the abolition of the wholesale sales tax, with tax breaks, and with more money in people’s pockets, Territorians will be worse off? People will be paying less for the fuel and less for the spare parts for the vehicles that move goods up and down the Track.
Yesterday, we heard about the shopping basket. What a spectacular little performance that was! At the very same time, thrust onto my desk was the front page of the West Australian with an article that claimed that Western Australians pay more for food than anyone else in Australia. What sort of tactics are being run around this country at the present time?
Territorians need to remember that 81% of Australians will be on a tax rate of 30 in the dollar or less. Territorians need to remember that, by the end of the first 10 years, we will have an additional $350m in our funding base. That means better schools, better hospitals, better facilities, and greater amenity of life. On top of that, there will be more money in the hip pocket. That is what Territorians want to know. Territorians want to know whether they will have more money in their pockets. The answer is a resounding ‘yes’. This tax package deserves the support of Territorians.
I make this final point. All one ever hears from the Labor Party is criticism. We do not see the Labor Party putting any alternatives on the table. We do not see the Labor Party coming up with a different proposal. However, now that Gareth Evans has been briefed by the Treasurer, after having bagged the package for at least the last 2 weeks, perhaps we will start to see the Coalition package recast under the imprimatur of the ALP.
This package works for Territorians. I urge them to vote for the Coalition federally and, in the Territory ...
Ms Martin interjecting.
Mr STONE: ... to vote for the CLP, the Territory party, the party that has always stood up for Territorians.
Madam SPEAKER: I remind opposition members that their interjections should be orderly. We do not want another example of what happened yesterday.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016