Ms MARTIN - 2000-10-12
Chief Minister, on Tuesday when asked about the federal government’s stance on petrol excise, you told the House that when the Prime Minister - and I quote this from Hansard:
…can make a clear judgement on what revenue can in fact be attributed to windfall changes then he’ll be in a position to make a decision.
Yesterday, after what I can only expect was an angry call from the Prime Minister’s office you said and I quote:
his [that is the Prime Minister] position is very clear, he intends doing nothing about it.
They can’t both be true. Either the Prime Minister is waiting for the revenue information before making a decision or he intends doing nothing. So Chief Minister, you either mislead the House on Tuesday or you mislead the House on Wednesday. Which day?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition is certainly trying to mislead the House today and certainly trying to verbal me and verbal the Prime Minister and verbal anyone else she can try and mislead. The situation with the Prime Minister is absolutely clear. I clarified the situation and my interpretation of his comments yesterday and the Leader of the Opposition should act responsibly on this issue and simply understand and interpret it very clearly. What I said, and for her information I will repeat it again. I pressed the Prime Minister very firmly on the fact that Territorians …
Members interjecting.
Mr BURKE: Listen! I pressed the Prime Minister very firmly on the fact that …
Mr Stirling: Did he like it?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BURKE: Mr Speaker, this demonstrates the childishness of the opposition and the sorts of conduct that one has to deal with on issues that are quite serious.
Now, with regards to the issue of petrol prices, I said to the Prime Minister I don’t know what your advisors might be telling you but you need to be very clear Prime Minister about the perception in the community that governments federal, state and territory are profiting from windfall gains because of the increase in petrol prices and it is a very real perception and governments need to do something about it.
It was in that context that the Prime Minister said to me that it was too early to make that judgement, that judgement being that there was windfall gain to states and territory governments …
Ms Martin: That wasn’t what you said on Tuesday.
Mr BURKE: … and, I’m simply - this is the second time I’m explaining it to you - so therefore, the information was not available to the Prime Minister to make that judgement and therefore those perceptions could not be made. That was the simple context of the statement.
…can make a clear judgement on what revenue can in fact be attributed to windfall changes then he’ll be in a position to make a decision.
Yesterday, after what I can only expect was an angry call from the Prime Minister’s office you said and I quote:
his [that is the Prime Minister] position is very clear, he intends doing nothing about it.
They can’t both be true. Either the Prime Minister is waiting for the revenue information before making a decision or he intends doing nothing. So Chief Minister, you either mislead the House on Tuesday or you mislead the House on Wednesday. Which day?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition is certainly trying to mislead the House today and certainly trying to verbal me and verbal the Prime Minister and verbal anyone else she can try and mislead. The situation with the Prime Minister is absolutely clear. I clarified the situation and my interpretation of his comments yesterday and the Leader of the Opposition should act responsibly on this issue and simply understand and interpret it very clearly. What I said, and for her information I will repeat it again. I pressed the Prime Minister very firmly on the fact that Territorians …
Members interjecting.
Mr BURKE: Listen! I pressed the Prime Minister very firmly on the fact that …
Mr Stirling: Did he like it?
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr BURKE: Mr Speaker, this demonstrates the childishness of the opposition and the sorts of conduct that one has to deal with on issues that are quite serious.
Now, with regards to the issue of petrol prices, I said to the Prime Minister I don’t know what your advisors might be telling you but you need to be very clear Prime Minister about the perception in the community that governments federal, state and territory are profiting from windfall gains because of the increase in petrol prices and it is a very real perception and governments need to do something about it.
It was in that context that the Prime Minister said to me that it was too early to make that judgement, that judgement being that there was windfall gain to states and territory governments …
Ms Martin: That wasn’t what you said on Tuesday.
Mr BURKE: … and, I’m simply - this is the second time I’m explaining it to you - so therefore, the information was not available to the Prime Minister to make that judgement and therefore those perceptions could not be made. That was the simple context of the statement.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016