Mr MILLS - 2001-07-04
Access Economics recently released its June quarter business outlook analysis. What forecast does Access make for the growth in the Territory economy, especially in light of the progress in developing Timor Sea gas reserves that the Chief Minister just outlined?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the Member for Blain is clearly more interested in important matters to Territorians than the Leader of the Opposition who is trying to deflect a bit of a problem that she has with one of her members who is so aggrieved he won’t even turn up today.
From the point of view of the underlying strength of the Northern Territory economy and the opportunities in terms of jobs and investment that lie before Territorians, we have an independent view of what those opportunities are. In terms of Access Economics, can I say that they consider impending oil and gas developments to be megaprojects which will significantly add to the impetus of the currently strong Northern Territory economy. That is something that flies directly in the face of the incorrect position that the Leader of the Opposition has been pointing out, whingeing and whining and knock, knock, knocking about the economy and the opportunities that lie before Territorians.
Dr Toyne interjecting.
Mr REED: Access Economics forecast an average annual regrowth - yes, you do not want to hear the of opportunities that Territorians will be able to avail themselves of.
They will have an annual real growth rate of 5.4% for the Territory GSP over 5 years 2001-05. This forecast growth is substantially higher than all other jurisdictions. The closest other jurisdiction is Western Australia at 4%, which demonstrates the importance of the work that the Chief Minister has done over the last year or so in terms of oil and gas. He stood up for Territorians, he spoke out about the Australia/Timor arrangements that had to be put in place to enable us to see these opportunities come to fruition, when the Leader of the Opposition was saying, ‘Don’t interfere, it has got nothing to do with you, you should not be speaking out on behalf of Territorians’. We will see tomorrow in Timor the very fruits of that activity, of that hard work.
These projects do not just happen, they are damn hard work. From the point of view of the government, and the Chief Minister in particular, we will see the benefits flow from that tomorrow with the signing of the Timor/Australia arrangements.
The Access prediction for the Territory also compares favourably to the forecast national growth of 3.1%. Territory GSP is expected to grow 5.4% nationally, 3.1% over the next 5 years. Does that not get you encouraged and enthusiastic about the future?
Mr Stirling: This was similar growth last year.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: You have got to have a bit of vision, you have got to have hope for the future, you have got to have drive and enthusiasm, and you won’t find any of that now in the six pack. Yesterday there was seven of them, today there is six. Who are you going to sack tonight and what was the real reason for sacking Jack? You are not going to tell us this nonsense that the two lines that he said in the debate was the reason for sacking him. If that was the reason he would not be so offended and would be sitting here this morning. But he won’t even come into the Chamber and do his job that he is paid for.
Mrs HICKEY: A point of order, Mr Speaker! It is all very well to have interjection on reflections on the absence or otherwise of a member, but the Deputy Chief Minister knows full well he cannot refer to the presence or otherwise of the member, certainly when he has the floor.
Mr SPEAKER: Yes, the Deputy Chief Minister would be best not to refer to the absence of members.
Mr REED: We saw the ludicrousness of the Opposition Leader this morning standing up trying to make a point of a particular member, the member for Sanderson who is retiring at the end of this parliamentary term, conveniently overlooking the fact that the member for Arafura and the member for Barkly are going to move from her ship. You would not know what Jack’s going to do today, after he is so offended, given his presence in the Assembly today, in a negative form.
Access Economics has also forecast annual growth rate of 2.6% for Territory employment over the coming 10-year period. This is significantly higher than all other jurisdictions. Western Australia is again the next highest at 1.9%, and nationally 1.3% growth is predicted.
We are about to embark on - with the construction of the railway and the bringing of gas onshore - an enormous level of activity. It will not, in terms of the gas, just benefit people in Darwin. It will benefit all Territorians with the growth of the economy, with the construction of pipelines interstate, with the introduction of cheaper gas for electricity generation and over time, the understanding that we will see reduced electricity prices in the Northern Territory. This will see us in a position that is more competitive with the electricity costs interstate and our businesses being able to compete on a much more level playing field in that regard than they currently are.
There is still much hard work to be done and you won’t get that hard work out of the six pack in terms of Territorians.
The next four years are going to be crucial in terms of achieving those opportunities and we will need a government that is experienced, that is committed and is determined to work on behalf of Territorians. The mob opposite are neither experienced, enthusiastic nor determined but they are grooming, they are without hope, they have no vision for the future and they will not have the capacity to form a government and to deliver to Territorians. We have seen today the best example of that where one of them has had to be sacked and he does not even have the good grace to turn up for work.
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the Member for Blain is clearly more interested in important matters to Territorians than the Leader of the Opposition who is trying to deflect a bit of a problem that she has with one of her members who is so aggrieved he won’t even turn up today.
From the point of view of the underlying strength of the Northern Territory economy and the opportunities in terms of jobs and investment that lie before Territorians, we have an independent view of what those opportunities are. In terms of Access Economics, can I say that they consider impending oil and gas developments to be megaprojects which will significantly add to the impetus of the currently strong Northern Territory economy. That is something that flies directly in the face of the incorrect position that the Leader of the Opposition has been pointing out, whingeing and whining and knock, knock, knocking about the economy and the opportunities that lie before Territorians.
Dr Toyne interjecting.
Mr REED: Access Economics forecast an average annual regrowth - yes, you do not want to hear the of opportunities that Territorians will be able to avail themselves of.
They will have an annual real growth rate of 5.4% for the Territory GSP over 5 years 2001-05. This forecast growth is substantially higher than all other jurisdictions. The closest other jurisdiction is Western Australia at 4%, which demonstrates the importance of the work that the Chief Minister has done over the last year or so in terms of oil and gas. He stood up for Territorians, he spoke out about the Australia/Timor arrangements that had to be put in place to enable us to see these opportunities come to fruition, when the Leader of the Opposition was saying, ‘Don’t interfere, it has got nothing to do with you, you should not be speaking out on behalf of Territorians’. We will see tomorrow in Timor the very fruits of that activity, of that hard work.
These projects do not just happen, they are damn hard work. From the point of view of the government, and the Chief Minister in particular, we will see the benefits flow from that tomorrow with the signing of the Timor/Australia arrangements.
The Access prediction for the Territory also compares favourably to the forecast national growth of 3.1%. Territory GSP is expected to grow 5.4% nationally, 3.1% over the next 5 years. Does that not get you encouraged and enthusiastic about the future?
Mr Stirling: This was similar growth last year.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: You have got to have a bit of vision, you have got to have hope for the future, you have got to have drive and enthusiasm, and you won’t find any of that now in the six pack. Yesterday there was seven of them, today there is six. Who are you going to sack tonight and what was the real reason for sacking Jack? You are not going to tell us this nonsense that the two lines that he said in the debate was the reason for sacking him. If that was the reason he would not be so offended and would be sitting here this morning. But he won’t even come into the Chamber and do his job that he is paid for.
Mrs HICKEY: A point of order, Mr Speaker! It is all very well to have interjection on reflections on the absence or otherwise of a member, but the Deputy Chief Minister knows full well he cannot refer to the presence or otherwise of the member, certainly when he has the floor.
Mr SPEAKER: Yes, the Deputy Chief Minister would be best not to refer to the absence of members.
Mr REED: We saw the ludicrousness of the Opposition Leader this morning standing up trying to make a point of a particular member, the member for Sanderson who is retiring at the end of this parliamentary term, conveniently overlooking the fact that the member for Arafura and the member for Barkly are going to move from her ship. You would not know what Jack’s going to do today, after he is so offended, given his presence in the Assembly today, in a negative form.
Access Economics has also forecast annual growth rate of 2.6% for Territory employment over the coming 10-year period. This is significantly higher than all other jurisdictions. Western Australia is again the next highest at 1.9%, and nationally 1.3% growth is predicted.
We are about to embark on - with the construction of the railway and the bringing of gas onshore - an enormous level of activity. It will not, in terms of the gas, just benefit people in Darwin. It will benefit all Territorians with the growth of the economy, with the construction of pipelines interstate, with the introduction of cheaper gas for electricity generation and over time, the understanding that we will see reduced electricity prices in the Northern Territory. This will see us in a position that is more competitive with the electricity costs interstate and our businesses being able to compete on a much more level playing field in that regard than they currently are.
There is still much hard work to be done and you won’t get that hard work out of the six pack in terms of Territorians.
The next four years are going to be crucial in terms of achieving those opportunities and we will need a government that is experienced, that is committed and is determined to work on behalf of Territorians. The mob opposite are neither experienced, enthusiastic nor determined but they are grooming, they are without hope, they have no vision for the future and they will not have the capacity to form a government and to deliver to Territorians. We have seen today the best example of that where one of them has had to be sacked and he does not even have the good grace to turn up for work.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016