Ms LAWRIE - 2012-11-27
Before the election, the number 1 commitment in your contract with families was to lower the cost of living. You have torn up this commitment; you have hiked up bills by $2000, hiking up power and water unnecessarily causing hurt and pain to Territorians. Rethink this mean and unnecessary decision. Listen to Territorians, who are saying in their thousands - the families and businesses – you are hurting them too hard, you are fattening up the pig for sale to market.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her question. That is what they are saying, is it? They are the lines you are feeding them? You are providing no leadership whatsoever. You said it is unnecessary to increase the power and water tariffs and you know darn well it is necessary because you have accepted it yourself. Why will you not reveal to your colleagues and the Territory community as a whole that the Power and Water Corporation Board tried to prevail upon you to do the right thing to ensure you took responsibility for the long-term interests of the Northern Territory.
You pull your little stunt and ignore the reality that the greatest impact on Territory families’ budgets is the previous government’s failure to release land. We have the highest rents and mortgages in the country. You are focusing on something which is necessary, sadly, because of your mismanagement and lack of courage to do the right thing and your greater interest in protecting your own political hide and not doing the right thing in the best and long-term interests of the Northern Territory.
This is a real government which will make real decisions to secure the long-term future of the Northern Territory. The reality is that in your neglect of long-term planning and your self-indulgent response to real issues you did not plan properly you have hiked up the cost of rents and mortgages and it is necessary - and you know it – for us to fix the debt which will crush the Territory unless someone acts. Fortunately, there has been a change of government.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for her question. That is what they are saying, is it? They are the lines you are feeding them? You are providing no leadership whatsoever. You said it is unnecessary to increase the power and water tariffs and you know darn well it is necessary because you have accepted it yourself. Why will you not reveal to your colleagues and the Territory community as a whole that the Power and Water Corporation Board tried to prevail upon you to do the right thing to ensure you took responsibility for the long-term interests of the Northern Territory.
You pull your little stunt and ignore the reality that the greatest impact on Territory families’ budgets is the previous government’s failure to release land. We have the highest rents and mortgages in the country. You are focusing on something which is necessary, sadly, because of your mismanagement and lack of courage to do the right thing and your greater interest in protecting your own political hide and not doing the right thing in the best and long-term interests of the Northern Territory.
This is a real government which will make real decisions to secure the long-term future of the Northern Territory. The reality is that in your neglect of long-term planning and your self-indulgent response to real issues you did not plan properly you have hiked up the cost of rents and mortgages and it is necessary - and you know it – for us to fix the debt which will crush the Territory unless someone acts. Fortunately, there has been a change of government.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016