Mr KURRUPUWU - 2012-10-24
The government has targeted balancing the budget by the end of its first term. Can you outline the challenges the government faces in delivering this promise? Are there any recent developments which may further impact on the difficulties of the challenge?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the new member for Arafura; it is an absolute delight to have him in our team. The member for Arafura also cares about the Northern Territory budget and how it impacts on Territory families and businesses.
Ahead of the last election we told Territorians about our five-point plan, which included cutting waste, reducing debt and returning the budget to surplus in our first term. As the Chief Minister has set out, we made the promise in good faith, and we definitely will deliver.
That said, the extent of the deficit we are left with is enormous, despite rejections from the other side of the House over our figures. We are astounded by these early indications. The fiscal imbalance, according to the August pre-election fiscal outlook, is a staggering $876m. Yes, it is based on the non-financial public sector which is inclusive of the general government sector. The Leader of the Opposition’s assertion that we are misleading parliament is totally incorrect. She has taken a very narrow view of interpreting her budget to advantage the former government ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Every jurisdiction in our nation uses the same deficit description as the Territory, with the exception of Victoria, which uses the operating balances, which is currently in surplus.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Please be seated.
Mrs LAMBLEY: Yes, you are quite right Leader of the Opposition. However, when the debt is sustained in the non-financial public sector like it is within the Northern Territory you cannot ignore it. That is what you have, effectively, done for the last four years. You have ignored the vast amount of debt which has accumulated in this sector over the last four years to the detriment of the whole of the Northern Territory.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Eight budget surpluses in a row, a reduction of debt of $582m ...
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Karama, please be seated. Treasurer.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I ask you to caution the Leader of the Opposition about frivolous points of order.
Madam SPEAKER: Please be seated, member for Port Darwin.
Mrs LAMBLEY: I will allow the Leader of the Opposition to continue misleading Territorians because it is obviously in her favour to do so; however, the reality is there is an $867m debt.
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I ask the Treasurer to withdraw the word ‘misleading’.
Madam SPEAKER: Treasurer, could you please withdraw ‘misleading’?
Mrs LAMBLEY: I withdraw the word ‘misleading’, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you.
Mrs LAMBLEY: To top it off, we have interest payments of $750 000 per day 365 days a year, compliments of the former government.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I normally do not talk about people who are not parliamentarians in this House, but I ask you to remind all staffers in boxes who are assisting ministers and opposition members that they are not allowed to interject or in any way involve themselves in the debate.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Port Darwin.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the new member for Arafura; it is an absolute delight to have him in our team. The member for Arafura also cares about the Northern Territory budget and how it impacts on Territory families and businesses.
Ahead of the last election we told Territorians about our five-point plan, which included cutting waste, reducing debt and returning the budget to surplus in our first term. As the Chief Minister has set out, we made the promise in good faith, and we definitely will deliver.
That said, the extent of the deficit we are left with is enormous, despite rejections from the other side of the House over our figures. We are astounded by these early indications. The fiscal imbalance, according to the August pre-election fiscal outlook, is a staggering $876m. Yes, it is based on the non-financial public sector which is inclusive of the general government sector. The Leader of the Opposition’s assertion that we are misleading parliament is totally incorrect. She has taken a very narrow view of interpreting her budget to advantage the former government ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Every jurisdiction in our nation uses the same deficit description as the Territory, with the exception of Victoria, which uses the operating balances, which is currently in surplus.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: There is no point of order. Please be seated.
Mrs LAMBLEY: Yes, you are quite right Leader of the Opposition. However, when the debt is sustained in the non-financial public sector like it is within the Northern Territory you cannot ignore it. That is what you have, effectively, done for the last four years. You have ignored the vast amount of debt which has accumulated in this sector over the last four years to the detriment of the whole of the Northern Territory.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Eight budget surpluses in a row, a reduction of debt of $582m ...
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Karama, please be seated. Treasurer.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I ask you to caution the Leader of the Opposition about frivolous points of order.
Madam SPEAKER: Please be seated, member for Port Darwin.
Mrs LAMBLEY: I will allow the Leader of the Opposition to continue misleading Territorians because it is obviously in her favour to do so; however, the reality is there is an $867m debt.
Mr GUNNER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I ask the Treasurer to withdraw the word ‘misleading’.
Madam SPEAKER: Treasurer, could you please withdraw ‘misleading’?
Mrs LAMBLEY: I withdraw the word ‘misleading’, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you.
Mrs LAMBLEY: To top it off, we have interest payments of $750 000 per day 365 days a year, compliments of the former government.
Mr ELFERINK: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I normally do not talk about people who are not parliamentarians in this House, but I ask you to remind all staffers in boxes who are assisting ministers and opposition members that they are not allowed to interject or in any way involve themselves in the debate.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, member for Port Darwin.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016