Mr TOLLNER - 2014-08-28
Can you give some advice to the House as to whether there are any benefits to scrapping Labor’s job destroying carbon tax?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, what a good question. The member for Fong Lim is probably aware of this, but on Thursday 17 July 2014, much to the disgust of the Territory and federal Labor Party, the Australian Liberal government and the Coalition abolished the carbon tax.
If you want to talk about cost of living pressures, let me get to that point – they abolished the carbon tax. The Country Liberal Party has opposed this tax right from the start. We support the Abbott government in scrapping the tax in federal parliament. Scrapping the tax in federal parliament will help lower costs for Australian businesses and ease cost of living pressures for households. Territorians will pay less for their electricity now we have removed former Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s carbon tax, a tax she pledged Labor would never introduce.
In getting to the answer for the member for Fong Lim, I will talk about the benefits to Territorians of repealing the carbon tax. That includes a reduction for a small family of around $142 a year from their power bill, and for a large family a saving of $245 a year, or $61 a quarter. I think Territorians will be happy we are shaving $245 per annum from an average large family home ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. You slugged Territorians $2000 on their power bills, so put it in context.
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order.
Mr GILES: I know the words ‘lie’ and ‘mislead’ are …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. You have asked for that word not to be used. He keeps using it.
Madam SPEAKER: The Chief Minister can use the word in a general sense. It was not directed at anyone in particular.
Mr GILES: Madam Speaker, there is a chip on the shoulder with those words. I know ‘lies’ and ‘mislead’ are not allowed to be used in this Chamber, but if I were to use them, it would be towards the claim about the $2000. If I was to use ‘lies’ and ‘mislead’, I would refer to the recent media release about the price increase by the Utility Commission, which was completely incorrect and completely misleading for Territorians. It did not have any effect on residential customers or small businesses at all, despite what you said - waving this out trying to scare people.
I will also identify that small business customers not only will be exempt from receiving an increase from the Utilities Commissioner’s recommendation, but they will save $790 per annum on their electricity bill. Families are saving $245 a year, small businesses are saving $790 a year and I cannot believe Labor did not support that. It is a shame.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, what a good question. The member for Fong Lim is probably aware of this, but on Thursday 17 July 2014, much to the disgust of the Territory and federal Labor Party, the Australian Liberal government and the Coalition abolished the carbon tax.
If you want to talk about cost of living pressures, let me get to that point – they abolished the carbon tax. The Country Liberal Party has opposed this tax right from the start. We support the Abbott government in scrapping the tax in federal parliament. Scrapping the tax in federal parliament will help lower costs for Australian businesses and ease cost of living pressures for households. Territorians will pay less for their electricity now we have removed former Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s carbon tax, a tax she pledged Labor would never introduce.
In getting to the answer for the member for Fong Lim, I will talk about the benefits to Territorians of repealing the carbon tax. That includes a reduction for a small family of around $142 a year from their power bill, and for a large family a saving of $245 a year, or $61 a quarter. I think Territorians will be happy we are shaving $245 per annum from an average large family home ...
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. You slugged Territorians $2000 on their power bills, so put it in context.
Madam SPEAKER: It is not a point of order.
Mr GILES: I know the words ‘lie’ and ‘mislead’ are …
Ms FYLES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. You have asked for that word not to be used. He keeps using it.
Madam SPEAKER: The Chief Minister can use the word in a general sense. It was not directed at anyone in particular.
Mr GILES: Madam Speaker, there is a chip on the shoulder with those words. I know ‘lies’ and ‘mislead’ are not allowed to be used in this Chamber, but if I were to use them, it would be towards the claim about the $2000. If I was to use ‘lies’ and ‘mislead’, I would refer to the recent media release about the price increase by the Utility Commission, which was completely incorrect and completely misleading for Territorians. It did not have any effect on residential customers or small businesses at all, despite what you said - waving this out trying to scare people.
I will also identify that small business customers not only will be exempt from receiving an increase from the Utilities Commissioner’s recommendation, but they will save $790 per annum on their electricity bill. Families are saving $245 a year, small businesses are saving $790 a year and I cannot believe Labor did not support that. It is a shame.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, your time has expired.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016