Mr KURRUPUWU - 2015-04-30
Can you inform the House how Budget 2015-16 is continuing the good work in the area of local government?
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for his question. He knows it is important that we look after local government, especially our councils in remote communities. We want to ensure our councils function properly and look after the people who vote for them to be a good councillor and do their job.
I am very proud to be speaking on my portfolio of Local Government. We have delivered on our election commitment, which was to bring back a voice to the bush through local government. Local government was one area where those opposite destroyed and disempowered my people. The super shires were nothing but a super mess, one that we are still mopping up.
It has cost Aboriginal people and the general public more than money. It has cost the loss of dignity and pride, and I remember the member for Namatjira also using those words.
We continue to mop up this mess with this budget through continuing with good work and bringing back the voice to the bush. Budget 2015-16 sees over $85m injected into local government. There are no reductions, member for Barkly. Again, this shows those opposite cannot read a budget.
The $500 000 difference is because projects have finished and that funding is spent. Significant projects have been completed in the last financial year and this is reflected in the budget. Some of the highlights are $32.97m in Commonwealth financial assistance grants, $7.9m for the continuation of an Indigenous matching jobs program, $5m for local authorities …
Ms Anderson: Can’t even read.
Mrs PRICE: You can talk, member for Namatjira, I know Nicholas used to write yours.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, minister. Stick to the question, please.
Mrs PRICE: There is $5m for local authorities to support the financial sustainability of regional councillors, $1m as the final instalment of a $6.2m four-year program to review local government across the Territory, $1m as part of a three-year agreement with LGANT …
Ms Anderson interjecting.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, member for Namatjira!
Mrs PRICE: If the member for Namatjira wants to carry on, I suggest she reads King Brown Country to remind her of how she neglected Papunya.
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 255. We are running out of time, would the minister table the paper she is reading from?
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, are you prepared to table those documents?
Mrs PRICE: Why doesn’t the member for Barkly table the papers he reads from?
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, are you prepared to table those documents?
Mrs PRICE: These are my notes.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you. You have the call for the remaining 10 seconds.
Mrs PRICE: Let me detail the remainder of our spending. Some of the major infrastructure investments …
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Sadly, minister, your time has expired.
ANSWER
Mr Deputy Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for his question. He knows it is important that we look after local government, especially our councils in remote communities. We want to ensure our councils function properly and look after the people who vote for them to be a good councillor and do their job.
I am very proud to be speaking on my portfolio of Local Government. We have delivered on our election commitment, which was to bring back a voice to the bush through local government. Local government was one area where those opposite destroyed and disempowered my people. The super shires were nothing but a super mess, one that we are still mopping up.
It has cost Aboriginal people and the general public more than money. It has cost the loss of dignity and pride, and I remember the member for Namatjira also using those words.
We continue to mop up this mess with this budget through continuing with good work and bringing back the voice to the bush. Budget 2015-16 sees over $85m injected into local government. There are no reductions, member for Barkly. Again, this shows those opposite cannot read a budget.
The $500 000 difference is because projects have finished and that funding is spent. Significant projects have been completed in the last financial year and this is reflected in the budget. Some of the highlights are $32.97m in Commonwealth financial assistance grants, $7.9m for the continuation of an Indigenous matching jobs program, $5m for local authorities …
Ms Anderson: Can’t even read.
Mrs PRICE: You can talk, member for Namatjira, I know Nicholas used to write yours.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, minister. Stick to the question, please.
Mrs PRICE: There is $5m for local authorities to support the financial sustainability of regional councillors, $1m as the final instalment of a $6.2m four-year program to review local government across the Territory, $1m as part of a three-year agreement with LGANT …
Ms Anderson interjecting.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order, member for Namatjira!
Mrs PRICE: If the member for Namatjira wants to carry on, I suggest she reads King Brown Country to remind her of how she neglected Papunya.
Mr McCARTHY: A point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker! Standing Order 255. We are running out of time, would the minister table the paper she is reading from?
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, are you prepared to table those documents?
Mrs PRICE: Why doesn’t the member for Barkly table the papers he reads from?
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Minister, are you prepared to table those documents?
Mrs PRICE: These are my notes.
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Thank you. You have the call for the remaining 10 seconds.
Mrs PRICE: Let me detail the remainder of our spending. Some of the major infrastructure investments …
Mr DEPUTY SPEAKER: Sadly, minister, your time has expired.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016