Mr HIGGINS - 2013-05-14
The budget will be delivered by the Treasurer at 11.05 am. What challenges did this government encounter in framing the budget and what are the government’s key economic priorities?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question. This goes to the first question by the Opposition Leader, member for Daly.
One of the key challenges was the former Labor government. I have given many interviews where I have spoken about whether we are different to other jurisdictions. As a Country Liberal government we are no different to other Coalition and Liberal governments around this nation that have come in after a long period of Labor government. The situation is always the same: debt and deficit. That is exactly the position we had. Before the last election, you framed a $1.2bn deficit for this coming financial year with $5.5bn worth of debt. That was a challenge.
We had to ensure we invested in the Northern Territory, continued to build infrastructure and support local development and business while reducing the debt burden left by you, which was $5.5bn with a $1.2bn deficit forecast. That was a challenge. The biggest challenge is what Labor has left us. How do we continue to support the non-government sector? How do we support small business? How do we invest in minor works? How do we support the regions, developing economies, building roads and supporting change in the shire structure? These are challenges we have while we have your debt over our head - 100%. The budget was the same as the debt level, a significant challenge for us.
We are turning around the biggest projected deficit in the history of the Northern Territory. It is a titanic disaster just waiting to happen, an iceberg of debt spending that was hidden away ready to wreck our Territory. It is a tough for the Northern Territory government to work out how it can continue to provide financial impetus. We wanted to pay down our debt as quickly as we could but we cannot pay it down immediately because it hurts people. We have to continue to invest while reducing our debt and setting the right priorities for the future of the Northern Territory.
We are investing in business. We are ensuring the private sector creates job opportunities and we are setting the framework so development can happen. We are putting out water licences so we can support the horticultural industry and sending our Primary Industries minister to Indonesia to try to sell cattle after your Labor mates ruined the cattle industry through the live cattle ban. These are the things we are doing to support the Northern Territory.
In answer to your question, member for Daly, the biggest challenge is the Opposition Leader and her former budget with $5.5bn worth of debt and a $1.2bn deficit as was forecast.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Daly for his question. This goes to the first question by the Opposition Leader, member for Daly.
One of the key challenges was the former Labor government. I have given many interviews where I have spoken about whether we are different to other jurisdictions. As a Country Liberal government we are no different to other Coalition and Liberal governments around this nation that have come in after a long period of Labor government. The situation is always the same: debt and deficit. That is exactly the position we had. Before the last election, you framed a $1.2bn deficit for this coming financial year with $5.5bn worth of debt. That was a challenge.
We had to ensure we invested in the Northern Territory, continued to build infrastructure and support local development and business while reducing the debt burden left by you, which was $5.5bn with a $1.2bn deficit forecast. That was a challenge. The biggest challenge is what Labor has left us. How do we continue to support the non-government sector? How do we support small business? How do we invest in minor works? How do we support the regions, developing economies, building roads and supporting change in the shire structure? These are challenges we have while we have your debt over our head - 100%. The budget was the same as the debt level, a significant challenge for us.
We are turning around the biggest projected deficit in the history of the Northern Territory. It is a titanic disaster just waiting to happen, an iceberg of debt spending that was hidden away ready to wreck our Territory. It is a tough for the Northern Territory government to work out how it can continue to provide financial impetus. We wanted to pay down our debt as quickly as we could but we cannot pay it down immediately because it hurts people. We have to continue to invest while reducing our debt and setting the right priorities for the future of the Northern Territory.
We are investing in business. We are ensuring the private sector creates job opportunities and we are setting the framework so development can happen. We are putting out water licences so we can support the horticultural industry and sending our Primary Industries minister to Indonesia to try to sell cattle after your Labor mates ruined the cattle industry through the live cattle ban. These are the things we are doing to support the Northern Territory.
In answer to your question, member for Daly, the biggest challenge is the Opposition Leader and her former budget with $5.5bn worth of debt and a $1.2bn deficit as was forecast.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016