Ms LAWRIE - 2014-05-14
You have just been praising the federal budget, the fact we will lose $80bn from our schools and hospitals and that when we go to the doctor or the hospital we will have to pay. How much will Territorians have to pay on the twice-a-year hit as a result of the fuel excise increase by your mates in Canberra, which will hit us on freight and every time we get in our car? How much will that fuel excise that you have just been praising cost Territorians?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I again reject the premise of this question. I was not standing here praising the federal government. I do not know where the Opposition Leader gets that from. I was comparing federal Labor to Territory Labor. If you want to think that is praising the federal government — what I said is that I have a lot of sympathy for the situation Joe Hockey finds himself in. Why do I have a bit of sympathy for Joe Hockey? Because we find ourselves in the same position.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. How much will Territorians have to pay for the fuel excise that your mates in Canberra will hit us with twice a year?
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, please be seated. The minister has three minutes to answer the question.
Mr TOLLNER: Madam Speaker, the Opposition Leader knows that was not the question. There was a big long preamble, banging on about all sorts of nonsense which I am responding to. There are some concerns with the federal budget. Clearly if you want to develop the north, putting an indexation on fuel excise will not help that. I will be taking that matter up with Mr Hockey, and I imagine the Chief Minister will take that matter up with the Prime Minister in his north Australian development discussions. We now learn that federal Labor government debt is $667bn.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. You were specifically asked how much the fuel excise will cost Territorians. Twice a year we will get the hit from your mates in Canberra. You are the Treasurer, how much will the fuel excise cost?
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, Opposition Leader. Treasurer, you have the call.
Mr TOLLNER: I have answered the question. I have said we are not very happy about the indexation of fuel excise.
We are a bit concerned about the lower indexation of health funding, and we think the GST estimates are overly positive. We have some concerns with the federal budget. It seems that Stronger Futures money has been protected, which is significant in the Northern Territory because of our large Indigenous and remote population. That Stronger Futures money is very important to see the Northern Territory develop. The other thing we are very impressed with is that Students First, which Labor called ‘Gonski’, has been extended to 2017-18. That will be a big boost for education in the Northern Territory, so it is not all bad. There is a correlation between the federal budget and the Territory budget …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. How much will the fuel excise cost Territorians, hitting us twice a year?
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, please be seated. You have used that time and time again. Minister, answer the question.
Mr TOLLNER: The fact is we can clearly see what happens when you elect a Labor government. We rack up debt, spend money like drunken sailors and leave it to conservative governments to fix your mess.
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. You had three minutes to answer the question and have 20 seconds left. Will the Treasurer answer the question? What will the cost be to Territorians on fuel excise?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nhulunbuy, please be seated.
Mr TOLLNER: I have finished, Madam Speaker.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I again reject the premise of this question. I was not standing here praising the federal government. I do not know where the Opposition Leader gets that from. I was comparing federal Labor to Territory Labor. If you want to think that is praising the federal government — what I said is that I have a lot of sympathy for the situation Joe Hockey finds himself in. Why do I have a bit of sympathy for Joe Hockey? Because we find ourselves in the same position.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. How much will Territorians have to pay for the fuel excise that your mates in Canberra will hit us with twice a year?
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, please be seated. The minister has three minutes to answer the question.
Mr TOLLNER: Madam Speaker, the Opposition Leader knows that was not the question. There was a big long preamble, banging on about all sorts of nonsense which I am responding to. There are some concerns with the federal budget. Clearly if you want to develop the north, putting an indexation on fuel excise will not help that. I will be taking that matter up with Mr Hockey, and I imagine the Chief Minister will take that matter up with the Prime Minister in his north Australian development discussions. We now learn that federal Labor government debt is $667bn.
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. You were specifically asked how much the fuel excise will cost Territorians. Twice a year we will get the hit from your mates in Canberra. You are the Treasurer, how much will the fuel excise cost?
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, Opposition Leader. Treasurer, you have the call.
Mr TOLLNER: I have answered the question. I have said we are not very happy about the indexation of fuel excise.
We are a bit concerned about the lower indexation of health funding, and we think the GST estimates are overly positive. We have some concerns with the federal budget. It seems that Stronger Futures money has been protected, which is significant in the Northern Territory because of our large Indigenous and remote population. That Stronger Futures money is very important to see the Northern Territory develop. The other thing we are very impressed with is that Students First, which Labor called ‘Gonski’, has been extended to 2017-18. That will be a big boost for education in the Northern Territory, so it is not all bad. There is a correlation between the federal budget and the Territory budget …
Ms LAWRIE: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. How much will the fuel excise cost Territorians, hitting us twice a year?
Madam SPEAKER: Opposition Leader, please be seated. You have used that time and time again. Minister, answer the question.
Mr TOLLNER: The fact is we can clearly see what happens when you elect a Labor government. We rack up debt, spend money like drunken sailors and leave it to conservative governments to fix your mess.
Ms WALKER: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Standing Order 113: relevance. You had three minutes to answer the question and have 20 seconds left. Will the Treasurer answer the question? What will the cost be to Territorians on fuel excise?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Nhulunbuy, please be seated.
Mr TOLLNER: I have finished, Madam Speaker.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016