Mr KURRUPUWU - 2016-05-24
Can the Treasurer outline to the House the context of today’s budget in terms of managing the challenging times, and does he know of any alternative policy and promises.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for his question. It is good to be asked a question on budget day. I was thinking that Senator Gunner, sorry, the Opposition Leader, might direct one this way, but, no, his head is in the clouds in Canberra today. Good on him.
In relation to the question from the member for Arafura, this budget has clearly demonstrated that come August this year there is a clear choice for Territorians in regard to their economic future. This has been my fourth, and will be my last, budget.
It shows that we have Labor’s $5.5bn debt mountain under control. Today the debt of this government sits at just $1.9bn. We are $3.6bn better off than we would have been with the other mob.
When we came to government 98% of all government revenue was part of the debt-to-revenue ratio. We have brought that down to 29%, a remarkable achievement considering we went to the election making the promise we would take the debt-to-revenue ratio down to 60%. We have far exceeded every target we put in place.
This budget has clearly demonstrated that there is a choice in the Northern Territory. You can have a responsible government that is interested in the future of the Northern Territory and creating more sustainable jobs and better standards of living for people, while ensuring we have the best education and health and safest communities in the country.
The alternative course is the team that wants to play politics and personality-based games, and is prepared to smear government and will run out the most decadent spending measures ever imagined. No one on the other side gives a rat’s about the finances of government. We know the Opposition Leader is already busily racking up debt in a proposed future government.
Madam Speaker, Territorians have a clear choice come August. They can opt for a responsible government or one focused on …
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Arafura for his question. It is good to be asked a question on budget day. I was thinking that Senator Gunner, sorry, the Opposition Leader, might direct one this way, but, no, his head is in the clouds in Canberra today. Good on him.
In relation to the question from the member for Arafura, this budget has clearly demonstrated that come August this year there is a clear choice for Territorians in regard to their economic future. This has been my fourth, and will be my last, budget.
It shows that we have Labor’s $5.5bn debt mountain under control. Today the debt of this government sits at just $1.9bn. We are $3.6bn better off than we would have been with the other mob.
When we came to government 98% of all government revenue was part of the debt-to-revenue ratio. We have brought that down to 29%, a remarkable achievement considering we went to the election making the promise we would take the debt-to-revenue ratio down to 60%. We have far exceeded every target we put in place.
This budget has clearly demonstrated that there is a choice in the Northern Territory. You can have a responsible government that is interested in the future of the Northern Territory and creating more sustainable jobs and better standards of living for people, while ensuring we have the best education and health and safest communities in the country.
The alternative course is the team that wants to play politics and personality-based games, and is prepared to smear government and will run out the most decadent spending measures ever imagined. No one on the other side gives a rat’s about the finances of government. We know the Opposition Leader is already busily racking up debt in a proposed future government.
Madam Speaker, Territorians have a clear choice come August. They can opt for a responsible government or one focused on …
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, your time has expired.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016