Mr WESTRA van HOLTHE - 2016-05-25
The Country Liberal government’s $20m Home Improvement Scheme has sparked a wave of excitement across the Territory since its announcement in yesterday’s budget. The excitement in Katherine is palpable, with tradies and householders already planning what type of work they want to do on their homes. It is fantastic.
But today the Opposition Leader told Mr and Mrs Malak, and, for that matter, Mr and Mrs Katherine, they are not worthy of being eligible for home improvement vouchers. He also told tradies there would not be as much work for them if he gets the chance to be the Chief Minister. Could the minister please explain how the Opposition Leader’s plan to take a wrecking ball to the scheme will destroy an initiative which will build up businesses, ensure Territory tradies have more work and save homeowners money on improvements to their homes and properties?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Katherine for his very informative question. Let us look at a couple of figures. We have just heard the Treasurer talk about the Leader of the Opposition not understanding how a balance sheet works. We understand that because he does not have any experience, but he told this House this morning that his plan would stimulate real work.
On our side, the maximum number of houses, with the $20m at our rate – 10 000 homeowner-occupiers can access this scheme. Thirty per cent is for equipment, tiles and paint, and 70% has to go to the tradie. The Leader of the Opposition said he will have about 500 potential clients at $10 000 a head. That adds up to about $5m. But alas, 20% of that can go to washing machines made in Japan and tables made in Malaysia. Let us go back a step to – oh, that is $4m. He will wipe out $20m going to tradies, mums and dads, families, Mr and Mrs Malak and Mr and Mrs Katherine. He will take away a $16m injection into the economy.
I pose the question to him, how does that stimulate real jobs? It probably does, but a lot less of them. That is the sad part about this. The Leader of the Opposition does not have any issue with killing jobs. His jobs plan is a bit of a joke. I want people, especially the young people here, to know – you can add up; you have demonstrated that. Some people around here to seem to be able to add up.
I spoke to some tradies at lunch time and they were ecstatic. The mood is great. The tradies we spoke to say we are hitting the nail on the head. The Leader of the Opposition comes up with this idea, probably a thought bubble after reading the budget last night, and says we better do something in this area. This demonstrates that they cannot add up.
You say you have this great plan to create jobs. You bag us and say we could not organise anything. We are just going to create 10 000 as opposed to your 500. There is the number of jobs; the number of tradies who will be impacted by what we are doing is enormous. The tradies and businesses know that. With your 500 potential clients you will spend one quarter of what we will inject into the economy. I hope people in Winnellie in the workshops and tradies on job sites are listening to this.
But today the Opposition Leader told Mr and Mrs Malak, and, for that matter, Mr and Mrs Katherine, they are not worthy of being eligible for home improvement vouchers. He also told tradies there would not be as much work for them if he gets the chance to be the Chief Minister. Could the minister please explain how the Opposition Leader’s plan to take a wrecking ball to the scheme will destroy an initiative which will build up businesses, ensure Territory tradies have more work and save homeowners money on improvements to their homes and properties?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Katherine for his very informative question. Let us look at a couple of figures. We have just heard the Treasurer talk about the Leader of the Opposition not understanding how a balance sheet works. We understand that because he does not have any experience, but he told this House this morning that his plan would stimulate real work.
On our side, the maximum number of houses, with the $20m at our rate – 10 000 homeowner-occupiers can access this scheme. Thirty per cent is for equipment, tiles and paint, and 70% has to go to the tradie. The Leader of the Opposition said he will have about 500 potential clients at $10 000 a head. That adds up to about $5m. But alas, 20% of that can go to washing machines made in Japan and tables made in Malaysia. Let us go back a step to – oh, that is $4m. He will wipe out $20m going to tradies, mums and dads, families, Mr and Mrs Malak and Mr and Mrs Katherine. He will take away a $16m injection into the economy.
I pose the question to him, how does that stimulate real jobs? It probably does, but a lot less of them. That is the sad part about this. The Leader of the Opposition does not have any issue with killing jobs. His jobs plan is a bit of a joke. I want people, especially the young people here, to know – you can add up; you have demonstrated that. Some people around here to seem to be able to add up.
I spoke to some tradies at lunch time and they were ecstatic. The mood is great. The tradies we spoke to say we are hitting the nail on the head. The Leader of the Opposition comes up with this idea, probably a thought bubble after reading the budget last night, and says we better do something in this area. This demonstrates that they cannot add up.
You say you have this great plan to create jobs. You bag us and say we could not organise anything. We are just going to create 10 000 as opposed to your 500. There is the number of jobs; the number of tradies who will be impacted by what we are doing is enormous. The tradies and businesses know that. With your 500 potential clients you will spend one quarter of what we will inject into the economy. I hope people in Winnellie in the workshops and tradies on job sites are listening to this.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016