Mr REED - 2001-10-23
Trevor Dalton, from the Property Council, said on ABC radio this morning that business wants an unequivocal statement from you, ruling out a land tax. Can you give business such an assurance or will you continue to erode business confidence by continuing to state that such a tax may be imposed at some stage of the current parliament?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the question should be accurate. To quote me as saying that the tax might be imposed at some stage of this present parliament is absolutely wrong, absolutely wrong. I ask the member for Katherine to table where those words were said, because I think they are absolute fantasy. Like your budgets, that is more fantasy. I have said very clearly, Labor went to this election with very carefully outlined policies, as opposed to the then government, which had a kind of grab-bag of uncosted initiatives. We said very clearly - and read my lips …
Mr Reed: It’s a no for this term. No land tax?
Ms MARTIN: … no new taxes and charges. Okay? No new taxes and charges. I say to the member for Katherine, who is not always quick on the uptake, that means no land tax.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the question should be accurate. To quote me as saying that the tax might be imposed at some stage of this present parliament is absolutely wrong, absolutely wrong. I ask the member for Katherine to table where those words were said, because I think they are absolute fantasy. Like your budgets, that is more fantasy. I have said very clearly, Labor went to this election with very carefully outlined policies, as opposed to the then government, which had a kind of grab-bag of uncosted initiatives. We said very clearly - and read my lips …
Mr Reed: It’s a no for this term. No land tax?
Ms MARTIN: … no new taxes and charges. Okay? No new taxes and charges. I say to the member for Katherine, who is not always quick on the uptake, that means no land tax.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016