Mrs HICKEY - 1996-08-14
The Treasurer claimed yesterday that this year's budget has the largest capital works program in 10 years. The budget papers show that the capital works program just 2 years ago was bigger. Was he attempting to mislead Territorians, or is he merely incompetent?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, it is with delight that I rise to answer the question. I do not resile for one moment from my statement yesterday that the budget this year is an action budget. The member for Barkly never gets out of her office. I think she has a special cupboard at the back of the office in which she hides. If she takes the time to travel around the Northern Territory over the next 12 months, she will have to do so with care. She will have to watch out. If she goes to Katherine, she will see a primary school coming out of the ground. If she goes to Larapinta in Alice Springs, she will see another primary school being built there. Another is being built in Palmerston, another in the rural area and another at Gapuwiyak. The honourable member was on the radio this morning saying that we were not meeting the needs of increasing demands on the education system. Schools are to be built right across the Northern Territory this financial year. In addition, schools right across the Northern Territory, from Yarralin through the rural area, will be upgraded. She does not want to listen to the answer.
The same applies to health clinics, and infrastructure in national parks. The same applies to infrastructure in the roads system right across the Northern Territory. The same applies to support for industries and for the primary industry sector. The country will be opened for more development. Sturt Plateau is to be opened up so that more pastoralists can generate more economic wealth for the Northern Territory. That is what is upsetting the Leader of the Opposition. She is horrified at the thought that this budget will deliver even further sustained economic growth for Territorians. Her problem is that she will have to face the music come the next election when those results come to pass.
On ABC radio this morning, the Leader of the Opposition was asked what she would do to help industry. She had said that one of the things she would like to do was encourage more industry in the Northern Territory. The question was asked by Fred McCue. The Leader of the Opposition said: `Oh, I would cut electricity charges by 10%'. Fred McCue asked how much that would cost. She had no idea. She does not even know what the initiatives that she is proposing for Territorians would cost the taxpayers, what would be lost in terms of revenue or what the impact on the budget would be. She is incompetent! This budget does not include, as the Leader of the Opposition is reported in the NT News as saying it does, a 27% increase in car registration. Such an increase does not appear in the budget because it does not include it.
Mrs Hickey: No, you slipped it in after.
Mr REED: You are getting it mixed up ...
Mrs Hickey: You snuck it in.
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Mr REED: It was not snuck in!
The Leader of the Opposition is referring to compulsory third party insurance which will rise by 27%. That was announced by the minister several months ago. It came into effect on 1 July. Also reported in the newspaper today was a statement by the Leader of the Opposition that I made no reference in the budget speech yesterday to the increase in heavy vehicle charges. I advise her to read it again.
Mrs Hickey interjecting.
Mr REED: She admits she was wrong. Finally, for the record, the Leader of the Opposition has gone to the confessional and has admitted that she was wrong. At the end of this financial year, she will admit again that she was wrong when she sees the new schools coming out of the ground, new health clinics appearing and existing health clinics upgraded as evidence of a total commitment to improving health and education infrastructure right across the Northern Territory. This government has made a total commitment to providing improved infrastructure to encourage industry right across the Northern Territory. Every region of the Northern Territory will benefit.
Mrs Hickey interjecting.
Mr REED: That is what your concern is. I look forward to your confession at the end of the year when you see all this infrastructure actually coming into play.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, it is with delight that I rise to answer the question. I do not resile for one moment from my statement yesterday that the budget this year is an action budget. The member for Barkly never gets out of her office. I think she has a special cupboard at the back of the office in which she hides. If she takes the time to travel around the Northern Territory over the next 12 months, she will have to do so with care. She will have to watch out. If she goes to Katherine, she will see a primary school coming out of the ground. If she goes to Larapinta in Alice Springs, she will see another primary school being built there. Another is being built in Palmerston, another in the rural area and another at Gapuwiyak. The honourable member was on the radio this morning saying that we were not meeting the needs of increasing demands on the education system. Schools are to be built right across the Northern Territory this financial year. In addition, schools right across the Northern Territory, from Yarralin through the rural area, will be upgraded. She does not want to listen to the answer.
The same applies to health clinics, and infrastructure in national parks. The same applies to infrastructure in the roads system right across the Northern Territory. The same applies to support for industries and for the primary industry sector. The country will be opened for more development. Sturt Plateau is to be opened up so that more pastoralists can generate more economic wealth for the Northern Territory. That is what is upsetting the Leader of the Opposition. She is horrified at the thought that this budget will deliver even further sustained economic growth for Territorians. Her problem is that she will have to face the music come the next election when those results come to pass.
On ABC radio this morning, the Leader of the Opposition was asked what she would do to help industry. She had said that one of the things she would like to do was encourage more industry in the Northern Territory. The question was asked by Fred McCue. The Leader of the Opposition said: `Oh, I would cut electricity charges by 10%'. Fred McCue asked how much that would cost. She had no idea. She does not even know what the initiatives that she is proposing for Territorians would cost the taxpayers, what would be lost in terms of revenue or what the impact on the budget would be. She is incompetent! This budget does not include, as the Leader of the Opposition is reported in the NT News as saying it does, a 27% increase in car registration. Such an increase does not appear in the budget because it does not include it.
Mrs Hickey: No, you slipped it in after.
Mr REED: You are getting it mixed up ...
Mrs Hickey: You snuck it in.
Page 1471
Mr REED: It was not snuck in!
The Leader of the Opposition is referring to compulsory third party insurance which will rise by 27%. That was announced by the minister several months ago. It came into effect on 1 July. Also reported in the newspaper today was a statement by the Leader of the Opposition that I made no reference in the budget speech yesterday to the increase in heavy vehicle charges. I advise her to read it again.
Mrs Hickey interjecting.
Mr REED: She admits she was wrong. Finally, for the record, the Leader of the Opposition has gone to the confessional and has admitted that she was wrong. At the end of this financial year, she will admit again that she was wrong when she sees the new schools coming out of the ground, new health clinics appearing and existing health clinics upgraded as evidence of a total commitment to improving health and education infrastructure right across the Northern Territory. This government has made a total commitment to providing improved infrastructure to encourage industry right across the Northern Territory. Every region of the Northern Territory will benefit.
Mrs Hickey interjecting.
Mr REED: That is what your concern is. I look forward to your confession at the end of the year when you see all this infrastructure actually coming into play.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016