Mrs HICKEY - 1997-02-19
The independent Australian Bureau of Statistics has revealed that Darwin residents are paying the highest prices at the supermarket, the butcher shop, the bottle shop and the petrol station. Darwin residents suffer the highest prices for 31 out of 57 items in a basket of everyday household items in the bureau survey. Is the minister aware that Darwin residents pay the highest prices for beer, cheese, biscuits, cereals, rice, beef, lamb, pork, tomatoes, carrots, onions, peaches, pineapples, peas, eggs, sugar, jam, tea, margarine, tomato sauce,
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tissues and, to the pain of nearly all of us, petrol? Will he admit that the high taxes and charges imposed by the Country Liberal Party administration, particularly those levied on road transport, are a major cause of the outrageous prices being paid by Territorians for these basic grocery items?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the direction that the Leader of the Opposition is taking is clearly intended to try to spread the doom and the gloom of the Labor Party across the Northern Territory. The fact is that, because of our isolation, we have always experienced the higher costs to which the honourable member referred. The same problems are experienced in other remote parts of the country. The Leader of the Opposition should look instead at what benefits may accrue to Territorians from the historic reductions in inflation in this country. Inflation has been reduced nationwide and interest rates are falling. Why doesn't she mention the Territory's home loan affordability - the best in Australia?
We are aware, as is everyone who moves to the Territory or who has lived here for some time, that, as a result of the tyranny of distance, some items that we want to purchase are dearer than they may be elsewhere.
Mr Bailey: So you place a heavier tax on petrol because we are so far away?
Mr REED: The member for Wanguri interjects about the tax on petrol. I can provide him with a graph that shows what tax he would be paying for unleaded petrol if he lived in the ACT ...
Mr Bailey: We have the highest petrol prices in Australia.
Mr REED: You were talking about the tax on petrol. Don't try to weasel your way out of it. Just because you look like a rat looking over the Weet-Bix, don't try to find an easy way out.
Mrs HICKEY: A point of order, Mr Speaker! The member for Katherine knows full well he cannot refer to members in such derogatory terms as `a rat looking over the Weet-Bix'. If he wants to refer to the member for Wanguri, he should do so in the proper way.
Mr SPEAKER: I ask the Treasurer to withdraw the comment.
Mr REED: I am sorry I said he looked like a rat looking over the ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Withdraw the remark without comment.
Mr REED: Mr Speaker, I withdraw the comment unreservedly.
The unleaded petrol licence fees in the Northern Territory are below those imposed in the ACT, New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia. I shall table this graph. This demonstrates again the inaccuracy of the information that members opposite are spreading in the community as they try to convince Territorians that they are worse off than
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they actually are. They are supposed to be an alternative government. They should be building up the confidence of the people and demonstrating to them that their children will have an opportunity to obtain a job and that the lifestyle that they so treasure in the Northern Territory can be maintained.
In her question, the Leader of the Opposition spoke about increased levels of taxation that the government is collecting. Of course it is. That is because there are more people in our community and more people are working. The level of employment here is increasing. Because more people are working and because there is a high level of economic development and activity, more people are paying tax. The tax revenue is higher not simply because some taxes and charges have been increased over the past few years, but because more people are paying tax.
What is happening with that increased level of revenue that is coming to the government? This financial year, we are building more primary schools in Darwin, the rural area, Katherine and Alice Springs. We are extending high schools. We are building new roads. We are improving tourism infrastructure. Almost $2m is to be spent on the Desert Park in Alice Springs to improve employment opportunities for the people of the Centre. We are improving our national parks. We are making national parks more accessible and more enjoyable for Territorians and visitors to the Territory. We are creating opportunities for future Territorians. Be proud of it. Members opposite should be pleased that they live in a place where their children have an opportunity to get a job. They should be pleased that they live in a place where many of the taxes and charges are below those applying in the states.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: Because they do not want people in the Northern Territory to hear the good news, I have to shout over their rudeness. They do not want the people listening to this broadcast to hear about the facts. The sad fact is that they are trying to mislead Territorians. However, Territorians can see that they have a good economy. They can see that a strong economy leads to jobs for themselves and their children. It brings more people to the Northern Territory, and that is why we have an increasing population. Territorians can see that a strong economy and more jobs means maintenance of the lifestyle that they enjoy. Clearly, members opposite begrudge them that. The Leader of the Opposition should be ashamed of herself.
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tissues and, to the pain of nearly all of us, petrol? Will he admit that the high taxes and charges imposed by the Country Liberal Party administration, particularly those levied on road transport, are a major cause of the outrageous prices being paid by Territorians for these basic grocery items?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, the direction that the Leader of the Opposition is taking is clearly intended to try to spread the doom and the gloom of the Labor Party across the Northern Territory. The fact is that, because of our isolation, we have always experienced the higher costs to which the honourable member referred. The same problems are experienced in other remote parts of the country. The Leader of the Opposition should look instead at what benefits may accrue to Territorians from the historic reductions in inflation in this country. Inflation has been reduced nationwide and interest rates are falling. Why doesn't she mention the Territory's home loan affordability - the best in Australia?
We are aware, as is everyone who moves to the Territory or who has lived here for some time, that, as a result of the tyranny of distance, some items that we want to purchase are dearer than they may be elsewhere.
Mr Bailey: So you place a heavier tax on petrol because we are so far away?
Mr REED: The member for Wanguri interjects about the tax on petrol. I can provide him with a graph that shows what tax he would be paying for unleaded petrol if he lived in the ACT ...
Mr Bailey: We have the highest petrol prices in Australia.
Mr REED: You were talking about the tax on petrol. Don't try to weasel your way out of it. Just because you look like a rat looking over the Weet-Bix, don't try to find an easy way out.
Mrs HICKEY: A point of order, Mr Speaker! The member for Katherine knows full well he cannot refer to members in such derogatory terms as `a rat looking over the Weet-Bix'. If he wants to refer to the member for Wanguri, he should do so in the proper way.
Mr SPEAKER: I ask the Treasurer to withdraw the comment.
Mr REED: I am sorry I said he looked like a rat looking over the ...
Mr SPEAKER: Order! Withdraw the remark without comment.
Mr REED: Mr Speaker, I withdraw the comment unreservedly.
The unleaded petrol licence fees in the Northern Territory are below those imposed in the ACT, New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia and South Australia. I shall table this graph. This demonstrates again the inaccuracy of the information that members opposite are spreading in the community as they try to convince Territorians that they are worse off than
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they actually are. They are supposed to be an alternative government. They should be building up the confidence of the people and demonstrating to them that their children will have an opportunity to obtain a job and that the lifestyle that they so treasure in the Northern Territory can be maintained.
In her question, the Leader of the Opposition spoke about increased levels of taxation that the government is collecting. Of course it is. That is because there are more people in our community and more people are working. The level of employment here is increasing. Because more people are working and because there is a high level of economic development and activity, more people are paying tax. The tax revenue is higher not simply because some taxes and charges have been increased over the past few years, but because more people are paying tax.
What is happening with that increased level of revenue that is coming to the government? This financial year, we are building more primary schools in Darwin, the rural area, Katherine and Alice Springs. We are extending high schools. We are building new roads. We are improving tourism infrastructure. Almost $2m is to be spent on the Desert Park in Alice Springs to improve employment opportunities for the people of the Centre. We are improving our national parks. We are making national parks more accessible and more enjoyable for Territorians and visitors to the Territory. We are creating opportunities for future Territorians. Be proud of it. Members opposite should be pleased that they live in a place where their children have an opportunity to get a job. They should be pleased that they live in a place where many of the taxes and charges are below those applying in the states.
Members interjecting.
Mr SPEAKER: Order!
Mr REED: Because they do not want people in the Northern Territory to hear the good news, I have to shout over their rudeness. They do not want the people listening to this broadcast to hear about the facts. The sad fact is that they are trying to mislead Territorians. However, Territorians can see that they have a good economy. They can see that a strong economy leads to jobs for themselves and their children. It brings more people to the Northern Territory, and that is why we have an increasing population. Territorians can see that a strong economy and more jobs means maintenance of the lifestyle that they enjoy. Clearly, members opposite begrudge them that. The Leader of the Opposition should be ashamed of herself.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016