Mrs HICKEY - 1995-05-24
Last Thursday, the Treasurer said that his horror budget was part of the price Territorians would have to pay for statehood. Does the Treasurer agree that recent polling, conducted by his government on statehood, showed a very positive overall result but also highlighted concerns about increased taxes? Can the Treasurer explain to Territorians the way in which these tax increases are connected to our push for statehood?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I say this particularly to the member for Barkly. Last week, at about this time, she was castigating members of the government in this House, saying that we were nothing more than sucker fish on the Commonwealth Treasury bladder and that we were not standing on our own feet. I invite members to look at Hansard. She said that 80% of the Territory's funding comes from the Commonwealth. Not too long ago, over 90% of our funding came from the Commonwealth. Territorians are paying their way. As a result, they do not have to put up with the criticism the member from Barkly offered across this Chamber, her attempts to belittle them because 80% of the Territory's funding came from the Commonwealth last year.
Mrs Hickey interjecting.
Mr COULTER: It is your argument, and it is an argument that comes from your side of politics ...
Mrs Hickey interjecting.
Mr Ede interjecting.
Mr COULTER: ... a $13m hole in your budget. The last time you announced one, your alternative budget did not last through a press conference. A journalist found a $13m hole in it. Then the Leader of the Opposition, the fellow sitting beside the member for Barkly, said that we should not worry because we would receive $30m extra in special revenue assistance next year. In the event, it was reduced by $19m.
Let us look at economic management. In its returns to the Australian Electoral Commission, the central administration of the Territory Labor Party revealed that it lost money on chook raffles last year. Not only was it not ashamed of the fact but its returns to the electoral commission showed that it could not run even a chook raffle.
Mr Ede: However, we do not get the donations from the casinos that you do.
Mr COULTER: Talking about financial accountability, that is how smart they are. Territorians will not wear them. What the people will never do is leave this mob in charge of the till. They cannot be trusted to be in charge of the till.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I say this particularly to the member for Barkly. Last week, at about this time, she was castigating members of the government in this House, saying that we were nothing more than sucker fish on the Commonwealth Treasury bladder and that we were not standing on our own feet. I invite members to look at Hansard. She said that 80% of the Territory's funding comes from the Commonwealth. Not too long ago, over 90% of our funding came from the Commonwealth. Territorians are paying their way. As a result, they do not have to put up with the criticism the member from Barkly offered across this Chamber, her attempts to belittle them because 80% of the Territory's funding came from the Commonwealth last year.
Mrs Hickey interjecting.
Mr COULTER: It is your argument, and it is an argument that comes from your side of politics ...
Mrs Hickey interjecting.
Mr Ede interjecting.
Mr COULTER: ... a $13m hole in your budget. The last time you announced one, your alternative budget did not last through a press conference. A journalist found a $13m hole in it. Then the Leader of the Opposition, the fellow sitting beside the member for Barkly, said that we should not worry because we would receive $30m extra in special revenue assistance next year. In the event, it was reduced by $19m.
Let us look at economic management. In its returns to the Australian Electoral Commission, the central administration of the Territory Labor Party revealed that it lost money on chook raffles last year. Not only was it not ashamed of the fact but its returns to the electoral commission showed that it could not run even a chook raffle.
Mr Ede: However, we do not get the donations from the casinos that you do.
Mr COULTER: Talking about financial accountability, that is how smart they are. Territorians will not wear them. What the people will never do is leave this mob in charge of the till. They cannot be trusted to be in charge of the till.
Page 587
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016