Mr McADAM - 2005-05-04
Yesterday, you advised the House that the Martin government was the most tax reforming government in the Territory’s history. Are you aware of the actions of other Territory governments in respect to their record on tax reform?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Barkly for his insightful question.
Members interjecting.
Mr STIRLING: I am proud …
Madam SPEAKER: Treasurer, cease. We will wait for members to settle down. Now, continue.
Mr STIRLING: I am proud to be Treasurer in the Martin Labor government, which has clearly stamped itself as the most tax reforming government in a positive sense in Territory history. The Country Liberal Party opposition simply has no credibility when it comes to questions of tax reform.
The Leader of the Opposition announced his proposals here this morning in response to the 2005-06 Budget, but failed to do anything. The CLP failed to do anything in over 26-and-a-bit years in office. The Leader of the Opposition, in his two-and-a-half years as Chief Minister, failed to take anything to the Cabinet room by way of tax reform, so he is simply unbelievable when it comes to tax reform.
Let us go to the taxes and charges that he put up. In their final term of office, the CLP increased the following taxes and charges on Territorians and Territory business: they put superannuation and fringe benefits contribution into the payroll tax assessment, increasing, of course, the nett and the payroll tax received; increased domestic power prices by 7.2% then, again, by 9%; increased commercial power prices by 5.7%; increased water costs by 18.2%; and increased the hiring duty rate from 1.5% to 1.8%. I am not hearing any cuts here, any reductions or any reform in a positive sense.
They increased the general insurance duty rate from 8% to 10%; and, of course, in the last CLP government, MACA, which does come with a compulsory cost in terms of recovering its own costs, had increases of 48.5%.
The Opposition Leader’s record as Chief Minister is simply appalling, yet he comes in here and parades himself before the media as a genuine tax reformer. He is a tax reformer all right, but it is all one way: up.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Barkly for his insightful question.
Members interjecting.
Mr STIRLING: I am proud …
Madam SPEAKER: Treasurer, cease. We will wait for members to settle down. Now, continue.
Mr STIRLING: I am proud to be Treasurer in the Martin Labor government, which has clearly stamped itself as the most tax reforming government in a positive sense in Territory history. The Country Liberal Party opposition simply has no credibility when it comes to questions of tax reform.
The Leader of the Opposition announced his proposals here this morning in response to the 2005-06 Budget, but failed to do anything. The CLP failed to do anything in over 26-and-a-bit years in office. The Leader of the Opposition, in his two-and-a-half years as Chief Minister, failed to take anything to the Cabinet room by way of tax reform, so he is simply unbelievable when it comes to tax reform.
Let us go to the taxes and charges that he put up. In their final term of office, the CLP increased the following taxes and charges on Territorians and Territory business: they put superannuation and fringe benefits contribution into the payroll tax assessment, increasing, of course, the nett and the payroll tax received; increased domestic power prices by 7.2% then, again, by 9%; increased commercial power prices by 5.7%; increased water costs by 18.2%; and increased the hiring duty rate from 1.5% to 1.8%. I am not hearing any cuts here, any reductions or any reform in a positive sense.
They increased the general insurance duty rate from 8% to 10%; and, of course, in the last CLP government, MACA, which does come with a compulsory cost in terms of recovering its own costs, had increases of 48.5%.
The Opposition Leader’s record as Chief Minister is simply appalling, yet he comes in here and parades himself before the media as a genuine tax reformer. He is a tax reformer all right, but it is all one way: up.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016