Mr ADAMSON - 1994-10-06
Is the minister aware of an article in the Weekend Australian of 24-25 September which made a number of disparaging observations about the Territory, including the allegation that Territorians have a 'disproportionate thirst for taxpayers' dollars'? Can the minister advise the likely effect of this type of article on our efforts in the southern states to encourage investment?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I thank the member for his question. The article was headed, 'High Price of the Top End'. From the quizzical look on the face of the Leader of the Opposition, it appears that he may not have seen the article concerned. It is a very disturbing article, and it does indeed lead ...
Mr Bell: It is 100% accurate.
Mr STONE: I will pick up the interjection from the member for MacDonnell. This is the problem, because not only the member for MacDonnell but some of his colleagues, including the federal member for the Northern Territory, Hon Warren Snowdon, go around the
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country describing the Territory as some kind of basket case and restating the proposition that it is 80% dependent on Commonwealth funding.
Mr Bell: Yes.
Mr STONE: The simple fact is that that is only one side of the story because members opposite should have the honesty to face the fact that the Commonwealth receives its money from tax receipts. Thus, they should look very closely at where the Commonwealth obtains that money before it redistributes it to the states and territories. It is high time that members of the ALP, including people like Warren Snowdon, conceded that the Northern Territory exports more per capita than any other Australian state or territory.
Mr Ede: That is not tax.
Mr STONE: They should concede that we are paying our way as best we may, given our economic performance. The member for MacDonnell may sit there and smile ...
Mr Bell: No, I do not concede that at all. You have wasted $1000m over 10 years.
Mr STONE: ... but it is an absolute shame that members opposite are not prepared to concede the efforts made by Territorians in the area of wealth generation.
The article made some reference to the fact that, if Canberra were to get its boot off our throat and get rid of absurd policies, like the 3-mine policy and the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act overlaid by the Mabo legislation, we could proceed with the business of making a dollar, paying our taxes and paying our way.
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: From where do members opposite think that the states and territories obtain their funding? They obtain it in the same way as the Northern Territory does. Even places like New South Wales and Victoria obtain an average of some 50% of their funds ...
Mr Ede: It is simply that you blow it quicker.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, I want them to listen to this because it is a positive of which we should all be proud and about which we should talk. This year, a mere 170 000 Territorians will export close to $2000m-worth of product. Those are the kinds of matters about which we should be talking. It is a shame that Allan Wood's article failed to concede those facts. Instead, we have to put up with...
Mr Ede: The lowest rate of GDP growth in the country!
Mr STONE: ... this kind of article that seriously damages us in the boardrooms of southern capitals. It would help considerably if members opposite did not join in the feeding frenzy as well.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I thank the member for his question. The article was headed, 'High Price of the Top End'. From the quizzical look on the face of the Leader of the Opposition, it appears that he may not have seen the article concerned. It is a very disturbing article, and it does indeed lead ...
Mr Bell: It is 100% accurate.
Mr STONE: I will pick up the interjection from the member for MacDonnell. This is the problem, because not only the member for MacDonnell but some of his colleagues, including the federal member for the Northern Territory, Hon Warren Snowdon, go around the
Page 183
country describing the Territory as some kind of basket case and restating the proposition that it is 80% dependent on Commonwealth funding.
Mr Bell: Yes.
Mr STONE: The simple fact is that that is only one side of the story because members opposite should have the honesty to face the fact that the Commonwealth receives its money from tax receipts. Thus, they should look very closely at where the Commonwealth obtains that money before it redistributes it to the states and territories. It is high time that members of the ALP, including people like Warren Snowdon, conceded that the Northern Territory exports more per capita than any other Australian state or territory.
Mr Ede: That is not tax.
Mr STONE: They should concede that we are paying our way as best we may, given our economic performance. The member for MacDonnell may sit there and smile ...
Mr Bell: No, I do not concede that at all. You have wasted $1000m over 10 years.
Mr STONE: ... but it is an absolute shame that members opposite are not prepared to concede the efforts made by Territorians in the area of wealth generation.
The article made some reference to the fact that, if Canberra were to get its boot off our throat and get rid of absurd policies, like the 3-mine policy and the Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act overlaid by the Mabo legislation, we could proceed with the business of making a dollar, paying our taxes and paying our way.
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: From where do members opposite think that the states and territories obtain their funding? They obtain it in the same way as the Northern Territory does. Even places like New South Wales and Victoria obtain an average of some 50% of their funds ...
Mr Ede: It is simply that you blow it quicker.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, I want them to listen to this because it is a positive of which we should all be proud and about which we should talk. This year, a mere 170 000 Territorians will export close to $2000m-worth of product. Those are the kinds of matters about which we should be talking. It is a shame that Allan Wood's article failed to concede those facts. Instead, we have to put up with...
Mr Ede: The lowest rate of GDP growth in the country!
Mr STONE: ... this kind of article that seriously damages us in the boardrooms of southern capitals. It would help considerably if members opposite did not join in the feeding frenzy as well.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016