Mr BALDWIN - 1997-02-25
Is he aware that, in launching Labor's new education policy, the shadow spokesman for education said that it would be funded by reducing expenditure in other areas of government? What would be the impact of such an approach on the government's present funding arrangements?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, that is an interesting question, and I think people in the Northern Territory would like to know the answer to it. I dare say that the Leader of the Opposition might also like to know the answer. The Chief Minister has just told us that the Leader of the Opposition is of the view that she would have another 100 police if she were Chief Minister. Of course, we cannot obtain any indication of what she estimates the cost of that might be, or how she would fund it.
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If we turn to the recent release of the opposition education and truancy policy, we will be well advised to ask the same question. How would it fund it? On the day he released the policy, the member for Stuart was asked that question ...
Mr Bailey interjecting.
Mr REED: You are so rude. There are students in the gallery who could be set a better example by you.
When pressed at length by an ABC reporter on regional radio in Alice Springs as to how the additional activities in his education policy would be paid for, the opposition spokesman on education finally came up with the answer. I do not know if the Leader of the Opposition listens to regional radio. Perhaps she should. He said:
The commitment of our party in government is to produce a balanced budget overall. If the education
expenditure was to go up, it would have to be against other priorities that would be taken down.
I want the opposition spokesman for education, the Leader of the Opposition and the shadow treasurer to tell Territorians what departments would have reduced funding if they were in government. In what departments would public servants lose their jobs? Who will get the sack? They cannot have it both ways. They cannot, on the one hand, tell Territorians that they will do all these wonderful additional things but, on the other hand, not tell them how they will fund them. What departments will experience this reduced funding to enable them to pay for the additional activities in the ALP policy?
Do not tell me it will not cost anything. The truancy policy indicates the intention to employ more school attendance officers. Already 8 of them are doing the work. It is already costing about $750 000. If Labor were to establish 2 attendance centres in the Northern Territory, that would cost money. There would be costs, and the opposition spokesman has admitted that those costs would be met by taking money away from other departments. The people working in those departments want to know a few things, as too do other Territorians. They want to know what officers in what departments would lose their jobs under a Labor administration.
What would a Labour government not do? What roads would it not build? What health clinics would it not build? What national parks would it not develop for the benefit of the tourism industry? What boat ramps and other forms of access to fishing areas would it not put in place for the benefit of Territorians who want to enjoy recreational fishing? What sporting complexes would it not build? What facilities would not be provided to Territorians because money was diverted from some departments and activities to spend on ALP education policies?
If the opposition release policies, it should have the honesty - demonstrated at least by the member for Stuart - to tell us it will reduce spending in some areas to pay for spending in others. How much? Who is to lose their job? What facilities will not be provided? They should have a little integrity in their operation.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, that is an interesting question, and I think people in the Northern Territory would like to know the answer to it. I dare say that the Leader of the Opposition might also like to know the answer. The Chief Minister has just told us that the Leader of the Opposition is of the view that she would have another 100 police if she were Chief Minister. Of course, we cannot obtain any indication of what she estimates the cost of that might be, or how she would fund it.
Page 1954
If we turn to the recent release of the opposition education and truancy policy, we will be well advised to ask the same question. How would it fund it? On the day he released the policy, the member for Stuart was asked that question ...
Mr Bailey interjecting.
Mr REED: You are so rude. There are students in the gallery who could be set a better example by you.
When pressed at length by an ABC reporter on regional radio in Alice Springs as to how the additional activities in his education policy would be paid for, the opposition spokesman on education finally came up with the answer. I do not know if the Leader of the Opposition listens to regional radio. Perhaps she should. He said:
The commitment of our party in government is to produce a balanced budget overall. If the education
expenditure was to go up, it would have to be against other priorities that would be taken down.
I want the opposition spokesman for education, the Leader of the Opposition and the shadow treasurer to tell Territorians what departments would have reduced funding if they were in government. In what departments would public servants lose their jobs? Who will get the sack? They cannot have it both ways. They cannot, on the one hand, tell Territorians that they will do all these wonderful additional things but, on the other hand, not tell them how they will fund them. What departments will experience this reduced funding to enable them to pay for the additional activities in the ALP policy?
Do not tell me it will not cost anything. The truancy policy indicates the intention to employ more school attendance officers. Already 8 of them are doing the work. It is already costing about $750 000. If Labor were to establish 2 attendance centres in the Northern Territory, that would cost money. There would be costs, and the opposition spokesman has admitted that those costs would be met by taking money away from other departments. The people working in those departments want to know a few things, as too do other Territorians. They want to know what officers in what departments would lose their jobs under a Labor administration.
What would a Labour government not do? What roads would it not build? What health clinics would it not build? What national parks would it not develop for the benefit of the tourism industry? What boat ramps and other forms of access to fishing areas would it not put in place for the benefit of Territorians who want to enjoy recreational fishing? What sporting complexes would it not build? What facilities would not be provided to Territorians because money was diverted from some departments and activities to spend on ALP education policies?
If the opposition release policies, it should have the honesty - demonstrated at least by the member for Stuart - to tell us it will reduce spending in some areas to pay for spending in others. How much? Who is to lose their job? What facilities will not be provided? They should have a little integrity in their operation.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016