Ms CARTER - 2001-10-23
Can the minister confirm that power, water and sewerage costs will rise this term in accordance with Professor Percy Allan’s report?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, in regards to the cost of power, we went into the election with a clear commitment that there would not be any power increases.
Ms Martin: Absolutely clear commitment.
Mr AH KIT: There would not be any electricity increases. I am hoping that you can understand that. It seems to me that you are having problems understanding a few of the matters raised in Question Time, in what we are telling you. My colleague, the Minister for Industries and Business, in a response last week in Question Time, said that there would be no new taxes. That was another election commitment. You seem to have trouble understanding that also.
We said that the power will not be increased and we will stand by that. We have inherited, as you well know, a black hole of $170m, and it is rising. We are a responsible government, the Martin government. We have inherited your budget and the headaches that you have left behind, but that is not going to deter us from fixing up this problem. We will be working overtime to ensure that we get the Territory’s economy going again. We will get economic development happening.
Mr REED: A point of order, Madam Speaker. We were not talking about black holes or anything else. The question was specifically: will, in this term, as recommended by Mr Percy Allan, the government’s consultant, water, sewerage and electricity prices increase? The honourable member has answered in relation to electricity. Territorians would like to know if water and sewerage is to be increased in line with their consultant’s report this parliamentary term?
Madam SPEAKER: I am quite sure you will recall that the minister may answer the question as he feels fit. Minister, would you complete your answer, please.
Mr AH KIT: Territorians need to understand the problem that you have left us …
Mr Reed: No, will you increase water and sewerage charges?
Mr AH KIT: … as a government. It is not ‘no’. It is easy for you, the member for Katherine and the ex-Treasurer, to say let us forget about this, do not talk about the past. Of course, Territorians want to know what we are doing for them in the future. I have said that the capital works that we have to do will happen, those that have dollars beside them. We have said that we will not increase electricity. We are going to have an economic summit, we will talk through and be guided by Territorians in their participation and recommendations to us. We will look at that situation overall, in an economic sense, and plan for the future of the Territory.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, in regards to the cost of power, we went into the election with a clear commitment that there would not be any power increases.
Ms Martin: Absolutely clear commitment.
Mr AH KIT: There would not be any electricity increases. I am hoping that you can understand that. It seems to me that you are having problems understanding a few of the matters raised in Question Time, in what we are telling you. My colleague, the Minister for Industries and Business, in a response last week in Question Time, said that there would be no new taxes. That was another election commitment. You seem to have trouble understanding that also.
We said that the power will not be increased and we will stand by that. We have inherited, as you well know, a black hole of $170m, and it is rising. We are a responsible government, the Martin government. We have inherited your budget and the headaches that you have left behind, but that is not going to deter us from fixing up this problem. We will be working overtime to ensure that we get the Territory’s economy going again. We will get economic development happening.
Mr REED: A point of order, Madam Speaker. We were not talking about black holes or anything else. The question was specifically: will, in this term, as recommended by Mr Percy Allan, the government’s consultant, water, sewerage and electricity prices increase? The honourable member has answered in relation to electricity. Territorians would like to know if water and sewerage is to be increased in line with their consultant’s report this parliamentary term?
Madam SPEAKER: I am quite sure you will recall that the minister may answer the question as he feels fit. Minister, would you complete your answer, please.
Mr AH KIT: Territorians need to understand the problem that you have left us …
Mr Reed: No, will you increase water and sewerage charges?
Mr AH KIT: … as a government. It is not ‘no’. It is easy for you, the member for Katherine and the ex-Treasurer, to say let us forget about this, do not talk about the past. Of course, Territorians want to know what we are doing for them in the future. I have said that the capital works that we have to do will happen, those that have dollars beside them. We have said that we will not increase electricity. We are going to have an economic summit, we will talk through and be guided by Territorians in their participation and recommendations to us. We will look at that situation overall, in an economic sense, and plan for the future of the Territory.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016