Mrs BRAHAM - 1997-04-24
I understand the Territory's Labor Senator, Bob Collins, has been distributing letters to Territorians claiming that the Northern Territory's bargaining position in Canberra is at its weakest level in recent memory. Will the Treasurer comment on the extent to which the Territory's funding suffered during the recent years of the federal Labor government?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, a concerned Territorian, a recipient of Senator Collins's letters, is somewhat bemused by Senator Collins's current stance in light of that which he adopted, supposedly in support of Territorians, while he was a senior minister in the former federal Labor administration. I table a copy of the letter for the benefit of honourable members. I will quote a couple of sentences from it. Senator Collins refers to the fact that the Howard government is framing its budget and says that he is concerned about what will happen to state and territory funding because the Commonwealth is trying to save money:
This comes at the worst possible time for the Territory. Our bargaining position in Canberra is at its weakest
level in recent memory. The message I will continue to deliver to politicians and bureaucrats in Canberra is
that the Territory must be
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allowed to get on with the job and realise the economic potential of the region. We must not become a victim
of the Treasury and Finance boffins in Canberra.
Senator Collins has a very short memory. One would have to ask, as the particular constituent asked, why Senator Collins does not recall what happened to Territory funding when he was representing the Northern Territory, not only as a Territory Senator but also as a senior government minister. Look at the record of the time when Senator Collins was representing us, supposedly from a position of strength and influence. From 1982-83 to 1995-96, the total Commonwealth funds ...
Mr Stirling: When is Tambling going to be a minister? When is Dondas going to make it?
Mr REED : Now that we are getting to the facts and the part that will hurt, you begin to interject. People listening to this broadcast may be interested in the information I am giving, if you would be so kind as to let them hear it.
From 1982-83 to 1995-96, total Commonwealth payments for the states increased by 126%. However, payments to the Northern Territory during that period increased only by 97%. If the Territory had been treated equally with the states, and if Senator Collins had taken the opportunity to be as influential as he now purports to have been, our grant would have amounted to an extra $187m a year. That would have put the Territory in a much rosier and more comfortable position. There is another example of how the Territory fared worse under the federal Labor government. Since 1991-92, grants to the states have increased by 21%, compared with an increase of only 13% for the Territory. That means that, if the Territory had received the same percentage growth in funds as the states since 1991-92, the Territory would have been $84m better off in 1996-97.
It is a sad reflection on Senator Collins that he should write to Territorians telling them that he perceives that they are now in the worst bargaining position ever with the federal government, when Commonwealth grants to the Northern Territory in the period 1980-81 to 1996-97 have decreased and are now lower than those to the states. I shall table some graphs because the members opposite have difficulty relating to figures and words. In picture form, they will understand. That is what Bob Collins delivered to us as a so-called influential representative in Canberra. If members look at Commonwealth grants per capita in real terms, they will see where we have ended up. The period 1980-81 to 1996-97 saw a massive decrease in grants per capita in real terms to the Northern Territory, compared with grants to the states. That is where Senator Collins got us. We are missing out on well over $200m-worth of funding, and the Senator writes to Territorians now saying that he was a better representative in
Canberra than Senator Tambling and the Territory's current federal member, Nick Dondas.
Members opposite should have the good grace to recognise the facts that are now before them. This is not the first time I have provided them with this information, but they have a blind spot when it comes to the federal Labor Party. They do not agree that we were dudded over its 13 years of administration and they do not even show the respect they should to Territorians by recognising that, under Senator Collins and federal Labor, we were done in the neck. It ill behoves Senator Collins to write now to Territorians and tell them that they will be
Page 2058
worse off because he is not representing them. We can do without his sort of representation because it has cost us over $200m. Territorians will not forget that. If we were preparing a budget without the disadvantages imposed by the poor representation by Senator Collins in the Senate, we would be $200m better off a year and we would be doing a great deal more for Territorians.
Page 2059
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, a concerned Territorian, a recipient of Senator Collins's letters, is somewhat bemused by Senator Collins's current stance in light of that which he adopted, supposedly in support of Territorians, while he was a senior minister in the former federal Labor administration. I table a copy of the letter for the benefit of honourable members. I will quote a couple of sentences from it. Senator Collins refers to the fact that the Howard government is framing its budget and says that he is concerned about what will happen to state and territory funding because the Commonwealth is trying to save money:
This comes at the worst possible time for the Territory. Our bargaining position in Canberra is at its weakest
level in recent memory. The message I will continue to deliver to politicians and bureaucrats in Canberra is
that the Territory must be
Page 2057
allowed to get on with the job and realise the economic potential of the region. We must not become a victim
of the Treasury and Finance boffins in Canberra.
Senator Collins has a very short memory. One would have to ask, as the particular constituent asked, why Senator Collins does not recall what happened to Territory funding when he was representing the Northern Territory, not only as a Territory Senator but also as a senior government minister. Look at the record of the time when Senator Collins was representing us, supposedly from a position of strength and influence. From 1982-83 to 1995-96, the total Commonwealth funds ...
Mr Stirling: When is Tambling going to be a minister? When is Dondas going to make it?
Mr REED : Now that we are getting to the facts and the part that will hurt, you begin to interject. People listening to this broadcast may be interested in the information I am giving, if you would be so kind as to let them hear it.
From 1982-83 to 1995-96, total Commonwealth payments for the states increased by 126%. However, payments to the Northern Territory during that period increased only by 97%. If the Territory had been treated equally with the states, and if Senator Collins had taken the opportunity to be as influential as he now purports to have been, our grant would have amounted to an extra $187m a year. That would have put the Territory in a much rosier and more comfortable position. There is another example of how the Territory fared worse under the federal Labor government. Since 1991-92, grants to the states have increased by 21%, compared with an increase of only 13% for the Territory. That means that, if the Territory had received the same percentage growth in funds as the states since 1991-92, the Territory would have been $84m better off in 1996-97.
It is a sad reflection on Senator Collins that he should write to Territorians telling them that he perceives that they are now in the worst bargaining position ever with the federal government, when Commonwealth grants to the Northern Territory in the period 1980-81 to 1996-97 have decreased and are now lower than those to the states. I shall table some graphs because the members opposite have difficulty relating to figures and words. In picture form, they will understand. That is what Bob Collins delivered to us as a so-called influential representative in Canberra. If members look at Commonwealth grants per capita in real terms, they will see where we have ended up. The period 1980-81 to 1996-97 saw a massive decrease in grants per capita in real terms to the Northern Territory, compared with grants to the states. That is where Senator Collins got us. We are missing out on well over $200m-worth of funding, and the Senator writes to Territorians now saying that he was a better representative in
Canberra than Senator Tambling and the Territory's current federal member, Nick Dondas.
Members opposite should have the good grace to recognise the facts that are now before them. This is not the first time I have provided them with this information, but they have a blind spot when it comes to the federal Labor Party. They do not agree that we were dudded over its 13 years of administration and they do not even show the respect they should to Territorians by recognising that, under Senator Collins and federal Labor, we were done in the neck. It ill behoves Senator Collins to write now to Territorians and tell them that they will be
Page 2058
worse off because he is not representing them. We can do without his sort of representation because it has cost us over $200m. Territorians will not forget that. If we were preparing a budget without the disadvantages imposed by the poor representation by Senator Collins in the Senate, we would be $200m better off a year and we would be doing a great deal more for Territorians.
Page 2059
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016