Mr MILLS - 2011-05-03
This is a budget of debt, deficit, and deceit. Can you explain why you have broken your promise to the people of the Northern Territory by not returning the budget to surplus in forward estimates?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this budget provides for jobs, businesses and families across this Northern Territory. As the head of government, I make no apology that this budget has gone into deficit for the first time in nine years.
What the Leader of the Opposition navely does not understand is that, two years ago, we had a massive, significant and unprecedented global financial crisis. This financial crisis has hit Australia as it has hit other nations. Our nation responded well, but we are still suffering the consequences.
The main reason this budget is in deficit, as announced by the Treasurer today, is to do one thing and one thing only: protect jobs in the Northern Territory. The GST national pool has been cut significantly. We had a choice to make in framing this budget. We either slashed our own budget - which would have meant slashing infrastructure expenditure across the Northern Territory, our A Working Future towns, our regional towns, our capital city of Darwin - or sack thousands of public servants who provide services to Territorians. We are not going to do that.
The Leader of the Opposition will have an opportunity tomorrow to say, if he does not believe we should have a $295m deficit as a result of this budget, where he is going to find $295m-worth of savings. What infrastructure projects would he cut and how many thousands of public servants would he sack to bring the budget into surplus?
This is a budget about jobs and for families across the Northern Territory. At the budget lunch we have just attended hosted by the Chamber of Commerce, Senior Economist at National Australia Bank, David de Garis, an independent, well-respected commentator, in his evaluation of the budget said: ‘The NT has it right with the balance between economic and social objectives’. He pointed to our financial position and ’our responsible, modest cash deficit’. It is responsible because it protects jobs and families. It is a responsible cash deficit.
Madam Speaker, we have taken a very deliberate decision as a result of a significant reduction in GST revenues to the Territory.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, this budget provides for jobs, businesses and families across this Northern Territory. As the head of government, I make no apology that this budget has gone into deficit for the first time in nine years.
What the Leader of the Opposition navely does not understand is that, two years ago, we had a massive, significant and unprecedented global financial crisis. This financial crisis has hit Australia as it has hit other nations. Our nation responded well, but we are still suffering the consequences.
The main reason this budget is in deficit, as announced by the Treasurer today, is to do one thing and one thing only: protect jobs in the Northern Territory. The GST national pool has been cut significantly. We had a choice to make in framing this budget. We either slashed our own budget - which would have meant slashing infrastructure expenditure across the Northern Territory, our A Working Future towns, our regional towns, our capital city of Darwin - or sack thousands of public servants who provide services to Territorians. We are not going to do that.
The Leader of the Opposition will have an opportunity tomorrow to say, if he does not believe we should have a $295m deficit as a result of this budget, where he is going to find $295m-worth of savings. What infrastructure projects would he cut and how many thousands of public servants would he sack to bring the budget into surplus?
This is a budget about jobs and for families across the Northern Territory. At the budget lunch we have just attended hosted by the Chamber of Commerce, Senior Economist at National Australia Bank, David de Garis, an independent, well-respected commentator, in his evaluation of the budget said: ‘The NT has it right with the balance between economic and social objectives’. He pointed to our financial position and ’our responsible, modest cash deficit’. It is responsible because it protects jobs and families. It is a responsible cash deficit.
Madam Speaker, we have taken a very deliberate decision as a result of a significant reduction in GST revenues to the Territory.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016