Dr BURNS - 2001-10-23
Madam Speaker, in last week’s report to parliament, the Auditor-General described the CLP’s budget as unreliable, as a measure of their fiscal stewardship and accountability. Now that the report card is in, in the form of the Treasurer’s Annual Financial Report, what is the result?
ANSWER
I thank the member for Johnston for his question. Very sadly, for Territorians, the result is a very sad and sorry one. At the time of last year’s budget, the then Treasurer, the member for Katherine, the now Deputy Opposition Leader, said there would be a deficit of $45m. We know his track record, we should not have believed him, and the statement …
Mr DUNHAM: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I believe this is anticipating debate. This is a matter that is on the notice paper and will be debated in the parliament.
Ms Martin: It is not on the notice paper.
Madam SPEAKER: I believe it is okay as a question.
Mr Stirling: It wouldn’t matter if it was.
Ms MARTIN: It certainly would not matter. This is about the fiscal management of the previous government. The then Treasurer said there would be a deficit in the 2000-01 year of $45m. What was the result, tabled this morning - $140m in deficit. In between the budget in May and the outcome that we get today, the then Treasurer tried to fudge the bottom line, and he tried to repeat that again this morning. He tried to fudge the bottom line with the Conditions of Service Trust, moving money from one bucket to the other to say that his administration - his and the member for Brennan’s administration - has not run up a deficit, irresponsibly, that is now to be borne by all Territorians.
This annual financial report tells the truth. We have had enough weasel words from the opposition about trying to reinvent what were the facts. These are the facts, in the Treasurer’s Annual Financial Report, and it shows a deficit that the man who claims he is fiscally responsible said would be for the 2000-01 year - $140m worth of deficit, $140m. The fact that the then Treasurer tried to manipulate the budget just shows how desperate the Country Liberal Party were, just how desperate in the run-up to an election they were, to try and manipulate the budget figures, to do a paper shuffle, to raid the Conditions of Service Trust, and try and tell Territorians, within matters of weeks before an election was called, that the year had actually produced $1m surplus.
The word ‘fraud’ is a serious word, but that was a fraud. It was a fraud.
Mr DUNHAM: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I do not think that it has been demonstrated that this is in fact fraud. The word is used in a legal context and I think if the allegation that the Chief Minister …
Madam SPEAKER: What Standing Order are you referring to?
Mr DUNHAM: I am working to the Standing Order that says you cannot make an allegation of improper behaviour of a member unless you do so by substantive motion.
Madam SPEAKER: I think in the terms the Chief Minister used it, it was quite acceptable. There is no point of order.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, the use of the word ‘fraud’ is the only one that I have to describe …
Madam SPEAKER: I did ask the Chief Minister the other day not to use the word ‘fraud’. I suggest you use it very carefully, otherwise I am going to rule against it.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, a gross misrepresentation to Territorians, a deception of Territorians when this former administration - the then Treasurer, the then Chief Minister and the then Cabinet ministers - told Territorians that 2000-01 had produced a surplus of $1m. They knew that was not the truth, they knew it would out. $140m was that deficit. The so-called fiscal managers, responsible fiscal managers - $1m surplus they tried to claim - now $140m of deficit left to Territorians, to add to that growing interest bill. $500 000 a day we pay in interest, and it is going up.
The CLP was not interested in sound fiscal management or telling the truth to Territorians. The CLP was only interested in saving their own electoral skins. Thankfully, Territorians saw right through it.
ANSWER
I thank the member for Johnston for his question. Very sadly, for Territorians, the result is a very sad and sorry one. At the time of last year’s budget, the then Treasurer, the member for Katherine, the now Deputy Opposition Leader, said there would be a deficit of $45m. We know his track record, we should not have believed him, and the statement …
Mr DUNHAM: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I believe this is anticipating debate. This is a matter that is on the notice paper and will be debated in the parliament.
Ms Martin: It is not on the notice paper.
Madam SPEAKER: I believe it is okay as a question.
Mr Stirling: It wouldn’t matter if it was.
Ms MARTIN: It certainly would not matter. This is about the fiscal management of the previous government. The then Treasurer said there would be a deficit in the 2000-01 year of $45m. What was the result, tabled this morning - $140m in deficit. In between the budget in May and the outcome that we get today, the then Treasurer tried to fudge the bottom line, and he tried to repeat that again this morning. He tried to fudge the bottom line with the Conditions of Service Trust, moving money from one bucket to the other to say that his administration - his and the member for Brennan’s administration - has not run up a deficit, irresponsibly, that is now to be borne by all Territorians.
This annual financial report tells the truth. We have had enough weasel words from the opposition about trying to reinvent what were the facts. These are the facts, in the Treasurer’s Annual Financial Report, and it shows a deficit that the man who claims he is fiscally responsible said would be for the 2000-01 year - $140m worth of deficit, $140m. The fact that the then Treasurer tried to manipulate the budget just shows how desperate the Country Liberal Party were, just how desperate in the run-up to an election they were, to try and manipulate the budget figures, to do a paper shuffle, to raid the Conditions of Service Trust, and try and tell Territorians, within matters of weeks before an election was called, that the year had actually produced $1m surplus.
The word ‘fraud’ is a serious word, but that was a fraud. It was a fraud.
Mr DUNHAM: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I do not think that it has been demonstrated that this is in fact fraud. The word is used in a legal context and I think if the allegation that the Chief Minister …
Madam SPEAKER: What Standing Order are you referring to?
Mr DUNHAM: I am working to the Standing Order that says you cannot make an allegation of improper behaviour of a member unless you do so by substantive motion.
Madam SPEAKER: I think in the terms the Chief Minister used it, it was quite acceptable. There is no point of order.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, the use of the word ‘fraud’ is the only one that I have to describe …
Madam SPEAKER: I did ask the Chief Minister the other day not to use the word ‘fraud’. I suggest you use it very carefully, otherwise I am going to rule against it.
Ms MARTIN: Madam Speaker, a gross misrepresentation to Territorians, a deception of Territorians when this former administration - the then Treasurer, the then Chief Minister and the then Cabinet ministers - told Territorians that 2000-01 had produced a surplus of $1m. They knew that was not the truth, they knew it would out. $140m was that deficit. The so-called fiscal managers, responsible fiscal managers - $1m surplus they tried to claim - now $140m of deficit left to Territorians, to add to that growing interest bill. $500 000 a day we pay in interest, and it is going up.
The CLP was not interested in sound fiscal management or telling the truth to Territorians. The CLP was only interested in saving their own electoral skins. Thankfully, Territorians saw right through it.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016