Mr REED - 2001-10-24
Yesterday, the Chief Minister advised that the mini-budget would merely be an amendment to the 2001-02 budget. As a consequence, it would not have a large consequence on subsequent years, or did not require a high level of debate. Indeed, she advised that it would be passed by urgency in the next sittings. How does she reconcile that comment with her remarks on the Channel 8 News on 12 October where she said her mini-budget process would have an impact over the next four years and beyond for the Northern Territory. I seek leave to table a transcript of other comments that the honourable Chief Minister made.
Leave granted.
Mr REED: Does the Chief Minister believe that a financial statement that will shape the Territory economy over the next four years is a significant budgetary practice; will have a long-standing impact on the Northern Territory; is worthy of a full appropriation debate; and is not worthy of passing through urgency in this House without this House considering it in detail?
ANSWER
I thank the Deputy Opposition Leader for his question. It is interesting, and I said this yesterday. When we announced we were having a mini-budget we had pressure from the opposition: ‘Don’t allow it to be at the end of November, you have to bring it down more quickly’. Now we are getting towards discussion of the November mini-budget and what you are saying is that we ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: It is a very significant event, this mini-budget, and I think we only have to refer to the report from Professor Percy Allan to realise how significant an event this mini-budget is. It really galls me that the member for Katherine even asks these questions when you look at his track record as Treasurer - the man who bodgied up budget figures and has been exposed for bodgying up budget figures in his last budget. He is absolutely the man who was the Treasurer for rubbery figures, the absolute Treasurer for rubbery figures ...
Mr REED: A point of order, Madam Speaker. I am flattered that the Chief Minister should be focussing all this attention on me. It is only a matter of time before I am blamed for the 11 September incident in New York ...
Madam SPEAKER: What is your point of order?
Mr REED: ... I am being blamed for everything else. The leader of government should, in fact, answer the question as to whether she will afford this House a full debate on the appropriation changes that are going to take place that are going to have an impact for four years ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, answer the question. Keep your answer relevant to the question.
Ms MARTIN: The question becomes more of a statement, and it really is, and the question is ...
Mr Reed: Right, and the answer is?
Ms MARTIN: Let us make it very clear, this man who really is the Treasurer for rubbery figures - was the Treasurer for rubbery figures - the man who sat in his office and made up the bottom line ...
Mr REED: A point of order, Madam Speaker. You directed the Chief Minister to answer the question and she is now going on rambling with other details quite contrary to your direction.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, keep your answer relevant to the question. You all know that ministers tend to wander around the question, but it would be nice to think that ministers would address the question.
Ms MARTIN: I am addressing the question, and it makes me feel very sad on behalf of Territorians that we have a man here who would ask questions about management of budgets. Yet we have seen what he has done to Territory budgets, and the misrepresentation we saw in the bottom line, particularly as exposed by Professor Percy Allan. It is very serious, it is not something to be taken lightly. I really question whether this man should actually be allowed to sit in here and ask questions. The man who sat in his office in the far corner of Parliament House and made up the bottom line figures ...
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, I have asked you to answer the question. Keep your points relevant to the question.
Ms MARTIN: This is relevant, Madam Speaker, this is relevant. What I say to the member for Katherine is, we will have a full debate in this parliament. The opposition will be put on notice that we expect a proper and honest response from them when we do discuss the mini-budget. It is a mini-budget, along with our Economic Development Summit at the beginning of next month, that will set the future directions because we will have the figures right for the first time in a number of years. We will have the figures right in this budget, and we will be honestly spelling out to Territorians how we are going to move forward. I expect a very full response from the opposition when we have that mini-budget at the end of November.
Leave granted.
Mr REED: Does the Chief Minister believe that a financial statement that will shape the Territory economy over the next four years is a significant budgetary practice; will have a long-standing impact on the Northern Territory; is worthy of a full appropriation debate; and is not worthy of passing through urgency in this House without this House considering it in detail?
ANSWER
I thank the Deputy Opposition Leader for his question. It is interesting, and I said this yesterday. When we announced we were having a mini-budget we had pressure from the opposition: ‘Don’t allow it to be at the end of November, you have to bring it down more quickly’. Now we are getting towards discussion of the November mini-budget and what you are saying is that we ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Ms MARTIN: It is a very significant event, this mini-budget, and I think we only have to refer to the report from Professor Percy Allan to realise how significant an event this mini-budget is. It really galls me that the member for Katherine even asks these questions when you look at his track record as Treasurer - the man who bodgied up budget figures and has been exposed for bodgying up budget figures in his last budget. He is absolutely the man who was the Treasurer for rubbery figures, the absolute Treasurer for rubbery figures ...
Mr REED: A point of order, Madam Speaker. I am flattered that the Chief Minister should be focussing all this attention on me. It is only a matter of time before I am blamed for the 11 September incident in New York ...
Madam SPEAKER: What is your point of order?
Mr REED: ... I am being blamed for everything else. The leader of government should, in fact, answer the question as to whether she will afford this House a full debate on the appropriation changes that are going to take place that are going to have an impact for four years ...
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, answer the question. Keep your answer relevant to the question.
Ms MARTIN: The question becomes more of a statement, and it really is, and the question is ...
Mr Reed: Right, and the answer is?
Ms MARTIN: Let us make it very clear, this man who really is the Treasurer for rubbery figures - was the Treasurer for rubbery figures - the man who sat in his office and made up the bottom line ...
Mr REED: A point of order, Madam Speaker. You directed the Chief Minister to answer the question and she is now going on rambling with other details quite contrary to your direction.
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, keep your answer relevant to the question. You all know that ministers tend to wander around the question, but it would be nice to think that ministers would address the question.
Ms MARTIN: I am addressing the question, and it makes me feel very sad on behalf of Territorians that we have a man here who would ask questions about management of budgets. Yet we have seen what he has done to Territory budgets, and the misrepresentation we saw in the bottom line, particularly as exposed by Professor Percy Allan. It is very serious, it is not something to be taken lightly. I really question whether this man should actually be allowed to sit in here and ask questions. The man who sat in his office in the far corner of Parliament House and made up the bottom line figures ...
Madam SPEAKER: Chief Minister, I have asked you to answer the question. Keep your points relevant to the question.
Ms MARTIN: This is relevant, Madam Speaker, this is relevant. What I say to the member for Katherine is, we will have a full debate in this parliament. The opposition will be put on notice that we expect a proper and honest response from them when we do discuss the mini-budget. It is a mini-budget, along with our Economic Development Summit at the beginning of next month, that will set the future directions because we will have the figures right for the first time in a number of years. We will have the figures right in this budget, and we will be honestly spelling out to Territorians how we are going to move forward. I expect a very full response from the opposition when we have that mini-budget at the end of November.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016