Mr GUNNER - 2010-04-29
Could you please explain what Budget 2010-11 will mean for Territory business?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, Budget 2010-11 will be delivering now for families and investing in the future of the Northern Territory. As the Treasurer has alluded to previously in Question Time, $1.8bn in infrastructure between Northern Territory and Commonwealth money. This is going into a whole range of areas which are investing in the future growth of the Northern Territory. There is $725m in housing and land release, and anyone who has recently been to Palmerston has seen massive amounts of work going on there for the new subdivision ...
Members interjecting.
Mr KNIGHT: You need to get out there, member for Fong Lim, you need to get out there.
There are workers everywhere, there are roads going in, there is land being cleared, there are parks going in, there is a new substation going in for the Palmerston East area. It is a massive amount of investment by this government into that area of land release. Students would be very interested in the $200m for schools in this budget, the biggest infrastructure budget in the history of the Northern Territory and it is a Labor government that is delivering it. There is $300m for roads …
Mr Tollner interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Fong Lim!
Mr KNIGHT: … much needed for the business community, every sector of the community relies on roads and we have over $300m going into roads. Vital, in the health area, is $150m for hospital upgrades. This is supporting the future growth of the Northern Territory.
Importantly for business is the procurement aspect of this infrastructure budget. The Procurement Review Board has advised that, up to end of March, 80% of contracts valued at more than $200 000 have gone to Northern Territory companies. That is great news - 728 government contracts went out thus far for contracts over $200 000; 580 went to Territory companies. This is supporting jobs; this is investing in the future of the Northern Territory. It is certainly great news.
We have the highest rate of economic growth in the country, right here in the Northern Territory. We have the lowest employment in the country but the biggest jobs growth in the Northern Territory. We effectively have full employment in the Greater Darwin area. Under the CLP, 5%, which grew up to 7%, the legacy of CLP policy.
Mr GILES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I ask if the minister would be so kind as to table the documents he is reading from.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling, resume your seat. There is no point of order.
Mr KNIGHT: No, notes. Madam Speaker, 5% unemployment, the economy was dead. The only growth industry in the Northern Territory was the removalists taking everyone out of town; everyone did not have a job, they were heading out of town. So this government, these policies, these investments, is growing jobs, supporting families in the Northern Territory.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, Budget 2010-11 will be delivering now for families and investing in the future of the Northern Territory. As the Treasurer has alluded to previously in Question Time, $1.8bn in infrastructure between Northern Territory and Commonwealth money. This is going into a whole range of areas which are investing in the future growth of the Northern Territory. There is $725m in housing and land release, and anyone who has recently been to Palmerston has seen massive amounts of work going on there for the new subdivision ...
Members interjecting.
Mr KNIGHT: You need to get out there, member for Fong Lim, you need to get out there.
There are workers everywhere, there are roads going in, there is land being cleared, there are parks going in, there is a new substation going in for the Palmerston East area. It is a massive amount of investment by this government into that area of land release. Students would be very interested in the $200m for schools in this budget, the biggest infrastructure budget in the history of the Northern Territory and it is a Labor government that is delivering it. There is $300m for roads …
Mr Tollner interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Fong Lim!
Mr KNIGHT: … much needed for the business community, every sector of the community relies on roads and we have over $300m going into roads. Vital, in the health area, is $150m for hospital upgrades. This is supporting the future growth of the Northern Territory.
Importantly for business is the procurement aspect of this infrastructure budget. The Procurement Review Board has advised that, up to end of March, 80% of contracts valued at more than $200 000 have gone to Northern Territory companies. That is great news - 728 government contracts went out thus far for contracts over $200 000; 580 went to Territory companies. This is supporting jobs; this is investing in the future of the Northern Territory. It is certainly great news.
We have the highest rate of economic growth in the country, right here in the Northern Territory. We have the lowest employment in the country but the biggest jobs growth in the Northern Territory. We effectively have full employment in the Greater Darwin area. Under the CLP, 5%, which grew up to 7%, the legacy of CLP policy.
Mr GILES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I ask if the minister would be so kind as to table the documents he is reading from.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling, resume your seat. There is no point of order.
Mr KNIGHT: No, notes. Madam Speaker, 5% unemployment, the economy was dead. The only growth industry in the Northern Territory was the removalists taking everyone out of town; everyone did not have a job, they were heading out of town. So this government, these policies, these investments, is growing jobs, supporting families in the Northern Territory.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016