Ms CARNEY - 2006-05-02
Why is it that, despite record income levels including about $217m in unexpected income which was not budgeted for, your government continues to preside over massive increases in elective surgery waiting lists, increases in dental waiting lists and bed shortages at our hospitals? You continue to fail to deliver on your election promises to build a high school in Palmerston and an oncology unit at Royal Darwin Hospital, just to name two. Now that you, as captain of the ship, have increased the Health budget again, will this mean that you will finally reduce hospital waiting lists to levels that existed prior to you coming to office? Can Territorians expect to see some bang for their buck?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the opposition has led with a number of questions about this budget, as we would expect. Many of them have been simply wrong. When the Opposition Leader consistently says we failed to deliver on election commitments, the Opposition Leader and the opposition is, again, consistently wrong.
This government is proud of its delivery on election commitments. The Police minister just mentioned the growing numbers in our police force; that has tackled one of the outstanding issues in the Territory - property crime …
Ms Carney: What about the oncology unit and Palmerston high school?
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition!
Ms MARTIN: Go back nearly five years and remember what property crime was about and the key cry of Territorians: ‘Do something about property crime’. We have delivered on promises right across the board. We are - what is the word for it …
Ms Carney: Liars, stumped!
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, I ask you to withdraw.
Ms Carney: I withdraw, Madam Speaker.
Ms MARTIN: Territorians are generally pleased, and certainly we as government are pleased, that there has been additional funds through the GST to be able to put significant increases in those services that Territorians expect good delivery from government. That is through our health system, through police, and through education. This budget, again, puts appropriate increases into those three areas so that we can deliver for Territorians.
For example, here is figure from Alice Springs. I thought the Opposition Leader would be interested in this. In the last four years, the increase to the Alice Springs Hospital budget has been nearly 100%. We can say to Territorians, we are delivering a much more reliable and safe service in Alice Springs Hospital, and it is a tribute to the Health minister that we are doing that.
Areas like health and hospitals are difficult areas. The demand is increasing. We have increased the funds and we will continue to strive to deliver very effective hospital services right across the Territory, very effective health services, effective police services, and deliver education to all Territorians. We have proudly done that, and this budget again underpins that.
When I said the Opposition Leader has been consistently wrong, she is trying to prove in some fanciful part of her brain that we are a high taxing government. We are not. We are the lowest taxing government, particularly for businesses with fewer than 100 employees, in Australia.
We could go back to Introduction to Budgets 101, but, really, the Opposition Leader needs to look at the budget, needs to understand it a bit more effectively, and understand that we have reduced taxes very effectively for Territory businesses. We have a healthy, growing economy which means that we are receiving a healthy amount of tax revenue from businesses.
We have reduced taxes. We have put more money into Education, Health and Police and, very proudly, into Tourism. Top End Tourism is reporting to me that, May on May, this year there has been a 32% increase in bookings for the Top End compared with last year. That is the effect of marketing bang and getting real bang for our buck. Madam Speaker, this is an excellent budget and I pay tribute to our Treasurer.
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the opposition has led with a number of questions about this budget, as we would expect. Many of them have been simply wrong. When the Opposition Leader consistently says we failed to deliver on election commitments, the Opposition Leader and the opposition is, again, consistently wrong.
This government is proud of its delivery on election commitments. The Police minister just mentioned the growing numbers in our police force; that has tackled one of the outstanding issues in the Territory - property crime …
Ms Carney: What about the oncology unit and Palmerston high school?
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition!
Ms MARTIN: Go back nearly five years and remember what property crime was about and the key cry of Territorians: ‘Do something about property crime’. We have delivered on promises right across the board. We are - what is the word for it …
Ms Carney: Liars, stumped!
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, I ask you to withdraw.
Ms Carney: I withdraw, Madam Speaker.
Ms MARTIN: Territorians are generally pleased, and certainly we as government are pleased, that there has been additional funds through the GST to be able to put significant increases in those services that Territorians expect good delivery from government. That is through our health system, through police, and through education. This budget, again, puts appropriate increases into those three areas so that we can deliver for Territorians.
For example, here is figure from Alice Springs. I thought the Opposition Leader would be interested in this. In the last four years, the increase to the Alice Springs Hospital budget has been nearly 100%. We can say to Territorians, we are delivering a much more reliable and safe service in Alice Springs Hospital, and it is a tribute to the Health minister that we are doing that.
Areas like health and hospitals are difficult areas. The demand is increasing. We have increased the funds and we will continue to strive to deliver very effective hospital services right across the Territory, very effective health services, effective police services, and deliver education to all Territorians. We have proudly done that, and this budget again underpins that.
When I said the Opposition Leader has been consistently wrong, she is trying to prove in some fanciful part of her brain that we are a high taxing government. We are not. We are the lowest taxing government, particularly for businesses with fewer than 100 employees, in Australia.
We could go back to Introduction to Budgets 101, but, really, the Opposition Leader needs to look at the budget, needs to understand it a bit more effectively, and understand that we have reduced taxes very effectively for Territory businesses. We have a healthy, growing economy which means that we are receiving a healthy amount of tax revenue from businesses.
We have reduced taxes. We have put more money into Education, Health and Police and, very proudly, into Tourism. Top End Tourism is reporting to me that, May on May, this year there has been a 32% increase in bookings for the Top End compared with last year. That is the effect of marketing bang and getting real bang for our buck. Madam Speaker, this is an excellent budget and I pay tribute to our Treasurer.
Mr HENDERSON (Leader of Government Business): Madam Speaker, I ask that further questions be placed on the Written Question Paper.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016