Mr REED - 2002-08-20
I refer to Budget Paper No 3, pages 279 and 282 respectively, and ask the Chief Minister and Treasurer to now admit that her government has received an additional allocation from GST disbursements of $134.2m in untied grants. In light of this incredible increase in financial services from the Commonwealth this financial year, which will continue every year hereafter, how can she justify getting into the pockets of Territorians in the way that she has over the last 12 months with increased taxes and charges; and will she finally agree to reduce those taxes and charges she has imposed on Territorians?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question from the previous Treasurer. There is some inaccuracy, which is disappointing to see from the previous Treasurer, but we are used to that. It is $131m that we received in extra funding from the federal government; $76.1m of that was because of increased relativities. The other was the natural growth that you get because of CPI and other factors, which the former Treasurer, I think, understands. Part of that, the $76.1m, was increased relativities funding. We have to understand what relativities are all about; they recognise the increased costs of service delivery in the Territory. What we properly did in this budget was to put that increased relativity towards what I proudly outlined this morning in my first budget – the budget of this Labor government.
We came into government just over 12 months ago, and we came on a very strong platform: jobs growth, providing the best facilities and services we can in education, the same for health, and providing a safe community for Territorians. This budget replicates that commitment, delivers on those promises and those increased funds from the federal government are targetted there. There is $43m extra into capital works to be able to underpin those key strategy priorities: health, education, building a safe community and, more importantly, underpinning our construction industry in the Territory and helping keep skilled tradespeople in the Territory. The other $30m has gone towards programs in education, health, and across police and justice, and we are incredibly proud of this.
The shame that the member for Katherine is part of when he raises this issue is about the debt and deceit that was left to Territorians when last time a budget came down in this House, because we know how the bottom line figures were written in that budget. We know how they were - by the then Treasurer up in his office, who said: ‘We are going into an election, we cannot have figures like this. Let us put a very low figure on the deficit for the coming year. Let us put a really low figure – what do I like? Oh, let us try single figures’.
Well, we found out soon enough what a facade that was; what a mistruth for Territorians that was. We on this side of the House are very proud of the fact that we have a deficit reduction strategy that we are keeping to, and we will have the Territory’s budget back in balance by 2004-05. That is against the government sector. In the mini-budget last year, it was against the total public sector. However, in this budget we are bringing it forward a year and it is against the general government sector. We are very proud of that.
The former Treasurer, the member for Katherine, stands in here and says: ‘You know you will get this extra funding for year after year after year’. Not true! Absolutely not true. We know that, in the cycle for the Grants Commission, in two years time those reviews will happen. The man who was Treasurer for a long time knows that that money is not assured, and that increased funding is not assured past this year and perhaps a little for next. So let us make sure that there is no distortion coming from the opposition. We recognise an increase in growth, as happens every time the funding comes in from the federal government. Part of that increased $131m is that funding, then a recognition of the increased costs of delivering services across …
Mr Burke: No, it is not! It is GST.
Ms MARTIN: … the Territory - something you never did. You never stood in here and said: ‘There are needs for remote communities and we are going to tackle them’ Never! Never stood in here and recognised those needs, and you are a disgrace after 27 years that you did not.
Mr Reed: You could not lie straight in bed.
Ms MARTIN: I stood here proudly this morning …
Mr STIRLING: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I would ask him to withdraw.
Madam SPEAKER: That is a reflection upon the Chief Minister. I think you should withdraw.
Mr REED: She may lay straight in bed.
Madam SPEAKER: Just withdraw.
Mr REED: I withdraw, Madam Speaker.
Ms MARTIN: We had a question from the member for Katherine that contained very little truth, and it tries to distort the fact of what has happened. We are proudly saying that those extra relativities have been put where they were given to us for: to be able to achieve an average state-like service in the Territory. We have a long way to go, but this budget today has made an important first step and I am proud of it.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I welcome the question from the previous Treasurer. There is some inaccuracy, which is disappointing to see from the previous Treasurer, but we are used to that. It is $131m that we received in extra funding from the federal government; $76.1m of that was because of increased relativities. The other was the natural growth that you get because of CPI and other factors, which the former Treasurer, I think, understands. Part of that, the $76.1m, was increased relativities funding. We have to understand what relativities are all about; they recognise the increased costs of service delivery in the Territory. What we properly did in this budget was to put that increased relativity towards what I proudly outlined this morning in my first budget – the budget of this Labor government.
We came into government just over 12 months ago, and we came on a very strong platform: jobs growth, providing the best facilities and services we can in education, the same for health, and providing a safe community for Territorians. This budget replicates that commitment, delivers on those promises and those increased funds from the federal government are targetted there. There is $43m extra into capital works to be able to underpin those key strategy priorities: health, education, building a safe community and, more importantly, underpinning our construction industry in the Territory and helping keep skilled tradespeople in the Territory. The other $30m has gone towards programs in education, health, and across police and justice, and we are incredibly proud of this.
The shame that the member for Katherine is part of when he raises this issue is about the debt and deceit that was left to Territorians when last time a budget came down in this House, because we know how the bottom line figures were written in that budget. We know how they were - by the then Treasurer up in his office, who said: ‘We are going into an election, we cannot have figures like this. Let us put a very low figure on the deficit for the coming year. Let us put a really low figure – what do I like? Oh, let us try single figures’.
Well, we found out soon enough what a facade that was; what a mistruth for Territorians that was. We on this side of the House are very proud of the fact that we have a deficit reduction strategy that we are keeping to, and we will have the Territory’s budget back in balance by 2004-05. That is against the government sector. In the mini-budget last year, it was against the total public sector. However, in this budget we are bringing it forward a year and it is against the general government sector. We are very proud of that.
The former Treasurer, the member for Katherine, stands in here and says: ‘You know you will get this extra funding for year after year after year’. Not true! Absolutely not true. We know that, in the cycle for the Grants Commission, in two years time those reviews will happen. The man who was Treasurer for a long time knows that that money is not assured, and that increased funding is not assured past this year and perhaps a little for next. So let us make sure that there is no distortion coming from the opposition. We recognise an increase in growth, as happens every time the funding comes in from the federal government. Part of that increased $131m is that funding, then a recognition of the increased costs of delivering services across …
Mr Burke: No, it is not! It is GST.
Ms MARTIN: … the Territory - something you never did. You never stood in here and said: ‘There are needs for remote communities and we are going to tackle them’ Never! Never stood in here and recognised those needs, and you are a disgrace after 27 years that you did not.
Mr Reed: You could not lie straight in bed.
Ms MARTIN: I stood here proudly this morning …
Mr STIRLING: A point of order, Madam Speaker! I would ask him to withdraw.
Madam SPEAKER: That is a reflection upon the Chief Minister. I think you should withdraw.
Mr REED: She may lay straight in bed.
Madam SPEAKER: Just withdraw.
Mr REED: I withdraw, Madam Speaker.
Ms MARTIN: We had a question from the member for Katherine that contained very little truth, and it tries to distort the fact of what has happened. We are proudly saying that those extra relativities have been put where they were given to us for: to be able to achieve an average state-like service in the Territory. We have a long way to go, but this budget today has made an important first step and I am proud of it.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016