Mr GUNNER - 2009-05-05
Can you please inform the House why the level of infrastructure spending delivered to the Territory in Budget 2009-10 is so important?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I know the opposition does not want to hear this but for those Territorians who want to know that there is a job out there for them, who want to be able to put food on their table and pay their mortgages, this is a critically important issue.
Against the backdrop of a global recession and collapsing GST revenue, Budget 2009-10 is the most important and toughest to frame in our history. These are tough economic times that Australia faces. They are the toughest we have faced in generations - the first global recession in 75 years.
Budget 2009-10 focuses on protecting jobs, but also building the Territory against the global financial crisis. This unprecedented infrastructure investment of $1.3bn will support 2500 jobs across the construction and related sectors, broadening into the wider economy. We are seeing in Budget 2009-10, the Territory’s first ever more than $1bn infrastructure spend. This record breaking infrastructure spend represents a 47% increase on last year’s - that is this financial year’s - record infrastructure budget; $414m more than 2008-09, bringing the total infrastructure spend since 2001 to $5.6bn. That is how you drive economic growth in the Territory: by investing in infrastructure.
There is $322m for roads; $19m for community beef and mining roads to improve the Buntine, Plenty, Tanami Highways, Maryvale Road and the Wollogorang Bridge, which I am sure will be very welcome in the Gulf country; $89m for the Tiger Brennan Drive extension, an extra $6m to duplicate Tiger Brennan Drive between Dinah Beach and Woolner Road which will be very welcome for those traffic flows.
Mr Giles: Let us talk about some more federal money in this $1bn package.
Ms LAWRIE: Highlights across our national highways - there is $5m for road safety initiatives on the Stuart, Victoria, Barkly; $5m for overtaking lanes between Katherine and Darwin …
Mr Giles: Barkly, Katherine, SIHIP, not a house built.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Braitling, cease interjecting.
Mr Tollner: This is all federal money …
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Fong Lim, cease interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: Madam Speaker, in housing infrastructure we will see a $390.3m investment in this budget, a 92% increase on previous budgets. This is record infrastructure spending to rebuild Territory schools, with $118.9m and to commence a $300 000 upgrade program across every primary and large group school.
Infrastructure investment is the best way to not only protect jobs now, but to build the Territory for the future.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I know the opposition does not want to hear this but for those Territorians who want to know that there is a job out there for them, who want to be able to put food on their table and pay their mortgages, this is a critically important issue.
Against the backdrop of a global recession and collapsing GST revenue, Budget 2009-10 is the most important and toughest to frame in our history. These are tough economic times that Australia faces. They are the toughest we have faced in generations - the first global recession in 75 years.
Budget 2009-10 focuses on protecting jobs, but also building the Territory against the global financial crisis. This unprecedented infrastructure investment of $1.3bn will support 2500 jobs across the construction and related sectors, broadening into the wider economy. We are seeing in Budget 2009-10, the Territory’s first ever more than $1bn infrastructure spend. This record breaking infrastructure spend represents a 47% increase on last year’s - that is this financial year’s - record infrastructure budget; $414m more than 2008-09, bringing the total infrastructure spend since 2001 to $5.6bn. That is how you drive economic growth in the Territory: by investing in infrastructure.
There is $322m for roads; $19m for community beef and mining roads to improve the Buntine, Plenty, Tanami Highways, Maryvale Road and the Wollogorang Bridge, which I am sure will be very welcome in the Gulf country; $89m for the Tiger Brennan Drive extension, an extra $6m to duplicate Tiger Brennan Drive between Dinah Beach and Woolner Road which will be very welcome for those traffic flows.
Mr Giles: Let us talk about some more federal money in this $1bn package.
Ms LAWRIE: Highlights across our national highways - there is $5m for road safety initiatives on the Stuart, Victoria, Barkly; $5m for overtaking lanes between Katherine and Darwin …
Mr Giles: Barkly, Katherine, SIHIP, not a house built.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Braitling, cease interjecting.
Mr Tollner: This is all federal money …
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Member for Fong Lim, cease interjecting.
Ms LAWRIE: Madam Speaker, in housing infrastructure we will see a $390.3m investment in this budget, a 92% increase on previous budgets. This is record infrastructure spending to rebuild Territory schools, with $118.9m and to commence a $300 000 upgrade program across every primary and large group school.
Infrastructure investment is the best way to not only protect jobs now, but to build the Territory for the future.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016