Mr BAILEY - 1994-08-25
The Auditor-General's report, which was tabled yesterday, stated that bad and doubtful debts on Department of Industry and Development loan schemes amount to 62% of the money advanced or a total of $2.1m for loans advanced up to early 1991. What proportion of these loans will be recovered, what action is the minister taking to recover these amounts, and how much does the minister expect to write off?
ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I am able to provide the honourable member with a briefing that will give him that information. I do not have it off the top of my head, but I am more than happy to cooperate with him through the department and have him taken through a number of these loans and the outcomes.
It needs to be remembered, and it was in fact noted in the Auditor-General's report, that the Department of Industries and Development is very much at the cutting edge of developing and assisting industry in the Territory, as are the counterparts of this department anywhere else in Australia. Whether these amounts comprise loans, subsidies or even development grants, the simple fact is that there will be a cost to government at one end but, at the other end, there is the benefit of successful enterprises such as Bernie Ostermeyer's sidetipper. Much of the work on that development has been done through development grants. There is a whole string of similar examples and those are the sorts of industries that we would not have in the Territory if were not for the government having the political courage to give these Territorians a leg up to enable them to develop and employ other Territorians and create wealth.
Members interjecting.
A member: Crocodile farming.
Mr STONE: The crocodile farm is another good example. There are many ...
Mr Ede: They would be better off without them.
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: Let me pick up the interjection from the Leader of the Opposition. He interjected that we would be better off without a particular industry in the Territory.
Mr EDE: A point of order, Mr Speaker! If he wants to quote me, let him quote me accurately. I said that the businesses would have been better off without the grants and subsidies from the Northern Territory government.
Mr STONE: Get out!
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Mr SPEAKER: I frankly do not believe there is a point of order because, certainly in the way he responded, that was my interpretation of what the Leader of the Opposition said and I believe it would be the interpretation of any person.
Mr EDE: A point of order, Mr Speaker! It is not for you to make those sorts of judgments. Consult Hansard and see what I said.
Mr SPEAKER: I am prepared to look at Hansard, but there is no point of order.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, I am absolutely staggered. It would appear that from the mouth of the Leader of the Opposition the truth now emerges. Essentially members opposite are anti-private sector if they make that sort of allegation. I hope that Territorians listening to this broadcast are starting to glean some idea of what it might have been like under a Labor administration.
Mr Ede: I told them all, and they agree with me.
Mr Stirling: You are picking winners, as you did with Emertung, Dalway and Hengyang - every one of them a loser! Those are the winners you picked.
Mr STONE: It is interesting that he just said that Territorians agreed with him. Given the result of the poll of 4 June, it is difficult to see that they agreed with anything that the Leader of the Opposition has had to say.
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ANSWER
Mr Speaker, I am able to provide the honourable member with a briefing that will give him that information. I do not have it off the top of my head, but I am more than happy to cooperate with him through the department and have him taken through a number of these loans and the outcomes.
It needs to be remembered, and it was in fact noted in the Auditor-General's report, that the Department of Industries and Development is very much at the cutting edge of developing and assisting industry in the Territory, as are the counterparts of this department anywhere else in Australia. Whether these amounts comprise loans, subsidies or even development grants, the simple fact is that there will be a cost to government at one end but, at the other end, there is the benefit of successful enterprises such as Bernie Ostermeyer's sidetipper. Much of the work on that development has been done through development grants. There is a whole string of similar examples and those are the sorts of industries that we would not have in the Territory if were not for the government having the political courage to give these Territorians a leg up to enable them to develop and employ other Territorians and create wealth.
Members interjecting.
A member: Crocodile farming.
Mr STONE: The crocodile farm is another good example. There are many ...
Mr Ede: They would be better off without them.
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: Let me pick up the interjection from the Leader of the Opposition. He interjected that we would be better off without a particular industry in the Territory.
Mr EDE: A point of order, Mr Speaker! If he wants to quote me, let him quote me accurately. I said that the businesses would have been better off without the grants and subsidies from the Northern Territory government.
Mr STONE: Get out!
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Mr SPEAKER: I frankly do not believe there is a point of order because, certainly in the way he responded, that was my interpretation of what the Leader of the Opposition said and I believe it would be the interpretation of any person.
Mr EDE: A point of order, Mr Speaker! It is not for you to make those sorts of judgments. Consult Hansard and see what I said.
Mr SPEAKER: I am prepared to look at Hansard, but there is no point of order.
Mr STONE: Mr Speaker, I am absolutely staggered. It would appear that from the mouth of the Leader of the Opposition the truth now emerges. Essentially members opposite are anti-private sector if they make that sort of allegation. I hope that Territorians listening to this broadcast are starting to glean some idea of what it might have been like under a Labor administration.
Mr Ede: I told them all, and they agree with me.
Mr Stirling: You are picking winners, as you did with Emertung, Dalway and Hengyang - every one of them a loser! Those are the winners you picked.
Mr STONE: It is interesting that he just said that Territorians agreed with him. Given the result of the poll of 4 June, it is difficult to see that they agreed with anything that the Leader of the Opposition has had to say.
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Last updated: 09 Aug 2016