Mr GILES - 2012-05-02
My question is to the Minister for Construction, the minister who is also building prisons in a town near you. You say your government has sent the Territory into record levels of debt to support jobs in the building and construction industry. Can you tell us why this sector stalled before the GFC? Is it because of your failure to release land in a timely fashion?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, in response to that question let us talk about the four record infrastructure budgets this government has brought down and its relationship to keeping the economy going, preserving jobs and creating jobs. The Treasurer has outlined this time and time again. If the member for Braitling wants to take us pre-2008, then let us talk about 2006 to 2008 with the infrastructure budget that was gearing the Territory up for growth as well. Let us talk about where the private sector, where the ConocoPhillips oil and gas project had kicked in ...
Mr GILES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Relevance. The question was: can you tell us why the sector stalled in the first place?
Madam SPEAKER: The minister is responding to the question. I will listen to a bit more.
Mr McCARTHY: Madam Speaker, I started with the story about the record infrastructure budget. I do not know where he gets the word ‘stalled’ from, but the Territory has been through a number of growth periods. The growth period between 2006 and 2008 was a considerable one. It was also stimulated by what the Treasurer has planned for this budget by injection of private sector spending. Let us talk about these initiatives. It was before my time, I was doing other things, but the Bonaparte gas pipeline, the waterfront construction, economic growth across the region, the Alcan G3 expansion, the GEMCO expansion - these are examples of major construction projects I have been advised of by members of parliament who were driving that cycle of construction at the time. So, member for Braitling, the question is a little ...
Mr GILES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! A point of clarification, Madam Speaker. Are you saying you did not need to go into record levels of debt to support the construction industry?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling, resume your seat. Minister, come to the point as soon as possible, please.
Mr McCARTHY: Madam Speaker, I have made my point clearly. The member for Braitling continues to confuse himself with his own semantics. He is hell-bent on making mischief. He does not want to hear the story. Member for Blain, you are a schoolie; get your troops in order, get these kids in order. They are not good listeners. They do not comprehend. I would like to test him on the NAPLAN score because he continues to confuse himself and confuse me in the process ...
Members interjecting.
Mr GILES: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, have you finished your response?
Mr McCARTHY: Yes, thank you, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, resume your seat.
Mr GILES: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling, the minister has completed his answer.
Mr GILES: Madam Speaker, I would be very happy to do a NAPLAN test with Hector the Road Safety Cat. I would be more than happy.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling, are you aware that was a frivolous point of order?
Mr GILES: I was not aware.
Madam SPEAKER: It was, that is right. Leave the Chamber, thank you, for one hour pursuant to Standing Order 240A
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, in response to that question let us talk about the four record infrastructure budgets this government has brought down and its relationship to keeping the economy going, preserving jobs and creating jobs. The Treasurer has outlined this time and time again. If the member for Braitling wants to take us pre-2008, then let us talk about 2006 to 2008 with the infrastructure budget that was gearing the Territory up for growth as well. Let us talk about where the private sector, where the ConocoPhillips oil and gas project had kicked in ...
Mr GILES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! Relevance. The question was: can you tell us why the sector stalled in the first place?
Madam SPEAKER: The minister is responding to the question. I will listen to a bit more.
Mr McCARTHY: Madam Speaker, I started with the story about the record infrastructure budget. I do not know where he gets the word ‘stalled’ from, but the Territory has been through a number of growth periods. The growth period between 2006 and 2008 was a considerable one. It was also stimulated by what the Treasurer has planned for this budget by injection of private sector spending. Let us talk about these initiatives. It was before my time, I was doing other things, but the Bonaparte gas pipeline, the waterfront construction, economic growth across the region, the Alcan G3 expansion, the GEMCO expansion - these are examples of major construction projects I have been advised of by members of parliament who were driving that cycle of construction at the time. So, member for Braitling, the question is a little ...
Mr GILES: A point of order, Madam Speaker! A point of clarification, Madam Speaker. Are you saying you did not need to go into record levels of debt to support the construction industry?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling, resume your seat. Minister, come to the point as soon as possible, please.
Mr McCARTHY: Madam Speaker, I have made my point clearly. The member for Braitling continues to confuse himself with his own semantics. He is hell-bent on making mischief. He does not want to hear the story. Member for Blain, you are a schoolie; get your troops in order, get these kids in order. They are not good listeners. They do not comprehend. I would like to test him on the NAPLAN score because he continues to confuse himself and confuse me in the process ...
Members interjecting.
Mr GILES: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, have you finished your response?
Mr McCARTHY: Yes, thank you, Madam Speaker.
Madam SPEAKER: Thank you, resume your seat.
____________________
Suspension of Member – Member for Braitling
Mr GILES: A point of order, Madam Speaker!
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling, the minister has completed his answer.
Mr GILES: Madam Speaker, I would be very happy to do a NAPLAN test with Hector the Road Safety Cat. I would be more than happy.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Braitling, are you aware that was a frivolous point of order?
Mr GILES: I was not aware.
Madam SPEAKER: It was, that is right. Leave the Chamber, thank you, for one hour pursuant to Standing Order 240A
____________________
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016