Ms WALKER - 2011-05-05
Can the minister please outline to the House why Budget 2011-12 is good for Territory business?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the Territory Budget 2011-12 supports Territory businesses. It does that by slashing taxes, targeting training programs, attracting skilled workers, and is also a massive investment in our public sector. It has been eye-opening for me these last few days, attending the budget forums. The Chamber of Commerce, the peak business organisation in the Northern Territory, indicated at its lunch that it supports the budget. We had two breakfasts over the last two days, the Property Council and the Master Builders Association, by and large, supporting this budget.
The lone voice of opposition against it has been Terry Mills. Terry Mills has been a …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, I remind you to refer to members by their titles, please.
Mr KNIGHT: Sorry, Madam Speaker. The Leader of the Opposition has been opposed to this budget. The peak business organisation is supporting it; the Leader of the Opposition is against it. The peak building organisation is for it; the Leader of the Opposition is against it.
This budget contains much for business …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr KNIGHT: We say that businesses should pay less taxation on their payroll. We are going from 5.9% down to 5.5%, so we support businesses paying less payroll tax. The Leader of the Opposition says they should pay more; we say businesses should pay almost $7m less in payroll tax. The Leader of the Opposition says they should pay that. Cumulatively, since 2001, businesses have saved $365m, into their pockets or invested into their businesses. The Leader of the Opposition is against those tax cuts.
We are saying that $307m should go into roads; the Leader of the Opposition says no, you should not put that into roads. We are saying we should invest money in power, water, and sewerage to the tune of $375m; the Leader of the Opposition is against that. We are saying we should invest some $40m in land release, and $29m in industrial land. This is all about stimulating our businesses and making this the most business-friendly environment.
By his actions, the Leader of the Opposition is anti-business – the first conservative leader in the Northern Territory to be anti-business, anti-development. He is opposed to a budget which has been applauded by the business community throughout the Northern Territory. This is a very good budget for business. It is disgraceful that the Leader of the Opposition is descending into an anti-business, anti-development saga ...
Madam SPEAKER: Your time has expired, minister.
Mr Mills: I challenge you to a public debate in the Chamber of Commerce, brother!
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition!
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, the Territory Budget 2011-12 supports Territory businesses. It does that by slashing taxes, targeting training programs, attracting skilled workers, and is also a massive investment in our public sector. It has been eye-opening for me these last few days, attending the budget forums. The Chamber of Commerce, the peak business organisation in the Northern Territory, indicated at its lunch that it supports the budget. We had two breakfasts over the last two days, the Property Council and the Master Builders Association, by and large, supporting this budget.
The lone voice of opposition against it has been Terry Mills. Terry Mills has been a …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Minister, I remind you to refer to members by their titles, please.
Mr KNIGHT: Sorry, Madam Speaker. The Leader of the Opposition has been opposed to this budget. The peak business organisation is supporting it; the Leader of the Opposition is against it. The peak building organisation is for it; the Leader of the Opposition is against it.
This budget contains much for business …
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Order!
Mr KNIGHT: We say that businesses should pay less taxation on their payroll. We are going from 5.9% down to 5.5%, so we support businesses paying less payroll tax. The Leader of the Opposition says they should pay more; we say businesses should pay almost $7m less in payroll tax. The Leader of the Opposition says they should pay that. Cumulatively, since 2001, businesses have saved $365m, into their pockets or invested into their businesses. The Leader of the Opposition is against those tax cuts.
We are saying that $307m should go into roads; the Leader of the Opposition says no, you should not put that into roads. We are saying we should invest money in power, water, and sewerage to the tune of $375m; the Leader of the Opposition is against that. We are saying we should invest some $40m in land release, and $29m in industrial land. This is all about stimulating our businesses and making this the most business-friendly environment.
By his actions, the Leader of the Opposition is anti-business – the first conservative leader in the Northern Territory to be anti-business, anti-development. He is opposed to a budget which has been applauded by the business community throughout the Northern Territory. This is a very good budget for business. It is disgraceful that the Leader of the Opposition is descending into an anti-business, anti-development saga ...
Madam SPEAKER: Your time has expired, minister.
Mr Mills: I challenge you to a public debate in the Chamber of Commerce, brother!
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition!
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016