Mr GUNNER - 2010-05-04
Can you please advise the House what Budget 2010-11 means to the government’s Growing the Territory strategy and how this will benefit Territory business?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, Budget 2010-11 certainly does deliver for Territory businesses. Budget 2010-11 is investing in the economic future of the Northern Territory. It is doing that by the $1.8 bn infrastructure component of this budget. That is a $0.5 bn increase on last year. That is an incredible amount of money going into the economy from this government. Why do we have to invest that sort of money? Because this economy is growing; the population is growing. We have to put in new classrooms, we have to improve our hospitals, we have to put in new roads, we have to put in a whole range of other areas of housing, because people are moving to the Northern Territory because we have economic growth here.
We are the lowest-taxing jurisdiction in the country so people are coming here to set up businesses. We have high wages, so people are coming here because the Northern Territory Labor government has put a framework in place where the economy is booming. That infrastructure spend, as the Treasurer has said, equates to 3600 jobs.
With that population increase, with industry coming to the Northern Territory, you need to upgrade your power, water and sewerage supplies. That is why we, as the Northern Territory government, invested $1.7bn over five years into power, water and sewerage improvements. In Budget 2010-11 there is $379m.
Territory businesses are doing well. We are supporting them in a whole range of areas with a whole range of initiatives. We have the Territory Business Centres, and we also have …
Mr Tollner interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim!
Mr KNIGHT: We have Territory business growth and upskills programs; that is a total of $4.8m going in to support businesses in the Northern Territory. Businesses need support with jobs. That is why we have introduced Jobs NT 2010-12. This is an $11m initiative, with $5m going into Indigenous employment; $3.6m going into the public sector for apprenticeships and traineeships; and also support for apprenticeships and traineeships and disadvantaged groups in the private sector of $2.3m. The Northern Territory government is supporting businesses in the Northern Territory and Budget 2010-11 will be welcomed by those businesses.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, Budget 2010-11 certainly does deliver for Territory businesses. Budget 2010-11 is investing in the economic future of the Northern Territory. It is doing that by the $1.8 bn infrastructure component of this budget. That is a $0.5 bn increase on last year. That is an incredible amount of money going into the economy from this government. Why do we have to invest that sort of money? Because this economy is growing; the population is growing. We have to put in new classrooms, we have to improve our hospitals, we have to put in new roads, we have to put in a whole range of other areas of housing, because people are moving to the Northern Territory because we have economic growth here.
We are the lowest-taxing jurisdiction in the country so people are coming here to set up businesses. We have high wages, so people are coming here because the Northern Territory Labor government has put a framework in place where the economy is booming. That infrastructure spend, as the Treasurer has said, equates to 3600 jobs.
With that population increase, with industry coming to the Northern Territory, you need to upgrade your power, water and sewerage supplies. That is why we, as the Northern Territory government, invested $1.7bn over five years into power, water and sewerage improvements. In Budget 2010-11 there is $379m.
Territory businesses are doing well. We are supporting them in a whole range of areas with a whole range of initiatives. We have the Territory Business Centres, and we also have …
Mr Tollner interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Fong Lim!
Mr KNIGHT: We have Territory business growth and upskills programs; that is a total of $4.8m going in to support businesses in the Northern Territory. Businesses need support with jobs. That is why we have introduced Jobs NT 2010-12. This is an $11m initiative, with $5m going into Indigenous employment; $3.6m going into the public sector for apprenticeships and traineeships; and also support for apprenticeships and traineeships and disadvantaged groups in the private sector of $2.3m. The Northern Territory government is supporting businesses in the Northern Territory and Budget 2010-11 will be welcomed by those businesses.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016