Mr BONSON - 2003-10-14
Can you please inform the House how the government’s capital works program is providing much needed infrastructure for the Territory community and providing jobs for Territorians?
ANSWER
Mr Acting Speaker, I thank the member for his question. In the coming three months - October, November, December - between now and the end of the year, this government is committed to spend $137m on capital works repair and maintenance programs. That means, by the end of the year, this government would have spent $205m – 25% more than last year – supporting at least 2000 jobs in our economy. The total public sector capital works cash flow for 2003-04 is nearly $400m, supporting 4000 jobs in our economy.
This is good news for the construction industry, the economy, and for Territorians. I do not have to sit here and state the figures of how much we are going to spend. You only have to open Thursday’s newspapers and find out the tenders that are going to be advertised and what is coming your and our way in the next few months. That was actually on 2 October and, on 9 October, there are more jobs advertised, for everywhere in the Territory. That is good news. All these works will be going out. This is recognised by local members who, I have to admit, are advertising in their local newsletter. I quote from one such newsletter that says:
He lists in his electorate what is going to happen. I thank the local member, the member for Macdonnell, very much, for advertising what jobs the government is going to bring to his electorate - not a Labor electorate. Thank you, member for Macdonnell, because it is good work. You advised the community and, at the same time, proved what this government is doing.
The government is putting all this money out and, as reported today in the NT News, in a very small column, according to the June quarterly figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, a total of $89.3m was spent on construction in the June quarter, an increase of more than 10% on the same quarter last year. The bulk of this spending was on residential properties and renovation, providing a lot of work for the construction industry.
As my colleague, the member for Nhulunbuy, mentioned the other day – and probably members of the opposition know – there are not many people around sitting drinking coffee or doing nothing. Most of these people are working, in renovation and the construction industry, and a lot of those people are working in remote communities. It is good news for all of us, and good news for the economy. It is very good news coming our way, because millions and millions in tenders are going to be advertised by the end of the year. It is a good Christmas present to all these people who, under the CLP, suffered for a long time.
Mr DUNHAM: A point of order, Mr Acting Speaker! I wonder if those papers could be tabled?
Mr ACTING SPEAKER: Are you not wishing to table them?
Mr VATSKALIS: No.
ANSWER
Mr Acting Speaker, I thank the member for his question. In the coming three months - October, November, December - between now and the end of the year, this government is committed to spend $137m on capital works repair and maintenance programs. That means, by the end of the year, this government would have spent $205m – 25% more than last year – supporting at least 2000 jobs in our economy. The total public sector capital works cash flow for 2003-04 is nearly $400m, supporting 4000 jobs in our economy.
This is good news for the construction industry, the economy, and for Territorians. I do not have to sit here and state the figures of how much we are going to spend. You only have to open Thursday’s newspapers and find out the tenders that are going to be advertised and what is coming your and our way in the next few months. That was actually on 2 October and, on 9 October, there are more jobs advertised, for everywhere in the Territory. That is good news. All these works will be going out. This is recognised by local members who, I have to admit, are advertising in their local newsletter. I quote from one such newsletter that says:
- It is important that you know what is happening in your community. These are some of the jobs which will happen out your way. The government has called for tenders or advised the public that this work is coming.
He lists in his electorate what is going to happen. I thank the local member, the member for Macdonnell, very much, for advertising what jobs the government is going to bring to his electorate - not a Labor electorate. Thank you, member for Macdonnell, because it is good work. You advised the community and, at the same time, proved what this government is doing.
The government is putting all this money out and, as reported today in the NT News, in a very small column, according to the June quarterly figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, a total of $89.3m was spent on construction in the June quarter, an increase of more than 10% on the same quarter last year. The bulk of this spending was on residential properties and renovation, providing a lot of work for the construction industry.
As my colleague, the member for Nhulunbuy, mentioned the other day – and probably members of the opposition know – there are not many people around sitting drinking coffee or doing nothing. Most of these people are working, in renovation and the construction industry, and a lot of those people are working in remote communities. It is good news for all of us, and good news for the economy. It is very good news coming our way, because millions and millions in tenders are going to be advertised by the end of the year. It is a good Christmas present to all these people who, under the CLP, suffered for a long time.
Mr DUNHAM: A point of order, Mr Acting Speaker! I wonder if those papers could be tabled?
Mr ACTING SPEAKER: Are you not wishing to table them?
Mr VATSKALIS: No.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016