Ms CARNEY - 2005-11-30
Last year, your department blew its budget by around $60m. Your department, of course, is responsible for the waterfront development, as well as the hand back of the Territory’s parks estate. Your major department still has not handed down its annual report, unlike the dozens of others which have been in the last few days as, indeed, others were towards the end of the last parliamentary sittings. Does your department have a nasty shock in store for Territorians and is this why you are delaying the release of your annual report until the last possible moment? What are you hiding?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for her question. The report has been printed; it is on its way to this Assembly. No, there is nothing to hide within that report. I endorse that report. The Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment is a very hardworking department and has a lot of responsibilities. I endorse the hard work done by the members of that department - hardworking public servants.
The member for Araluen, the Opposition Leader, talked about a budget blow-out. I presume she is referring to what is contained in the Treasurer’s Annual Financial Report 2004-05. Indeed, there was a variation of $41m in the May published estimate and the final pre-budget. That was approximately $41m. If she turns to page 112 of this particular document, she will see laid out in detail exactly where these variations came from.
Whilst there are some ins and outs in there, from one side of the ledger to the other, the main elements that comprise this $41m are, firstly, strategic asset planning fund to assist agencies to develop long-term asset plans. There is $2m as an investment in the infrastructure spend we have as a government, which has been at record levels both in the total infrastructure spend and the cash behind it. This is all about gearing up departments to be able to effectively spend and plan for that infrastructure spending.
The Leader of the Opposition talked about public servants before. Does she want us to do away with the $1.2m, 2004 Public Sector EBA? There was nearly $3.8m in a legal settlement. We have $6m-plus for capital funding for beef roads - quite defensible. I hope that she would be talking to Stuart Kenny about that $6m invested in beef roads being some sort of an unnecessary blow-out. Also, there is an $18m increase in capital works funding to progress capital projects. These are very important funding initiatives.
Whilst the member for Araluen talked about the waterfront project, I happened to be at a meeting today of business people who have an interest in doing work on the waterfront project. I am sure they would appreciate if the member for Araluen stopped knocking that particular project, with over $100m of investment ...
Members interjecting.
Ms CARNEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The minister knows that he should not lie to this parliament. We are on the Parliamentary Record as fully supporting the project.
Mr HENDERSON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Leader of the Opposition well knows she cannot accuse any member of this parliament of lying without doing so by way of substantive motion. I call on her to retract that offensive remark.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, I ask you to withdraw that last comment.
Ms CARNEY: I do withdraw it, Madam Speaker, and say that the minister should stop telling mistruths.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, if you believe you have been misrepresented, you may approach me to make a personal explanation. Please continue.
Dr BURNS: Anyway, Madam Speaker, I will wrap up the answer. I believe I have demonstrated amply, through the Treasurer’s Annual Financial Report, there has been no budget blow-out. This is $40m that has been well invested. The Leader of the Opposition has been talking about a $100m blow-out. This is all part of budgetary processes. It is money well spent and invested in the development of the Northern Territory.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the Leader of the Opposition for her question. The report has been printed; it is on its way to this Assembly. No, there is nothing to hide within that report. I endorse that report. The Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment is a very hardworking department and has a lot of responsibilities. I endorse the hard work done by the members of that department - hardworking public servants.
The member for Araluen, the Opposition Leader, talked about a budget blow-out. I presume she is referring to what is contained in the Treasurer’s Annual Financial Report 2004-05. Indeed, there was a variation of $41m in the May published estimate and the final pre-budget. That was approximately $41m. If she turns to page 112 of this particular document, she will see laid out in detail exactly where these variations came from.
Whilst there are some ins and outs in there, from one side of the ledger to the other, the main elements that comprise this $41m are, firstly, strategic asset planning fund to assist agencies to develop long-term asset plans. There is $2m as an investment in the infrastructure spend we have as a government, which has been at record levels both in the total infrastructure spend and the cash behind it. This is all about gearing up departments to be able to effectively spend and plan for that infrastructure spending.
The Leader of the Opposition talked about public servants before. Does she want us to do away with the $1.2m, 2004 Public Sector EBA? There was nearly $3.8m in a legal settlement. We have $6m-plus for capital funding for beef roads - quite defensible. I hope that she would be talking to Stuart Kenny about that $6m invested in beef roads being some sort of an unnecessary blow-out. Also, there is an $18m increase in capital works funding to progress capital projects. These are very important funding initiatives.
Whilst the member for Araluen talked about the waterfront project, I happened to be at a meeting today of business people who have an interest in doing work on the waterfront project. I am sure they would appreciate if the member for Araluen stopped knocking that particular project, with over $100m of investment ...
Members interjecting.
Ms CARNEY: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The minister knows that he should not lie to this parliament. We are on the Parliamentary Record as fully supporting the project.
Mr HENDERSON: A point of order, Madam Speaker! The Leader of the Opposition well knows she cannot accuse any member of this parliament of lying without doing so by way of substantive motion. I call on her to retract that offensive remark.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, I ask you to withdraw that last comment.
Ms CARNEY: I do withdraw it, Madam Speaker, and say that the minister should stop telling mistruths.
Madam SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, if you believe you have been misrepresented, you may approach me to make a personal explanation. Please continue.
Dr BURNS: Anyway, Madam Speaker, I will wrap up the answer. I believe I have demonstrated amply, through the Treasurer’s Annual Financial Report, there has been no budget blow-out. This is $40m that has been well invested. The Leader of the Opposition has been talking about a $100m blow-out. This is all part of budgetary processes. It is money well spent and invested in the development of the Northern Territory.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016