Page 3063 - Week 07 - Thursday, 1 July 2010
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You now have to question how it is that these reforms were so shallow that really they did not last a month. The whole reform process did not last a month. In fact, the funds will now be distributed by the federal Treasury. It seems to me quite bizarre that we have allowed ourselves to sign up to an agreement that is now in effect defunct. It is only through questions in the estimates that actually the true level of funding that we will hand across was revealed.
Ms Gallagher: That is not true. You just had not listened before.
MR SMYTH: The minister can have her say in a minute. She says that we were not listening. But the figure of more than 50 per cent of GST being held by the federal government, retained by the federal government, was never made clear in this place. It was certainly never made clear in public. If the minister has had a sly conversation with a journalist, that is something the minister might have done.
Ms Gallagher: It was on the radio.
MR SMYTH: It was on the radio?
Mr Seselja: It was on the radio?
MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER (Mr Hargreaves): Order, members! The Treasurer and the Leader of the Opposition will both come to order, please. We have had a nice morning. It has been very pleasant. Let us keep it that way.
MR SMYTH: That is not the way, Mr Assistant Speaker—
MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER: I have had a good time and if you are going to make me miserable, I will return the favour. Please keep it down.
MR SMYTH: Well, if we are talking misery levels, Mr Acting Assistant Speaker—
MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER: I know you are an expert, Mr Smyth, but please.
MR SMYTH: That might be a longer conversation for a different day.
MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Fine.
MR SMYTH: The point here is that there is no clarity about this. What we have is a minister who tells different segments of different markets at different times and different numbers. I look forward to the minister tabling her press release where she informed all of the people of Canberra that greater than 50 per cent of our GST revenue would be retained by the federal government. I look forward to that. I am sure the minister will have that press release and table it as soon as I sit down. I look forward to having it. I look forward to her speech in the Assembly. I look forward to quoting the page in Hansard when she said greater than 50 per cent. I look forward to her tabling the articles from the Canberra Times—
Mr Seselja: You did not say that anywhere, Katy.
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