Page 5818 - Week 14 - Wednesday, 7 December 2011

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MR SPEAKER: Yes, Mr Smyth.

MR SMYTH: Treasurer, in the latest Australian national accounts data released today, in trend terms, in the 12 months to September 2011—

MR SPEAKER: Mr Smyth, preamble.

MR SMYTH: did the economy grow or shrink?

MR BARR: I think we normally assess these things in seasonally adjusted terms.

Opposition members interjecting—

MR BARR: I note that state final demand, in seasonally adjusted terms, increased by 0.02 per cent and indicated again the strength of the territory economy. It would only be the shadow treasurer who, on this day when the territory records a significant economic result—

Mr Smyth interjecting—

MR BARR: and when our credit agency, Standard & Poor’s—

MR SPEAKER: One moment, Mr Barr, thank you. Mr Smyth, I would ask you to withdraw that.

Mr Smyth: I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Perhaps he will answer the question I asked.

MR SPEAKER: Minister, the question.

MR BARR: Thank you, Mr Speaker. On a day when our credit rating agency delivers a AAA credit rating and reaffirms that and outlines its—

Mr Seselja: On a point of order, Mr Speaker—

MR SPEAKER: Order! Stop the clocks, thank you.

Mr Seselja: The question was very clear and very specific and he has not gone near it. I would ask you to ask him to be directly relevant. The question is whether the economy has grown or gone backwards in trend terms on the latest data.

Mr Hargreaves: On the point of order, Mr Speaker, I have not got the faintest idea what the question was about because the minister started to answer it and it was one, two, three people screaming more questions across the chamber at the minister. Please order them to be quiet. Please ask them to be quiet.

Mr Hanson: On the point of order, the fact that Mr Hargreaves does not know what is going on in this place is not a relevant point of order.


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