Page 237 - Week 01 - Wednesday, 15 February 2012
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
incentives—those remissions if you like—and the flow-on positive impacts for the building industry.
We are proposing 1 May as the date. This was after discussion with the government. We recognise, as I said, that the issues are quite complex and complicated. We understand that there are limited resources and that it is incredibly important to get these instruments right. We have accepted the minister’s word that these will be completed by 1 May, and that this is a reasonable time line, considering, as I said, the resourcing and also the complex nature of putting together the instruments for what they can achieve. We expect the government to work in good faith to deliver these instruments as soon as possible, and I am satisfied that that will be the case.
With these amendments in place, we will support Ms Porter’s motion this afternoon. As I said, we look forward to seeing those lease variation charge remission instruments in place. We have gone out to let the industry know that they will be an aspect of the new system; therefore it is important that we do that in as timely a way as possible. As I said, things have gone on longer than the Greens would have liked. But we do have a date now; it is in my motion.
I am pleased that the government will be supporting my amendment to Ms Porter’s motion this afternoon.
MR SMYTH (Brindabella) (5.41): The press release from Ms Gallagher and Mr Barr says that they will inject an extra $22 million into the 2012-13 budget for more parks and playgrounds, more mowing, more shopping centre upgrades, better footpaths and more repairs to roads—an extra $22 million. This raises a number of questions as to where this extra $22 million is coming from. Apparently it is coming from the funds that will be raised from the great big tax on property. But that money has already been accounted for in the budget. It is in the budget documents already. It is included in the revenue. It is included in the total taxation. So it is already a part of the deficits that we have in the outyears. But apparently you can spend it twice. Having already been accounted for, it will now be spent again in the 2012-13 budget. Perhaps the minister would like to explain where the money is actually coming from. Is he expecting a bigger deficit or is he reducing services somewhere else?
The second question then, of course, is this: is this ongoing money? It is ongoing. Every year from there on in we will be spending all of that money. In the outyears, in budget paper 3 on page 50, it is already accounted for in the revenue.
Mr Barr: You assume provisions are not made, Mr Smyth, for other expenditure.
MR SPEAKER: Let us not have a conversation, gentlemen.
MR SMYTH: There we go: “we are assuming”. The minister needs to explain. Here is an ongoing commitment for an extra $22 million. I think the minister said he has hypothecated this charge. So it is not just 22 in the outyears; one therefore can assume it is 25 and then 26 and then 27.
Mr Barr: Correct.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video