Page 2383 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 6 August 1991
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MS FOLLETT: Mr Kaine congratulates himself on the deficit of $6.4m. Given that he was going for a balanced budget, as I am, it is not a great result and not one of which I would be very proud.
Mr Duby: Better than $40m in five months.
MS FOLLETT: Mr Speaker, if members opposite have useful suggestions to put forward on the remaining budget task, I would be delighted to hear from them. I look forward to hearing their views on the budget framed so far and how they see that significant remaining gap being met.
Land Tax
MR COLLAERY: My question is directed to the Treasurer, Ms Follett. In view of your again enunciated consultative style, could you inform the Assembly, particularly non-government members, why you did not consult them before announcing the one per cent land tax on residential investment properties; why notices have gone out to the various affected parties from the Department of Finance, indicating that the people are liable from 1 August; and why you have been so presumptuous with this Assembly, considering the fact that you are in minority government, without consulting us, industry or the affected parties? I refer particularly to the tenants union and other groups who are affected by this anti-socially just measure.
MS FOLLETT: Mr Collaery has had his opportunity now to put forward his view. That measure is outlined in the budget strategy statement which I will be tabling today but which was made available to Assembly members on the day that it was made.
Mr Collaery: But you did not consult us.
MS FOLLETT: You are being consulted now, Mr Collaery. You have been consulted. From the first day on which the budget strategy statement was made members have been provided with copies of it. Mr Speaker, if that is not asking for their views, I do not know what is. Mr Collaery was overseas at the time and came back a bit late into the process and now feels aggrieved that we did not send it to him in Japan, I presume. I can only repeat what I said last time, Mr Speaker: If members opposite have constructive views to put forward they have the opportunity to do so, and I hope that they will.
MR COLLAERY: My supplementary question to Ms Follett leads on to ask her why her department did not consult the Housing Trust and the skilled people who advise the Minister for Housing, Mr Connolly, on this issue before it was put into the budget process.
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