Page 217 - Week 02 - Tuesday, 12 May 1992
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MR KAINE: I ask a supplementary question, Madam Speaker. Since the Chief Minister agrees that there are only three options - that is, you raise taxes and charges, increase debt levels or make massive cuts in services - since she has already excluded borrowing as a policy, and since taxes and charges are already at levels that are equivalent to those in the rest of Australia, and presumably there is not much elasticity here, would she then tell us: In which services is she going to make massive cuts?
MS FOLLETT: Madam Speaker, Mr Kaine really should not seek to continue to make political points on this. The fact of the matter is that in the only budget for which Mr Kaine was responsible he increased taxes enormously, including rates to householders by 16 per cent, on average; he increased business taxes, including payroll tax from 6 per cent to 7 per cent - - -
Mr Kaine: No, I reduced it from 8 per cent to 7 per cent.
MADAM SPEAKER: Could the Chief Minister be heard in silence, please.
MS FOLLETT: He increased borrowings at a quite marked rate. Despite all of that, he delivered a budget that had a deficit of some $7m. So, really his own record is not one to be proud of. I have stated several times that I do not believe that this Territory should borrow for its day-to-day expenses.
I have stated also that I believe that it is essential that we maintain services to the community, and I have also said many times that those services must be delivered in the most efficient way possible. I do not think that is news to anybody in this chamber. But if Mr Kaine is yet again asking me to pre-empt what might be in the budget I will not be drawn on that matter. I will be making budget statements at the appropriate time and in consultation, as I have in the past.
Housing Trust Properties
MR LAMONT: My question is to the Minister for Housing and Community Services. Is he aware of recent statements made by a Canberra real estate agent attacking the Government's policy of integrating Housing Trust properties with other properties at Greenway?
MR CONNOLLY: I thank Mr Lamont for his very significant question. I am aware of those statements, and I very strongly dissociated the Government from them and condemned them. A real estate agent working for a prominent Canberra company was quoted in the Canberra Times as attacking a decision of the Government to purchase units in Greenway, for Housing Trust purposes, saying that they would reduce property values because, "Who would want to live next door to deserted wives and their children?". I found that attempt to stigmatise the Housing Trust client base quite unacceptable.
The matter arose from a letter that Mr Kaine quite properly wrote to me, asking for details of the Housing Trust purchases. It is quite proper that the Leader of the Opposition keeps an eye on what we are buying, to make sure that we are buying well. I was happy to be able to advise him that we bought those properties at quite a good price, well below the prevailing market price.
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