Page 2173 - Week 07 - Thursday, 16 May 2013
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pay parking and we have seen the hits to our public service as our biggest employer. Education is a big employer, property is a big employer and, indeed, ICT is a big employer. We should really clarify the whole issue of what is happening to NICTA because there is uncertainty over it.
Mr Barr: Not according to NICTA. NICTA are very comfortable.
MR SMYTH: No, you are selectively quoting the NICTA position. You are saying that there was no cut in this year’s budget—that is true—but there was $20,363,000 in the 2015-16 budget for NICTA. It is not there; it has gone. It has been taken out. There is no money for 2016-17 either. Minister, rather than arguing the toss, why do you not go out and find out what they are doing? Why do you not do your job to protect the local economy instead of just saying, “Oh, I’ve got an older budget where it says it wasn’t going on”? Why do you not compare the two most recent budgets that simply say there was $20,363,000 and now there is not? That is the problem. Where is the money going, Mr Assistant Speaker? It is going to the NBN. We are taking it out of NICTA to prop up the NBN. I think it is a very sad state of affairs when—
Mr Barr: So why did Campbell Newman cut his funding?
MR SMYTH: He can answer for himself. I am not Campbell Newman. Isn’t it funny? You will attack me and say, “Go and find out what Campbell Newman is doing,” but you will not even ask your federal colleagues. You are the Minister for Economic Development and you will not stand up for jobs in the ACT and the future of the ACT. You are a disgrace. The fact that you did not know—
Mr Barr: That’s because it’s not true, because you’ve made it up.
MR SMYTH: Oh, it is all made up? I see. I have so much influence now, Mr Assistant Speaker, I get to write the budget papers.
Members interjecting—
MR ASSISTANT SPEAKER: Members! Mr Smyth, take your seat for a moment. Minister Barr, would you stop interjecting. Mr Smyth, would you please pass your comments through the chair. That might serve to cease the interjections as well. Thank you.
MR SMYTH: He is very tender on this, Mr Assistant Speaker. He did not know. He has been caught out. He obviously has not read the budget papers. There are articles I think in Startupsmart and the Australian. It even made the Register in the UK. The UK managed to work out that NICTA was in trouble, but not our Treasurer; not our Minister for Economic Development. So there you go. I think it is does warrant a response.
As Mr Coe pointed out, Senator Lundy, Ms Brodtmann and Dr Leigh go to ground; there is no defending of the budget there. You cannot find them anywhere. Gai Brodtmann is going to stand up for parking in the parliamentary triangle and have it put off. But as we heard from Dr Nelson on the radio this morning, this creates a great
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