Federal Budget 'another big GST blow to the NT'

5
1524

p2168-Nicole-Manison
The 2019 Federal Budget has delivered the Territory another blow with a further $75m reduction of GST, says NT Treasurer Nicole Manison (pictured).
 
Meanwhile NT Opposition Leader Gary Higgins says he hopes the Territory Labor Government’s Budget is as strong as the Federal Government’s, as a national surplus is forecast for the first time in over a decade.
 
Ms Manison says the GST reduction “is on top of the $500m cut which is having a major impact on the NT Budget.
 
“The Territory Labor Government has fought to see immediate Federal investment in the Territory and job-creating projects. This Budget doesn’t deliver that.
 
“There is no investment into developing Kakadu National Park over the next four years and funding into the Darwin Cities Deal is but a trickle,” says Ms Manison.
 
“We lobbied the Federal Government extensively to get more money for Territory roads – such as the Tanami, Port Keats Road and Tiwi Islands – but we need work on these roads to start now, not in 10-years’ time.
 
“We also need these roads to be excluded from our GST or they are giving with one hand and taking with the other.
 
“The Morrison Government have shown in tonight’s Budget that they don’t understand how much of an impact their GST cuts have on the Territory.”
 
Mr Higgins says the contrast between the Federal Coalition Government and the Territory Labor Government couldn’t be starker.
 
“On one hand, there is a strong, decisive leadership delivering a budget surplus and record employment numbers, but on the other, the Territory Labor Government is seeing record budget deficits and catastrophic net debt projections, fewer employed and less opportunity.
 
“The Territory Opposition is pleased to see commitments by the Federal Coalition returning the Budget to surplus, new taxation measures for business and individuals, and a continuation of funds for infrastructure for the development of Northern Australia – this is on the back of record investment in Kakadu, Defence, and the Cities Deal.
 
“This budget delivers record services without increased taxation. This is what can be achieved through fiscal discipline – something Labor knows nothing about,” says Mr Higgins.
 
“There is also increased funding for the Territory’s beef roads of $492.3m and the Federal Government has continued to recognise and fund programs to address the high level of disadvantage of Aboriginal Territorians.”
 
 
 

5 COMMENTS

  1. Instead of giving everyone 1000 bucks back, how about you fix homelessness (throughout Australia).

  2. WHY should constituents in other States and Territories be forced to go without because our politicians can’t operate responsibly?
    If the Treasurer would like to send me a draft of the NT Budget, and a red pen, I’ll fix the problem quick smart!

  3. Except Mr Higgins there is no Federal budget surplus. They are predicting one but I doubt that it’s the first time in 10 years that one has been predicted, seems every election every party makes a commitment to a budget surplus. Get your facts straight. There is no Budget surplus.

  4. The NT Government is like the spoiled kid who gets everything given to them during the year whilst their siblings do all the work around home – then expect a massive Christmas present.
    Or to put it more simply for the slow ones: If you don’t contribute to the pie, don’t whinge if your slice is small.

  5. NT Treasurer Nicole Manison, who has earned the unfortunate title of Australia’s Worst Treasurer, has failed to correct her comments on the Federal Budget handed down last week.
    Firstly her claim that no money for Kakadu was contained in this year’s federal budget was outright rejected by both CLP Senator Scullion, the Environment Minister’s office and the Director of National Parks.
    The fact is all of the $216m promised for Kakadu will be delivered in the Budget and in fact more than $150m of this is to be delivered over the next four years.
    And so far the hopeless Territory Government haven’t committed a single dollar of their own to Kakadu.
    Secondly her claim that GST funds had decreased by $75m is a complete and utter fantasy with absolutely no basis in reality. The truth – contained in Budget Paper 3 – shows GST increasing by $42.3m to reach $2.78bn for the Northern Territory.
    Either Nicole Manison doesn’t understand how to read a budget and is therefore incompetent, or she has deliberately misled Territorians.
    Either way it explains the economic Armageddon Territory Labor has unleashed on us all.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here