While last night’s budget delivered much-needed funding for Middle Arm, the Alice Springs art gallery, and the sealing of the Tanami Highway and other roads like the Central Arnhem Highway, the test will be on the Fyles Labor Government to pull it all off.
Deputy Opposition Leader Gerard Maley said more information was also needed on the ‘equity’ funding arrangements with the Commonwealth to better understand the long-term future and viability of these major projects.
“It will be a test to see if Natasha Fyles and her cabinet can pull off these major projects and support small businesses already doing it tough,” he said.
“What exactly does she mean with billions of dollars in ‘planned equity’ and how is this going to affect our already struggling economy? We need the money on the ground now.
“Natasha Fyles says these projects will strengthen and diversify the Territory’s economy but what we fail to see is private sector investment to boost our economy.
“We cannot continue to rely on Government spending to float our economy – we need the private sector to have confidence investing in the Territory and that’s one major thing we are lacking.”
Mr Maley said there were five points which Labor said were going to reduce the cost of living, but most won’t kick in for another 12-24 months.
“Territorians are struggling now, we don’t need the money in two years, we need it right now,” he said.
“There’s nothing in that budget’s five point plan that will make a difference to Territorians today.”
Mr Maley said a CLP Government would give the green light to our economy, slash red tape to attract private investment, scrap the hybrid mining tax, fast track a Territory Coordinator to facilitate private investment and reform the way significant economic projects were supported, and review payroll tax.
“We have abundant gas resources, we’ve got the best soils to grow our agricultural sector, we’ve got a strong cattle industry and we’ve got a mining sector that is crying out for the government to reform the Territory’s approvals process to allow them to get going,” he said.
ENDS