House of Assembly Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2) 52 2 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Government Revenue GOVERNMENT REVENUE The Hon. I.F. EVANS House of Assembly Davenport GOVERNMENT REVENUE The Hon. I.F. EVANS (Davenport) (14:58): My question is to the Treasurer. Why did the Treasurer say last week that the state was facing its largest revenue fall in history ($2.8 billion over four years) when former treasurer Foley announced in the 2009-10 budget that the state was facing a larger revenue fall of $3.2 billion over four years? The Hon. J.J. SNELLING House of Assembly Playford Minister for Workers Rehabilitation Minister for Defence Industries Minister for Veterans' Affairs GOVERNMENT REVENUE The Hon. J.J. SNELLING (Playford—Treasurer, Minister for Workers Rehabilitation, Minister for Defence Industries, Minister for Veterans' Affairs) (14:58): Simply because that revenue fall that was anticipated by Kevin Foley never eventuated. It never eventuated because— Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. J.J. SNELLING House of Assembly The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: The reason— Members interjecting: The Hon. J.J. SNELLING House of Assembly The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: I would be very happy, believe me. Believe me, there is no-one in South Australia who would be happier than me if the revenue fall didn't eventuate. Members interjecting: The Hon. J.J. SNELLING House of Assembly The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: Some of my colleagues on the front bench might also be quite happy if the revenue fall doesn't eventuate. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order! The Hon. J.J. SNELLING House of Assembly The Hon. J.J. SNELLING: The big difference between now and then is that the commonwealth government intervened; it had a massive stimulus package to ensure that the revenue falls that we anticipated after the global financial crisis didn't eventuate because of that massive stimulus. That was then; now, rather than putting stimulus into the economy the commonwealth is doing quite the opposite, in fact contracting its expenditure in order to get the federal budget back into surplus. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: Order!