House of Assembly Fifty-Second Parliament, Second Session (52-2) 52 2 Parliament of South Australia House of Assembly published Question Time Question Time Federal Budget FEDERAL BUDGET Mr MARSHALL House of Assembly Norwood Leader of the Opposition FEDERAL BUDGET Mr MARSHALL (Norwood—Leader of the Opposition) (14:12): My supplementary, Mr Speaker, relates to the Premier's comments that there would be a modest increase in GST revenue coming from the commonwealth in future years. The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: And the question is? Mr MARSHALL House of Assembly Mr MARSHALL: The question is: can the Premier confirm that, indeed, the GST revenue increase will be, on average, 3 per cent each and every year over the forward estimates? The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL House of Assembly Cheltenham Premier Minister for State Development Minister for the Public Sector Minister for the Arts The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Treasurer, Minister for State Development, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for the Arts) (14:13): I can tell you the actual numbers and you can do the maths. In 2012-13, from the Mid-Year Budget Review, $4.5 billion—actually, $4.512 billion. In the 2012-13 Mid-Year Budget Review that was $4.513 billion. In relation to the current estimate it is $4.463 billion, so a substantial reduction. In 2013-14, the 2012-13 budget: $4.642 billion, then going to $4.627 billion in the Mid-Year Budget Review, now $4.595, so a reduction. In 2014-15, the 2012-13 budget: $5.127 billion. In the Mid-Year Budget Review: down to $5.024 billion, now down to $4.916 billion, so a further reduction. In 2015-16: $5.579 billion, down to $5.420 billion in 2012-13 and now down to $5.343 billion. These are all reductions—downward revisions in the amount of revenue that was projected to come to South Australia. Increases are needed to provide services to people. When people come into our hospitals, we do not turn them away. That is what is proposed by those opposite. Perhaps they should say so now. When those opposite bleat about increases, those increases are to meet the needs of people: people who present themselves to our disability services officers, people who present themselves to our hospitals, people who present themselves to our schools. We do not turn them away, because our job is to support people. That is the central purpose of government. I do not know what you think government is for if you do not think it is about supporting people. Members interjecting: The Speaker House of Assembly The SPEAKER: The deputy leader is called to order and so is the member for Heysen, who perhaps thinks that I cannot hear her behind that pillar.