Emergency Services Levy

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:39): My question is to the Treasurer. Does the Treasurer stand by his comments on ABC radio that the increase in the emergency services levy bill on a $400,000 home is 62 per cent?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for State Development, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Small Business) (14:39): No, sir. The increase on a $400,000 home is 163 per cent. That is a raise of $149. I think if he checks the transcript, it wasn't me asserting that it was that, it was the program interviewers. I will check, but if I did say that then that's not accurate—the increase is 163 per cent. In fact, I will go through them all so the house knows exactly what they are. For a $10 million property in area 4 the percentage increase is 342 per cent. For a $2 million property it is 289 per cent. For a $1.5 million property it is 272 per cent. For a million dollar property it is 242 per cent. For the median average price it is 163 per cent.

You will notice, as you are looking through this, that the discounts that were offered were targeted at those who were most wealthy and those who had properties that were less valuable were given lower remissions. Perhaps I will ask you: who in fact designed a system that would offer lower discounts to people who can least afford to pay but then offer the largest discounts to the most wealthy? Who could have set up such a scheme for remissions? Who could that have been? Members opposite. But, sir, let's not worry about this percentage business, let's talk about the real numbers.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Davenport is called to order.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Really? Well, he's losing weight. I'd watch out, if I were you. Got a new suit, lose a bit of weight—never know. These are the real numbers, Mr Speaker, the numbers that matter to families. For metropolitan Adelaide for a $100,000 home it is a $37 increase, for a $150,000 home it is $56, for a $200,000 home it is $75, for $250,000 it is $93.

Honourable members: Shame!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I like how the members opposite are calling out, 'Shame.' I didn't hear that when the commonwealth budget was released. I did not hear any of that. I didn't hear any of those complaints of, 'Shame.' I didn't hear them criticising Tony Abbott or Chris Pyne or Mr Briggs about their cuts to our hospitals and schools, there was just some quiet applause, 'Yes, well done. Well done, chaps.' The increases that actually affect families are the dollar values and they range from $149: $187 for a half a million dollar home, for an $800,000 home the increase is $299, and then I have read out the other figures. So, there are increases, I accept that. They can be reversed tomorrow, all the commonwealth government has to do is reverse their cuts to our hospitals, schools and the cuts they have made to our pensioners and I will immediately, with pleasure, reverse these increases.

The SPEAKER: Before the member for Flinders asks his question I warn the member for Mount Gambier for the second time, the member for Adelaide for the first time and I call to order the members for Morialta and Mitchell. Member for Flinders.