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House of Assembly - Fifty-Third Parliament, First Session (53-1)
2014-09-17 Daily Xml
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Emergency Services Levy

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:34): A further question regarding the remissions, sir. Will the government consider extending the remission to not-for-profit organisations?

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Treasurer, Minister for Finance, Minister for State Development, Minister for Mineral Resources and Energy, Minister for Small Business) (14:34): As we told the Economic and Finance Committee, the wait for the emergency services levy was set and the remissions were going to be decided in the budget, and the government has no plans to change the allocation of those remissions. If we do—

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Well, I am talking with the crossbenchers on another question through an interjection. It is about passing the government's budget that we took to the election. We took the transport development levy to the election, and every time a South Australian is stuck in traffic because people are all attempting to drive in on the same roads into the city instead of catching buses and using alternative transport, they can blame the Leader of the Opposition, they can blame him.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hartley is warned for the second time.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: So, Mr Speaker, what am I talking to the crossbenchers about? I am talking to them about good government. I am talking about bringing the budget back into surplus. I am talking about delivering on our agenda. Members opposite, through their votes, are attempting to worsen the budget by $130 million over four years. That is their legacy, not our legacy. We are the ones who are attempting to spend money on infrastructure to grow our economy, to decongest our city because the heart of commerce in this city is done in Adelaide and if the city is congested the arteries of our economy are blocked. We took the transport development levy to the election. It is not as if people did not know that we were going to get it. What we did not do was make up our mind on a transport development levy on the basis of a private campaign for or against us; that wasn't our thinking.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: I call the member for Adelaide to order.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: That wasn't our thinking. Our thinking was based on good public policy. We don't make policy decisions on the basis of who might run a campaign for or against it. So, the question is this: the emergency services levy remissions have been decided in the budget. The Leader of the Opposition claims they are unfair, yet he will not commit to reintroducing those remissions. He will not do it. He says it's too early to say. Well, Mr Speaker, how about now he put up or shut up. If members opposite think that the remissions need to be reinstated, say so now.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Yes, at a press conference.

Mr Marshall interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Well, no. The Leader of the Opposition says it's too early to say, a lot of water to go under the bridge. So, let's be clear about this: if these remissions are to be reinstated it's a $332 million promise that the opposition is making—make it now.

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