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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, First Session (54-1)
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State Debt

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN (Lee) (14:39): My question is again to the Premier. Has the government identified what a sustainable level of debt is for the state budget, as required by the budget's fiscal targets?

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL (Dunstan—Premier) (14:39): Well, these are changed times. As I said, it's a balancing act. We believe that we've got that balance right. We believe that we sit within comfortable boundaries in terms of our ability to sustainably service that level of debt, and we are supported in that position by both Moody's and Standard & Poor's. What I will find very interesting, given the line of questioning—

The Hon. S.C. Mullighan interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Lee is warned.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: What I will find very interesting, given the line of questioning in the house today, is what the Leader of the Opposition will talk about in his budget reply speech tomorrow because it seems to me that those opposite—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —are violently opposed to increased debt—

The SPEAKER: There is a point of order.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: —so I hope the Leader of the Opposition—

The SPEAKER: Can the Premier be seated for one moment, please. The member for Lee has a point of order.

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: The Premier is clearly debating.

The SPEAKER: Debate. The way I caught the question, member for Lee—and I have no pre-knowledge of these questions—is, 'Has the government identified a sustainable debt level, as required?' or something along those lines. The Premier is deviating a little bit from the substance of the question. I ask him respectfully to come back to the substance of the question. Thank you.

The Hon. S.S. MARSHALL: Yes, sir. We have identified that level and it is contained within the budget. It is supported by Moody's and it is supported by Standard & Poor's, and what will be interesting to this parliament tomorrow is what the opposition think is a sustainable level of debt and what projects they are going to outline to the people of South Australia that they are going to cut. What are you going to cut to reduce the debt?

The Hon. S.C. MULLIGHAN: Point of order, Mr Speaker.

The SPEAKER: I believe the Premier has finished his answer. He has finished his answer. Member for Lee, do you have another question?

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