Questions Day 1 - Tuesday 23 May 1995
Parliamentary Record 11
Questions for 7th Assembly 1994 - 1997; ParliamentNT; Parliamentary Record; 7th Assembly 1994 - 1997
1995-05-23
Made available by the Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
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Questions
Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
Darwin
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Legislative Assembly of the Northern Territory
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https://hdl.handle.net/10070/282279
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QUESTIONS - Tuesday 23 May 1995 Mr COULTER: Members opposite would do well to do a little research and examine the taxes that are imposed in every other jurisdiction in Australia, except the ACT, and how they are collected ... Mr Ede: Insurance. Mr COULTER: In the case of insurance, we do not think that that is the way to go about it because... Mr Ede: Because it is progressive. Mr COULTER: It penalises those people who do insure and who insure heavily. They pay the fire service levy while those who do not insure receive the service for free. What has happened in the Northern Territory over a number of years ... Members interjecting. Mr COULTER: Did anybody wonder why the RAAF shut down the fire service facility it had on base? It was shut down because the RAAF could not see any sense in having a fire service if the Territory government was supplying one also and, 9 times out of 10, our service was attending its housefires anyway. The RAAF derived some big savings from that and, because there was no fire service levy in the Northern Territory, it got off scot-free. That is not fair. Mr Bailey: Will the Housing Commission pay or will the residents, or w ill... Mr COULTER: We have said that we do not intend to bring this levy in until 1 January. A number of options are available to the government for its collection. Also, the fire risks involved have to be assessed, as they are in Queensland. We have included a $1.5m ladder in our budget. That ladder is used for fires in buildings over 9 stories high or whatever it is, therefore those buildings ... Mr Bailey: Will they pay more? Mr COULTER: They should, dont you think? Mr Bailey: If I have smoke detectors, will I pay less? Mr COULTER: No, answer the first question. Dont you think they should? Mr Ede: Who? Mr Bailey: The people who live in high-rise buildings. Mr Hatton interjecting. Mr COULTER: You will never get a decision out of him. I gave him a wonderful opportunity to say no or yes for the first time in his life, but he has remained silent. 575