Mining ‘will drive growth’ in the NT, insists Vowles, page-3

One way to solve the NT Green Tape would be move to Mt Peake and the Refinery to South Australia


Independent MLA Gerry Wood has backed a call from former CLP Minister John Elferink to discuss merging the NT and South Australia
BUSINESS
Independent MLA Gerry Wood backs call to discuss merging the Northern Territory and South Australia
GARY SHIPWAY, NT News
December 28, 2018 1:15am
Subscriber only

INDEPENDENT Member for Nelson Gerry Wood has backed a call from former Country Liberals Minister John Elferink to put an SA/NT merger on the discussion table to rescue the Territory from its financial crisis.

Mr Wood said as much as he was proud to be a Territorian, the magnitude of the Gunner Government’s debt could be irreparable.

Mr Elferink proposed a discussion about merging the NT and SA to create a second mega state called Centralia.

“You have to wonder how the Gunner Government allowed the Territory debt to get to where it is,” Mr Wood said.


Former CLP Minister John Elfrink has proposed a discussion about merging the NT and South Australia
“Surely government would have known. Surely the Treasurer was keeping an eye on the piggy bank and had a plan for budget repair.

“It is no different to managing a household budget. You know what debt you have and you budget your spending to pay the debt and not increase your debt to the point where you cannot pay it off.

“This Government should look at the projects it can afford and then put off the ones that it can’t … like the new juvenile detention facility for 30 people. Perhaps we should go back to being run by the Commonwealth if this Government cannot mange our finances.

“Maybe we should look at Elferink’s merger proposal. WA is a large state and we would be comparable in size. I love being a Territorian but if we can’t manage our finances and are going broke, then I think the benefits of a merger are worthy of discussion.

“I have been here since 1970 and this is the worst I have known it.”

Treasurer Nicole Manison said she had a plan for budget repair, despite the Government asking Territorians for ideas.

“We have always had a plan for budget repair,” Ms Manison said on Thursday.

“We need to find more savings, but we have to fundamentally change how we do government.

“My priority is that we have a strong stable budget going forward for Territorians.”


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