Luke Gosling (Solomon, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I rise to update the parliament on how this budget turned out for the good people of the Northern Territory, in particular the Top End. Unfortunately, what became incredibly clear as last night rolled on is that it's a budget for the top end of town, not for the Top End of Australia. In fact, all we were offered was a road that was re-announced from previous budgets. But the cuts are still there: a $15 million cut to CDU and a $16 million cut to our public hospitals—thanks very much. And we still don't have a city deal for Darwin. In the budget Western Sydney got a city deal. Tasmanians are happy down in Launceston—they have a city deal. But there is not only not one dollar from the Northern Australia Infrastructure Facility but not a dollar for a city deal for Darwin.

We're not happy about this, obviously. We're not happy that the Prime Minister and the Treasurer have said: 'Corporate tax cuts, you beauty—$80 billion for corporate organisations, including $17 billion for the banks'. That $17 billion for the banks is taken away from schools. Schools in Palmerston and Darwin could really do with that funding so they can prepare Territorians for the jobs of the future. We're not happy, and I'm inviting Territorians to have their say at the Nightcliff Seabreeze Festival on the weekend.