Get Involved - Parliament

State Economy

Published on: May 2022

Record: HANSARD-1323879322-124203

State Economy

Ms FELICITY WILSON (North Shore) (14:49:36):

My question is addressed to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer update the House on how the Coalition Government's strong economic policies are securing a brighter future for families in New South Wales?

Mr MATT KEAN (HornsbyTreasurer, and Minister for Energy) (14:49:46):

— I thank the member for North Shore for her question.

The SPEAKER:

The Clerk will stop the clock.

Mr MATT KEAN:

I have just started. I am being relevant.

The SPEAKER:

You are. As I did for the Premier, I say again that I expect members to be silent at the start of an answer. I call the member for Campbelltown to order for the first time.

Mr MATT KEAN:

I was extolling the virtues of the outstanding member for North Shore. She is passionate about families and passionate about building a stronger and more prosperous economy for everyone in this State. Notwithstanding the fact that we have gone through the worst pandemic in over a century, the New South Wales economy is booming. We are near on having the lowest unemployment rate in the State's history, at 3.9 per cent. We have created more new jobs. There are more new jobs now than there were before the pandemic, again because of the strong economic management of the Coalition Government. Today's NAB business survey shows that business conditions rose at a rate well above the decade's average.

The SPEAKER:

I call the member for Wollongong to order for the first time.

Mr MATT KEAN:

Again, that is because of the Liberal‑Nationals Government's strong economic management. This Government is not just delivering for today; we are also building a stronger economy for tomorrow.

The SPEAKER:

I call the member for Wollongong to order for the second time.

Mr MATT KEAN:

That is why we have a $110 billion infrastructure program to build the schools, hospitals, roads and rail networks that are transforming this State. We all know that the best way to give our kids the best chance at life is to ensure they get a quality education. That is why we are building new schools. We know that the best way to support families is by making sure people do not have to spend more time on the roads but can spend more time with their families. That is why we are building infrastructure like NorthConnex and WestConnex so that people can get around Sydney far quicker and far better than they previously could. We are building hospitals and rail networks to transform this State for the better. It is because we care about running a strong economy today and we also care about ensuring that we have a strong economy into the future. We have an economic plan. We have a plan to build a strong economy, which is in stark contrast to the Leader of the Opposition's economic policy. The only economic policy he has is to have the year of the strike.

Mr Ron Hoenig:

Point of order: My point of order is taken under Standing Order 129. The Treasurer was asked specifically about the Government's economic policy, not about an alternative arrangement or anything that the Leader of the Opposition might have said. The Treasurer should answer the question.

The SPEAKER:½

I rule that the Treasurer has been directly relevant for 2 minutes. I permit a slight comparison. That is fine.

Mr MATT KEAN:

I am talking about economic policy, and I am talking about the Leader of the Opposition's economic policy, which is to have the year of the strike—to shut down the economy and to ensure that families cannot send their kids to school.

Ms Felicity Wilson:

Mr Speaker—

The SPEAKER:½

The member for North Shore rises under Standing Order 131. I will grant an extension of time. Before those additional two minutes start, I make it clear that the Treasurer was talking directly about the Government's performance for 2 minutes. He did not commence with a preamble. Consistent with what I said earlier, I am happy to have a slight preamble or digression as long as it is not too long.

Mr MATT KEAN:

I am contrasting the Government's economic policy with the economic policy of the Leader of the Opposition, which is to have the year of the strike. He is sitting in his puffer jacket with the union bosses in their bomber jackets.

Mr Ron Hoenig:

Point of order—

Mr MATT KEAN:

He is out there shutting down schools, shutting down our trains and making sure it is harder for families to get around Sydney.

The SPEAKER:

The Treasurer will resume his seat.

Mr Ron Hoenig:

If the member wanted the Treasurer's opinion of the Opposition's economic policy then the member could have asked the Treasurer that question. First, that is not the question that was asked.

The SPEAKER:

The Clerk will stop the clock.

Mr Ron Hoenig:

Secondly, Mr Speaker, when you gave leave for an additional two minutes, you did so under the expectation that the Treasurer would be talking about the Government's economic policy and not the Opposition's. I ask you to require him to be directly relevant to the question asked.

Mr Alister Henskens:

To the point of order: The member for Heffron started that point of order by directly attacking the answer that was being given, as a statement in response to the answer, which is directly not allowed under the new standing orders.

The SPEAKER:

I will rule on both parts of the point of order. On the first part, I ask the Treasurer to come back more directly to the question. I have extended a degree of latitude and it has been exhausted. I uphold the second part of the point of order. To be clear, points of order need to be taken more directly in future. I have upheld the point of order, but the member for Heffron took it in slightly the wrong way.

Mr Dominic Perrottet:

Point of order: How can a point of order against the Treasurer that is itself out of order have effect?

The SPEAKER:

Parts of the point of order were out of order; parts were not. The Treasurer will continue.

Mr MATT KEAN:

I am talking about economic policy, and I want the Leader of the Opposition to know that one does not grow the economy by shutting it down. I want the Leader of the Opposition to know that economic policy that shuts down our schools does not help the long-term productivity of the State.

Mr Ron Hoenig:

Point of order—

Mr MATT KEAN:

I want the Leader of the Opposition to know that it is not productive to shut down our train lines across New South Wales so that people cannot get to work and earn a fair day's wage.

The SPEAKER:

The Treasurer will resume his seat.

Mr Ron Hoenig:

First, the Treasurer is continuing to flout your ruling, Mr Speaker. The other issue I bring to your attention is that it is not for the Premier to dissent from rulings that you make. He should be better than that.

The SPEAKER:

We will move to the next question.