State Economy

Hansard ID: HANSARD-1323879322-107623

Hansard session: Fifty-Seventh Parliament, First Session (57-1)

State Economy

Mr MARK COURE (Oatley) (15:16:55):

My question is addressed to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer update the House on how the New South Wales economy is benefitting from the special relationships with our most important trading partners?

Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET (EppingTreasurer) (15:17:09):

— I thank the member for his question. No-one stands up more for their community than the member for Oatley. Despite what people say, Mr Speaker, I think you are objectively the fairest Speaker in all of the land. The member for Campbelltown thinks so, he wants to get thrown out for two days again. The member for Oatley knows all too well that New South Wales is once again open for business. New South Wales is Australia's gateway to the world and the world's gateway to our great country. Most of our prosperity is due to our free and fair trade that we have with many important global partners. There is perhaps no more important friend and ally than the United States of America. I note that Prime Minister Scott Morrison is currently in the United States with President Trump. He attended the first State dinner since the great Prime Minister John Howard, a sign of the special relationship our two nations share.

The United States is also an important market for New South Wales, offering vital opportunities as an export destination for foreign investment. More than 35 per cent of US merchandise trade with Australia occurs within New South Wales. The United States is our second-largest import source and our fifth-largest export destination. Last year there were over half a million visitors from the United States to New South Wales—that is the second-largest source of international visitors to our State. It is fair to say that New South Wales and the United States also have a very special relationship, one that continues to grow even deeper.

As has been pointed out, today the Premier, the Deputy Premier and I hosted a lunch for the Governor of Maryland Larry Hogan, who was here in the gallery earlier. It is interesting that he is only the second re-elected Republican Governor in the 243-year history of that State. Wherever you look around the world the centre‑right governments are taking over. Whether it is Johnson, Trump, Morrison, Hogan, Berejiklian—we are on the march. Governor Hogan is leading a delegation of US government and business leaders here to learn about our world‑leading infrastructure program using public-private partnerships and asset recycling. The trip follows a previous US delegation of Democrats and Republicans, which I have spoken about in this House before, that visited and worked with NSW Treasury on infrastructure financing and delivery. Governor Hogan recently wrote:

…there are leaders [in our States] who are willing to work together across party lines to take on the big problems [such as infrastructure].

There you have it. Asset recycling is good enough for the Republicans; it is good enough for the Democrats; it is even good enough for Bernie Sanders, but it is not good enough for the hopeless backwater of a swamp that the NSW Labor Party has become—a swamp you cannot drain. Robertson tried, Daley tried, Foley tried—and Jodi, well, she is not even trying at all. It is this asset recycling approach that the United States and other jurisdictions around the world are starting to look to and replicate. Two days ago we saw President Trump with Prime Minister Morrison in Ohio as they opened a $500 million mill owned by great Australian businessman Anthony Pratt.

The SPEAKER:

The member for Auburn will remain silent.

Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET:

That mill has created 1,500 construction jobs and nearly 250 permanent jobs.

The SPEAKER:

I call the member for Auburn to order for the third time.

Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET:

What does Mr Pratt put that investment down to in choosing Ohio? Company tax cuts, tax cuts for businesses that make it viable to invest. That is because on this side of the House we know that tax cuts lead to jobs growth, which leads to wage growth. On this side of the House we are focused on delivering dividends for the people of New South Wales. We know that the Labor Party is only interested in building special relationships that will deliver dividends for themselves.

The SPEAKER:

The member for Auburn is on her final warning.

Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET:Extension of time

We continue to make sure that our policies drive economic growth and continue to drive better results for people right across our State—lowering taxes, building infrastructure, creating jobs growth—whereas it seems the Labor Party is more interested in dodgy deals and dividends for themselves to get ahead. []

The transport Minister has made the point today about the member for Kogarah and special relationships. Since this case has been made, I have never seen the member for Kogarah give out more cash than we have seen over—

Ms Lynda Voltz:

Point of order—

Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET:

He has been paying more cash—

Ms Lynda Voltz:

It is Standing Order 73. The Minister was asked to speak on a trade relationship. He is now making an allegation about the member for Kogarah, who is not in the Chamber to defend himself.

The SPEAKER:

I ask the Minister to desist from using that type of language.

Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET:

It is about special relationships and he is paying out more cash than a double feature on Queen of the Nile at the Kogarah RSL. It is "Jackpot Jodi".

Ms Lynda Voltz:

Point of order—

The SPEAKER:

The member for Auburn will resume her seat. I instruct the Minister that allegations of dispersal of cash are going too far.

Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET:

The real question here is how many other dodgy donations did the Labor Party receive in the 2019 election?

Ms Lynda Voltz:

Point of order—

The SPEAKER:

That is a different comment. I have called the Treasurer back to the question. It is a different comment. It is okay at the moment. I am listening carefully.

Ms Lynda Voltz:

It is Standing Order 129.

The SPEAKER:

The Treasurer is being relevant. The member for Auburn will sit down. The Treasurer will continue.

Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET:

What about Marginal Seat Marjorie over there in Coogee? How many dodgy—?

Ms Lynda Voltz:

Point of order—

Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET:

Just give us our seat back. Give us our seat back. We want our seat back!

The SPEAKER:

The Treasurer will resume his seat.

Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET:

I want our seat back.

The SPEAKER:

The Treasurer will resume his seat.

Mr DOMINIC PERROTTET:

You're the only party that try to buy an election and you lose it.

The SPEAKER:

I call the Treasurer to order for the first time.

Ms Lynda Voltz:

Point of order—

The SPEAKER:

Time has expired.