Mr MATT KEAN ( Hornsby ) ( 15:36 ): This motion deserves to be accorded priority because building a strong economy and creating a strong balance sheet should be the number one priority for every person in this Chamber. It is certainly the priority of those on the government benches. New South Wales leads the nation in economic growth. We have come from last, under Labor, to first under the Coalition Government. This Government is delivering record surpluses—a $3.7 billion surplus this year alone—whilst lowering tax and maintaining the State's triple-A credit rating. At the same time, the Government has delivered a record amount of infrastructure that has improved the lives of citizens across New South Wales. The Government has provided new roads such as the NorthConnex motorway which will transform the lives of people in communities like mine. This Government has built new hospitals. I know that the member for Wagga Wagga, like many other members in this place, is excited about new hospitals. New schools and other facilities have been delivered across the State by this Coalition Government.
This has all been happening while the Government has been wiping out net sector debt and delivering a cash-positive position for the 2015-16 financial year. There is a reason to be happy. This has not happened by accident; it happened because the Coalition Government has worked damn hard and taken some tough decisions. It has cut public sector wages, controlled expenses and recycled assets. Those were not popular decisions but they were right in order to deliver a dividend to this State in the form of new hospitals, new roads, new schools and new infrastructure. Government members have a different view to the view held by Opposition members about debt. Anyone wanting to understand Labor's position on debt should go to the Sky News website where Sam Dastyari—Shanghai Sam—explains it.
An article states, "Dastyari blames debt saga on NSW Labor habit". When asked why a Chinese businessman paid his bill, the article reports that Senator Dastyari said:
… it was an old habit from his days with the NSW Labor Party in which if you overspend on a campaign you raise that money from donors …
This Government has a very different attitude from that to debt. This Government works hard to deliver surpluses in this State, drive down debt, and deliver infrastructure right across the State, which is very different from the Labor Opposition.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: Order! I remind a significant number of members that they are on three calls to order. If they are called to order again, they will be removed from the Chamber.
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