Mrs CHIKAROVSKI: My question is directed to the Premier, Minister for the Arts, and Minister for Citizenship. In light of the Federal budget forecasts, will he undertake to instruct his Treasurer to ensure that the State budget contains no new or increased taxes or charges?

Mr CARR: There will be no new taxes in the budget, I am proud to report, reflecting the sound financial management of this State over the last four years. It is a record of financial management that was endorsed by the people at the recent State election. Our record on taxes is that we dropped the Greiner Government’s $43 motor vehicle registration levy, boosted tax concessions for first home buyers, abolished the tax on people who refinance their mortgages, lifted the tax-free threshold for payroll tax and lifted and indexed the threshold for land tax.

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[Interruption]

Where is Michael Photios? A rooster one day, a feather boa the next. From July, payroll tax rates will be cut from 6.85 per cent to 6.4 per cent, saving businesses $170 million a year. That legislation was introduced in this House this morning.