❓ Opposition questions the Premier on the state economy, citing concerns about unemployment, taxes, economic decline, and cost-of-living increases. The Premier defends the government's budget and economic initiatives, highlighting lower fee increases and job creation efforts.
AnsweredQoN 367Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STATE ECONOMY —
2019–20 STATE BUDGET
367. Dr M.D. NAHAN to the Premier:
I
refer to comments made last night by the federal Labor candidate for Pearce,
who said on ABC news that we have an economy that just is not working for a lot
of people and the cost of living is the biggest issue amongst voters. Are the
comments of the federal Labor candidate for Pearce correct considering the
record number of unemployed Western Australians, the introduction of the
government's new taxes, the state economy going backwards this year and
the massive $185 per year cost-of-living increases the government has imposed
on households?
2019–20 STATE BUDGET
367. Dr M.D. NAHAN to the Premier:
I
refer to comments made last night by the federal Labor candidate for Pearce,
who said on ABC news that we have an economy that just is not working for a lot
of people and the cost of living is the biggest issue amongst voters. Are the
comments of the federal Labor candidate for Pearce correct considering the
record number of unemployed Western Australians, the introduction of the
government's new taxes, the state economy going backwards this year and
the massive $185 per year cost-of-living increases the government has imposed
on households?
AnswerView source ↗
Firstly, I welcome Mr Omodei and Mr
Birney to the chamber. It is great to see both of them back. For those of us,
like the Minister for Police, the member for South Perth and I, who remember
that era, it is great to see them in the same room together!
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : And the member
for Warren–Blackwood.
In relation to the Leader of the
Opposition's question, I am pleased that he has asked me a question
about the budget. I think the question is broadly about the budget. I am
pleased to see that the Leader of the Opposition has done it—he has
finally asked me a question about the budget. The budget that we handed down
last week has the lowest increase in fees and charges in 13 years. In the
former government's eight budgets it put up fees and charges by more
than we did last week, yet that government had record revenues coming into the
state coffers. It put fees and charges —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members for
Carine, Darling Range and Bateman, I call you all to order for the first time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : It had record
revenues flowing into the state Treasury, yet the former government put up fees
and charges by more than this government has. In the former government's
first three years it put them up by more than double what this government has
in our first three years.
Mrs A.K. Hayden interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Darling Range, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr
M. McGOWAN : The fact of the matter
remains, as I have said on a number of occasions, the former government left us
with more than forty billion dollars' worth of debt, so it is a little
bit hypocritical of the opposition to come in here and demand that we
put up fees and charges by less, when it left us with that financial legacy.
Mrs A.K. Hayden interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Darling Range, I call you to order for the third time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : The second
component is that the budget expects that economic growth will be at 3.5 per cent
next financial year and that job growth will continue.
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Bateman!
Mr
M. McGOWAN : A range of
initiatives contained within the budget will enhance that activity. One
initiative that the Minister for Health referred to yesterday is the
future health innovation research fund. It was widely welcomed by the
scientific community of Western Australia as a job creator. The other week, I launched
the $30 million for the East Perth power station, which was widely welcomed by
the property sector and the Master Builders Association as a job creator.
Mr A. Krsticevic interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Carine, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : The week
before, the Minister for Housing, the Treasurer and I launched the Keystart
initiative, which was widely welcomed by the property sector, condemned by the
shadow Treasurer and then copied by the federal government. I was listening to
radio 585—not Radio National, NewsRadio—the other morning and I
heard Mathias Cormann explaining the federal government's policy
announcement made last Sunday. When he was under attack, he said, ''It's
just what happens in Western Australia. It's a great initiative. It's
what the Western Australian government has just done; it is a great initiative.''
I am on Mathias Cormann's side on this one; I think he was right.
Mr D.C. Nalder : I never said
it was a bad one.
Mr M. McGOWAN : The member
obviously does not know what his fingers are doing when he is tweeting; he must
be looking away. He must be looking away when he starts tweeting.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : The member is
a blind tweeter! He looks the other way while he tweets and anything could come
out that just happens to condemn our policies.
All of those initiatives to create
economic activity to ensure our state's economy continues to grow and
to put in place the lowest increase in fees and charges in 13 years is what we
did in the budget. But the Liberal Party says, ''Why don't you
do more?'' Have a look in the mirror—members opposite should
have a look at what the former government did.
Birney to the chamber. It is great to see both of them back. For those of us,
like the Minister for Police, the member for South Perth and I, who remember
that era, it is great to see them in the same room together!
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : And the member
for Warren–Blackwood.
In relation to the Leader of the
Opposition's question, I am pleased that he has asked me a question
about the budget. I think the question is broadly about the budget. I am
pleased to see that the Leader of the Opposition has done it—he has
finally asked me a question about the budget. The budget that we handed down
last week has the lowest increase in fees and charges in 13 years. In the
former government's eight budgets it put up fees and charges by more
than we did last week, yet that government had record revenues coming into the
state coffers. It put fees and charges —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members for
Carine, Darling Range and Bateman, I call you all to order for the first time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : It had record
revenues flowing into the state Treasury, yet the former government put up fees
and charges by more than this government has. In the former government's
first three years it put them up by more than double what this government has
in our first three years.
Mrs A.K. Hayden interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Darling Range, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr
M. McGOWAN : The fact of the matter
remains, as I have said on a number of occasions, the former government left us
with more than forty billion dollars' worth of debt, so it is a little
bit hypocritical of the opposition to come in here and demand that we
put up fees and charges by less, when it left us with that financial legacy.
Mrs A.K. Hayden interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Darling Range, I call you to order for the third time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : The second
component is that the budget expects that economic growth will be at 3.5 per cent
next financial year and that job growth will continue.
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Bateman!
Mr
M. McGOWAN : A range of
initiatives contained within the budget will enhance that activity. One
initiative that the Minister for Health referred to yesterday is the
future health innovation research fund. It was widely welcomed by the
scientific community of Western Australia as a job creator. The other week, I launched
the $30 million for the East Perth power station, which was widely welcomed by
the property sector and the Master Builders Association as a job creator.
Mr A. Krsticevic interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Carine, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : The week
before, the Minister for Housing, the Treasurer and I launched the Keystart
initiative, which was widely welcomed by the property sector, condemned by the
shadow Treasurer and then copied by the federal government. I was listening to
radio 585—not Radio National, NewsRadio—the other morning and I
heard Mathias Cormann explaining the federal government's policy
announcement made last Sunday. When he was under attack, he said, ''It's
just what happens in Western Australia. It's a great initiative. It's
what the Western Australian government has just done; it is a great initiative.''
I am on Mathias Cormann's side on this one; I think he was right.
Mr D.C. Nalder : I never said
it was a bad one.
Mr M. McGOWAN : The member
obviously does not know what his fingers are doing when he is tweeting; he must
be looking away. He must be looking away when he starts tweeting.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : The member is
a blind tweeter! He looks the other way while he tweets and anything could come
out that just happens to condemn our policies.
All of those initiatives to create
economic activity to ensure our state's economy continues to grow and
to put in place the lowest increase in fees and charges in 13 years is what we
did in the budget. But the Liberal Party says, ''Why don't you
do more?'' Have a look in the mirror—members opposite should
have a look at what the former government did.
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