❓ Premier Gallop refutes Prime Minister's claims regarding WA's stance on the National Water Initiative, highlighting discrepancies in funding and GST contributions, accusing the PM of being ill-informed and unfair to WA.
AnsweredQoN 428Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the Prime Minister’s latest outrageous outburst about Western Australia’s stance on the National Water Initiative. Will the Premier respond to the claims made by the Prime Minister on a radio program this morning? Dr G.I. GALLOP
AnswerView source ↗
The Prime Minister made a number of ill-informed claims on 6PR radio today. It is pretty clear that he has made a mistake about this issue, and that he is trying to find justifications for that mistake. However, they are not available. On radio today, the Prime Minister implied that agreements on the Murray-Darling system and the National Water Initiative were not dependent on each other. Secondly, he said he was happy to deal with individual projects proposed by the States. Thirdly, he said that Western Australians would be immediately penalised for not signing the National Water Initiative. Fourthly, he said that Western Australians had nothing to complain about because we receive revenue from the goods and services tax. The reality is different for each of those four points. First of all, the notion that the agreement over the Murray-Darling system and the National Water Initiative are not dependent on each other is 100 per cent wrong. At the meeting in Canberra last week, the Prime Minister made it clear to all my eastern states colleagues that if they did not sign the National Water Initiative, there would be no money on the table for the Murray-Darling system - end of story. In his second point, the Prime Minister said he was happy to deal with individual projects proposed by the States. I put forward some projects to the Prime Minister that will assist Western Australia. However, he has not even responded to the letter formally, and at the meeting he made it clear that there was no money on the table for Western Australia as part of this agreement. He then went on to say - Mr W.J. McNee: That is your spin. Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not spin; it is a fact. He then went on to say that Western Australians would be immediately penalised for not signing. I explained to him that Western Australia is moving ahead on this issue. Mr M.W. Trenorden: Don’t talk about water supplies; you have done nothing at all. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I am looking forward to the debate on the matter of public interest, so that I can talk about the nearly $200 million worth of commitments this Government has made over the past couple of years to deal with this issue. I am looking forward to listing them all in Parliament. We are going ahead with issues such as water entitlements. We are treating them as a part of our irrigation review. I will receive the interim report soon. We are already acting to improve the situation in Gnangara as a result of the Minister for the Environment’s initiative. Finally, to add insult to injury, the Prime Minister asked why Western Australia was complaining when it is getting GST revenue. I remind the Prime Minister that Western Australia currently subsidises the rest of the country to the tune of $2 billion every year. The truth of the matter is that the Prime Minister was wrong on Friday and he is still wrong today. He stubbornly refuses to incorporate the interests of Western Australia in the National Water Initiative. I will stand up for Western Australia and ensure that the interests of our State are properly respected. That is the primary responsibility of any Government. The comments made by the Prime Minister on 6PR radio today were ill informed. The reason for that is that he simply does not have any arguments to back up the stand that he is taking against the people of Western Australia.
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: The Prime Minister made a number of ill-informed claims on 6PR radio today. It is pretty clear that he has made a mistake about this issue, and that he is trying to find justifications for that mistake. However, they are not available. On radio today, the Prime Minister implied that agreements on the Murray-Darling system and the National Water Initiative were not dependent on each other. Secondly, he said he was happy to deal with individual projects proposed by the States. Thirdly, he said that Western Australians would be immediately penalised for not signing the National Water Initiative. Fourthly, he said that Western Australians had nothing to complain about because we receive revenue from the goods and services tax. The reality is different for each of those four points. First of all, the notion that the agreement over the Murray-Darling system and the National Water Initiative are not dependent on each other is 100 per cent wrong. At the meeting in Canberra last week, the Prime Minister made it clear to all my eastern states colleagues that if they did not sign the National Water Initiative, there would be no money on the table for the Murray-Darling system - end of story. In his second point, the Prime Minister said he was happy to deal with individual projects proposed by the States. I put forward some projects to the Prime Minister that will assist Western Australia. However, he has not even responded to the letter formally, and at the meeting he made it clear that there was no money on the table for Western Australia as part of this agreement. He then went on to say - Mr W.J. McNee: That is your spin. Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not spin; it is a fact. He then went on to say that Western Australians would be immediately penalised for not signing. I explained to him that Western Australia is moving ahead on this issue. Mr M.W. Trenorden: Don’t talk about water supplies; you have done nothing at all. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I am looking forward to the debate on the matter of public interest, so that I can talk about the nearly $200 million worth of commitments this Government has made over the past couple of years to deal with this issue. I am looking forward to listing them all in Parliament. We are going ahead with issues such as water entitlements. We are treating them as a part of our irrigation review. I will receive the interim report soon. We are already acting to improve the situation in Gnangara as a result of the Minister for the Environment’s initiative. Finally, to add insult to injury, the Prime Minister asked why Western Australia was complaining when it is getting GST revenue. I remind the Prime Minister that Western Australia currently subsidises the rest of the country to the tune of $2 billion every year. The truth of the matter is that the Prime Minister was wrong on Friday and he is still wrong today. He stubbornly refuses to incorporate the interests of Western Australia in the National Water Initiative. I will stand up for Western Australia and ensure that the interests of our State are properly respected. That is the primary responsibility of any Government. The comments made by the Prime Minister on 6PR radio today were ill informed. The reason for that is that he simply does not have any arguments to back up the stand that he is taking against the people of Western Australia.
The Prime Minister made a number of ill-informed claims on 6PR radio today. It is pretty clear that he has made a mistake about this issue, and that he is trying to find justifications for that mistake. However, they are not available. On radio today, the Prime Minister implied that agreements on the Murray-Darling system and the National Water Initiative were not dependent on each other. Secondly, he said he was happy to deal with individual projects proposed by the States. Thirdly, he said that Western Australians would be immediately penalised for not signing the National Water Initiative. Fourthly, he said that Western Australians had nothing to complain about because we receive revenue from the goods and services tax. The reality is different for each of those four points. First of all, the notion that the agreement over the Murray-Darling system and the National Water Initiative are not dependent on each other is 100 per cent wrong. At the meeting in Canberra last week, the Prime Minister made it clear to all my eastern states colleagues that if they did not sign the National Water Initiative, there would be no money on the table for the Murray-Darling system - end of story. In his second point, the Prime Minister said he was happy to deal with individual projects proposed by the States. I put forward some projects to the Prime Minister that will assist Western Australia. However, he has not even responded to the letter formally, and at the meeting he made it clear that there was no money on the table for Western Australia as part of this agreement. He then went on to say - Mr W.J. McNee: That is your spin. Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not spin; it is a fact. He then went on to say that Western Australians would be immediately penalised for not signing. I explained to him that Western Australia is moving ahead on this issue. Mr M.W. Trenorden: Don’t talk about water supplies; you have done nothing at all. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I am looking forward to the debate on the matter of public interest, so that I can talk about the nearly $200 million worth of commitments this Government has made over the past couple of years to deal with this issue. I am looking forward to listing them all in Parliament. We are going ahead with issues such as water entitlements. We are treating them as a part of our irrigation review. I will receive the interim report soon. We are already acting to improve the situation in Gnangara as a result of the Minister for the Environment’s initiative. Finally, to add insult to injury, the Prime Minister asked why Western Australia was complaining when it is getting GST revenue. I remind the Prime Minister that Western Australia currently subsidises the rest of the country to the tune of $2 billion every year. The truth of the matter is that the Prime Minister was wrong on Friday and he is still wrong today. He stubbornly refuses to incorporate the interests of Western Australia in the National Water Initiative. I will stand up for Western Australia and ensure that the interests of our State are properly respected. That is the primary responsibility of any Government. The comments made by the Prime Minister on 6PR radio today were ill informed. The reason for that is that he simply does not have any arguments to back up the stand that he is taking against the people of Western Australia.
Mr W.J. McNee: That is your spin. Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not spin; it is a fact. He then went on to say that Western Australians would be immediately penalised for not signing. I explained to him that Western Australia is moving ahead on this issue. Mr M.W. Trenorden: Don’t talk about water supplies; you have done nothing at all. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I am looking forward to the debate on the matter of public interest, so that I can talk about the nearly $200 million worth of commitments this Government has made over the past couple of years to deal with this issue. I am looking forward to listing them all in Parliament. We are going ahead with issues such as water entitlements. We are treating them as a part of our irrigation review. I will receive the interim report soon. We are already acting to improve the situation in Gnangara as a result of the Minister for the Environment’s initiative. Finally, to add insult to injury, the Prime Minister asked why Western Australia was complaining when it is getting GST revenue. I remind the Prime Minister that Western Australia currently subsidises the rest of the country to the tune of $2 billion every year. The truth of the matter is that the Prime Minister was wrong on Friday and he is still wrong today. He stubbornly refuses to incorporate the interests of Western Australia in the National Water Initiative. I will stand up for Western Australia and ensure that the interests of our State are properly respected. That is the primary responsibility of any Government. The comments made by the Prime Minister on 6PR radio today were ill informed. The reason for that is that he simply does not have any arguments to back up the stand that he is taking against the people of Western Australia.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not spin; it is a fact. He then went on to say that Western Australians would be immediately penalised for not signing. I explained to him that Western Australia is moving ahead on this issue. Mr M.W. Trenorden: Don’t talk about water supplies; you have done nothing at all. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I am looking forward to the debate on the matter of public interest, so that I can talk about the nearly $200 million worth of commitments this Government has made over the past couple of years to deal with this issue. I am looking forward to listing them all in Parliament. We are going ahead with issues such as water entitlements. We are treating them as a part of our irrigation review. I will receive the interim report soon. We are already acting to improve the situation in Gnangara as a result of the Minister for the Environment’s initiative. Finally, to add insult to injury, the Prime Minister asked why Western Australia was complaining when it is getting GST revenue. I remind the Prime Minister that Western Australia currently subsidises the rest of the country to the tune of $2 billion every year. The truth of the matter is that the Prime Minister was wrong on Friday and he is still wrong today. He stubbornly refuses to incorporate the interests of Western Australia in the National Water Initiative. I will stand up for Western Australia and ensure that the interests of our State are properly respected. That is the primary responsibility of any Government. The comments made by the Prime Minister on 6PR radio today were ill informed. The reason for that is that he simply does not have any arguments to back up the stand that he is taking against the people of Western Australia.
Mr M.W. Trenorden: Don’t talk about water supplies; you have done nothing at all. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I am looking forward to the debate on the matter of public interest, so that I can talk about the nearly $200 million worth of commitments this Government has made over the past couple of years to deal with this issue. I am looking forward to listing them all in Parliament. We are going ahead with issues such as water entitlements. We are treating them as a part of our irrigation review. I will receive the interim report soon. We are already acting to improve the situation in Gnangara as a result of the Minister for the Environment’s initiative. Finally, to add insult to injury, the Prime Minister asked why Western Australia was complaining when it is getting GST revenue. I remind the Prime Minister that Western Australia currently subsidises the rest of the country to the tune of $2 billion every year. The truth of the matter is that the Prime Minister was wrong on Friday and he is still wrong today. He stubbornly refuses to incorporate the interests of Western Australia in the National Water Initiative. I will stand up for Western Australia and ensure that the interests of our State are properly respected. That is the primary responsibility of any Government. The comments made by the Prime Minister on 6PR radio today were ill informed. The reason for that is that he simply does not have any arguments to back up the stand that he is taking against the people of Western Australia.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: I am looking forward to the debate on the matter of public interest, so that I can talk about the nearly $200 million worth of commitments this Government has made over the past couple of years to deal with this issue. I am looking forward to listing them all in Parliament. We are going ahead with issues such as water entitlements. We are treating them as a part of our irrigation review. I will receive the interim report soon. We are already acting to improve the situation in Gnangara as a result of the Minister for the Environment’s initiative. Finally, to add insult to injury, the Prime Minister asked why Western Australia was complaining when it is getting GST revenue. I remind the Prime Minister that Western Australia currently subsidises the rest of the country to the tune of $2 billion every year. The truth of the matter is that the Prime Minister was wrong on Friday and he is still wrong today. He stubbornly refuses to incorporate the interests of Western Australia in the National Water Initiative. I will stand up for Western Australia and ensure that the interests of our State are properly respected. That is the primary responsibility of any Government. The comments made by the Prime Minister on 6PR radio today were ill informed. The reason for that is that he simply does not have any arguments to back up the stand that he is taking against the people of Western Australia.
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: The Prime Minister made a number of ill-informed claims on 6PR radio today. It is pretty clear that he has made a mistake about this issue, and that he is trying to find justifications for that mistake. However, they are not available. On radio today, the Prime Minister implied that agreements on the Murray-Darling system and the National Water Initiative were not dependent on each other. Secondly, he said he was happy to deal with individual projects proposed by the States. Thirdly, he said that Western Australians would be immediately penalised for not signing the National Water Initiative. Fourthly, he said that Western Australians had nothing to complain about because we receive revenue from the goods and services tax. The reality is different for each of those four points. First of all, the notion that the agreement over the Murray-Darling system and the National Water Initiative are not dependent on each other is 100 per cent wrong. At the meeting in Canberra last week, the Prime Minister made it clear to all my eastern states colleagues that if they did not sign the National Water Initiative, there would be no money on the table for the Murray-Darling system - end of story. In his second point, the Prime Minister said he was happy to deal with individual projects proposed by the States. I put forward some projects to the Prime Minister that will assist Western Australia. However, he has not even responded to the letter formally, and at the meeting he made it clear that there was no money on the table for Western Australia as part of this agreement. He then went on to say - Mr W.J. McNee: That is your spin. Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not spin; it is a fact. He then went on to say that Western Australians would be immediately penalised for not signing. I explained to him that Western Australia is moving ahead on this issue. Mr M.W. Trenorden: Don’t talk about water supplies; you have done nothing at all. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I am looking forward to the debate on the matter of public interest, so that I can talk about the nearly $200 million worth of commitments this Government has made over the past couple of years to deal with this issue. I am looking forward to listing them all in Parliament. We are going ahead with issues such as water entitlements. We are treating them as a part of our irrigation review. I will receive the interim report soon. We are already acting to improve the situation in Gnangara as a result of the Minister for the Environment’s initiative. Finally, to add insult to injury, the Prime Minister asked why Western Australia was complaining when it is getting GST revenue. I remind the Prime Minister that Western Australia currently subsidises the rest of the country to the tune of $2 billion every year. The truth of the matter is that the Prime Minister was wrong on Friday and he is still wrong today. He stubbornly refuses to incorporate the interests of Western Australia in the National Water Initiative. I will stand up for Western Australia and ensure that the interests of our State are properly respected. That is the primary responsibility of any Government. The comments made by the Prime Minister on 6PR radio today were ill informed. The reason for that is that he simply does not have any arguments to back up the stand that he is taking against the people of Western Australia.
The Prime Minister made a number of ill-informed claims on 6PR radio today. It is pretty clear that he has made a mistake about this issue, and that he is trying to find justifications for that mistake. However, they are not available. On radio today, the Prime Minister implied that agreements on the Murray-Darling system and the National Water Initiative were not dependent on each other. Secondly, he said he was happy to deal with individual projects proposed by the States. Thirdly, he said that Western Australians would be immediately penalised for not signing the National Water Initiative. Fourthly, he said that Western Australians had nothing to complain about because we receive revenue from the goods and services tax. The reality is different for each of those four points. First of all, the notion that the agreement over the Murray-Darling system and the National Water Initiative are not dependent on each other is 100 per cent wrong. At the meeting in Canberra last week, the Prime Minister made it clear to all my eastern states colleagues that if they did not sign the National Water Initiative, there would be no money on the table for the Murray-Darling system - end of story. In his second point, the Prime Minister said he was happy to deal with individual projects proposed by the States. I put forward some projects to the Prime Minister that will assist Western Australia. However, he has not even responded to the letter formally, and at the meeting he made it clear that there was no money on the table for Western Australia as part of this agreement. He then went on to say - Mr W.J. McNee: That is your spin. Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not spin; it is a fact. He then went on to say that Western Australians would be immediately penalised for not signing. I explained to him that Western Australia is moving ahead on this issue. Mr M.W. Trenorden: Don’t talk about water supplies; you have done nothing at all. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I am looking forward to the debate on the matter of public interest, so that I can talk about the nearly $200 million worth of commitments this Government has made over the past couple of years to deal with this issue. I am looking forward to listing them all in Parliament. We are going ahead with issues such as water entitlements. We are treating them as a part of our irrigation review. I will receive the interim report soon. We are already acting to improve the situation in Gnangara as a result of the Minister for the Environment’s initiative. Finally, to add insult to injury, the Prime Minister asked why Western Australia was complaining when it is getting GST revenue. I remind the Prime Minister that Western Australia currently subsidises the rest of the country to the tune of $2 billion every year. The truth of the matter is that the Prime Minister was wrong on Friday and he is still wrong today. He stubbornly refuses to incorporate the interests of Western Australia in the National Water Initiative. I will stand up for Western Australia and ensure that the interests of our State are properly respected. That is the primary responsibility of any Government. The comments made by the Prime Minister on 6PR radio today were ill informed. The reason for that is that he simply does not have any arguments to back up the stand that he is taking against the people of Western Australia.
Mr W.J. McNee: That is your spin. Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not spin; it is a fact. He then went on to say that Western Australians would be immediately penalised for not signing. I explained to him that Western Australia is moving ahead on this issue. Mr M.W. Trenorden: Don’t talk about water supplies; you have done nothing at all. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I am looking forward to the debate on the matter of public interest, so that I can talk about the nearly $200 million worth of commitments this Government has made over the past couple of years to deal with this issue. I am looking forward to listing them all in Parliament. We are going ahead with issues such as water entitlements. We are treating them as a part of our irrigation review. I will receive the interim report soon. We are already acting to improve the situation in Gnangara as a result of the Minister for the Environment’s initiative. Finally, to add insult to injury, the Prime Minister asked why Western Australia was complaining when it is getting GST revenue. I remind the Prime Minister that Western Australia currently subsidises the rest of the country to the tune of $2 billion every year. The truth of the matter is that the Prime Minister was wrong on Friday and he is still wrong today. He stubbornly refuses to incorporate the interests of Western Australia in the National Water Initiative. I will stand up for Western Australia and ensure that the interests of our State are properly respected. That is the primary responsibility of any Government. The comments made by the Prime Minister on 6PR radio today were ill informed. The reason for that is that he simply does not have any arguments to back up the stand that he is taking against the people of Western Australia.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not spin; it is a fact. He then went on to say that Western Australians would be immediately penalised for not signing. I explained to him that Western Australia is moving ahead on this issue. Mr M.W. Trenorden: Don’t talk about water supplies; you have done nothing at all. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I am looking forward to the debate on the matter of public interest, so that I can talk about the nearly $200 million worth of commitments this Government has made over the past couple of years to deal with this issue. I am looking forward to listing them all in Parliament. We are going ahead with issues such as water entitlements. We are treating them as a part of our irrigation review. I will receive the interim report soon. We are already acting to improve the situation in Gnangara as a result of the Minister for the Environment’s initiative. Finally, to add insult to injury, the Prime Minister asked why Western Australia was complaining when it is getting GST revenue. I remind the Prime Minister that Western Australia currently subsidises the rest of the country to the tune of $2 billion every year. The truth of the matter is that the Prime Minister was wrong on Friday and he is still wrong today. He stubbornly refuses to incorporate the interests of Western Australia in the National Water Initiative. I will stand up for Western Australia and ensure that the interests of our State are properly respected. That is the primary responsibility of any Government. The comments made by the Prime Minister on 6PR radio today were ill informed. The reason for that is that he simply does not have any arguments to back up the stand that he is taking against the people of Western Australia.
Mr M.W. Trenorden: Don’t talk about water supplies; you have done nothing at all. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I am looking forward to the debate on the matter of public interest, so that I can talk about the nearly $200 million worth of commitments this Government has made over the past couple of years to deal with this issue. I am looking forward to listing them all in Parliament. We are going ahead with issues such as water entitlements. We are treating them as a part of our irrigation review. I will receive the interim report soon. We are already acting to improve the situation in Gnangara as a result of the Minister for the Environment’s initiative. Finally, to add insult to injury, the Prime Minister asked why Western Australia was complaining when it is getting GST revenue. I remind the Prime Minister that Western Australia currently subsidises the rest of the country to the tune of $2 billion every year. The truth of the matter is that the Prime Minister was wrong on Friday and he is still wrong today. He stubbornly refuses to incorporate the interests of Western Australia in the National Water Initiative. I will stand up for Western Australia and ensure that the interests of our State are properly respected. That is the primary responsibility of any Government. The comments made by the Prime Minister on 6PR radio today were ill informed. The reason for that is that he simply does not have any arguments to back up the stand that he is taking against the people of Western Australia.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: I am looking forward to the debate on the matter of public interest, so that I can talk about the nearly $200 million worth of commitments this Government has made over the past couple of years to deal with this issue. I am looking forward to listing them all in Parliament. We are going ahead with issues such as water entitlements. We are treating them as a part of our irrigation review. I will receive the interim report soon. We are already acting to improve the situation in Gnangara as a result of the Minister for the Environment’s initiative. Finally, to add insult to injury, the Prime Minister asked why Western Australia was complaining when it is getting GST revenue. I remind the Prime Minister that Western Australia currently subsidises the rest of the country to the tune of $2 billion every year. The truth of the matter is that the Prime Minister was wrong on Friday and he is still wrong today. He stubbornly refuses to incorporate the interests of Western Australia in the National Water Initiative. I will stand up for Western Australia and ensure that the interests of our State are properly respected. That is the primary responsibility of any Government. The comments made by the Prime Minister on 6PR radio today were ill informed. The reason for that is that he simply does not have any arguments to back up the stand that he is taking against the people of Western Australia.
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