Mrs. Roberts asks the Treasurer about gross interest payments over the forward estimates period. The Treasurer avoids providing a direct answer, accusing Mrs. Roberts of misrepresenting the state's financial situation regarding gross vs. net interest.

AnsweredQoN 456Legislative Assembly
Asked
11 August 2011
Portfolio
Treasurer

QuestionView source ↗

STATE BUDGET 2011–12 — INTEREST PAYMENTS
I have a supplementary question. Will the Treasurer answer the second part of the question with respect to the period of the forward estimates? What will be the gross interest payments over that period? Mr C.C. PORTER

AnswerView source ↗

Indeed, that was not the question. This is the point. The member keeps saying to the people of WA that yearly interest costs alone will be $1.9 billion in 2014. I am looking at the press release to see where it says gross or net and it states that yearly interest alone will be $1.9 billion. The member is trying to convince the people of Western Australia that in somewhat unstable economic circumstances their actual interest bill is gross and not net. And that is not correct; in fact, I would go so far as to say that it is not true. Mrs M.H. Roberts : But you still won’t tell us what it is over the period of the forward estimates. You are embarrassed! The SPEAKER : There is perhaps enough time for the member for Jandakot to ask a question.
Mr C.C. PORTER replied: Indeed, that was not the question. This is the point. The member keeps saying to the people of WA that yearly interest costs alone will be $1.9 billion in 2014. I am looking at the press release to see where it says gross or net and it states that yearly interest alone will be $1.9 billion. The member is trying to convince the people of Western Australia that in somewhat unstable economic circumstances their actual interest bill is gross and not net. And that is not correct; in fact, I would go so far as to say that it is not true. Mrs M.H. Roberts : But you still won’t tell us what it is over the period of the forward estimates. You are embarrassed! The SPEAKER : There is perhaps enough time for the member for Jandakot to ask a question.
Indeed, that was not the question. This is the point. The member keeps saying to the people of WA that yearly interest costs alone will be $1.9 billion in 2014. I am looking at the press release to see where it says gross or net and it states that yearly interest alone will be $1.9 billion. The member is trying to convince the people of Western Australia that in somewhat unstable economic circumstances their actual interest bill is gross and not net. And that is not correct; in fact, I would go so far as to say that it is not true. Mrs M.H. Roberts : But you still won’t tell us what it is over the period of the forward estimates. You are embarrassed! The SPEAKER : There is perhaps enough time for the member for Jandakot to ask a question.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : But you still won’t tell us what it is over the period of the forward estimates. You are embarrassed! The SPEAKER : There is perhaps enough time for the member for Jandakot to ask a question.
The SPEAKER : There is perhaps enough time for the member for Jandakot to ask a question.

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