❓ Ms. Mettam questions the Treasurer's claim of debt reduction despite state surpluses, accusing him of misleading the public. The Treasurer refutes this, highlighting debt reduction over the past year and criticising the opposition's financial management.
AnsweredQoN 300Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
NET DEBT — 2023–24 STATE BUDGET
300. Ms L. METTAM to the Treasurer:
I have a supplementary question.
There have been record windfalls to the state with surpluses projected. Does
the Treasurer accept that his claim of
paying down debt is deliberately misleading the WA public when the government's own figures show that this is not the case, with record windfalls to come?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : I have some
advice on two fronts. Firstly, you continued with a statement rather than a question.
Secondly, you will need to withdraw the element when you used the word ''deliberately''.
You said ''deliberately misleading''. That is unparliamentary. If
you would like to make that kind of accusation, you would need to do that by
way of a substantive motion. Perhaps we can just have a short sharp question
from you.
Ms L. METTAM : Does the Treasurer accept that his claim
of paying down debt is misleading the WA public given his own figures
illustrates that is not the case?
The SPEAKER : That is the
question. Thank you.
300. Ms L. METTAM to the Treasurer:
I have a supplementary question.
There have been record windfalls to the state with surpluses projected. Does
the Treasurer accept that his claim of
paying down debt is deliberately misleading the WA public when the government's own figures show that this is not the case, with record windfalls to come?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : I have some
advice on two fronts. Firstly, you continued with a statement rather than a question.
Secondly, you will need to withdraw the element when you used the word ''deliberately''.
You said ''deliberately misleading''. That is unparliamentary. If
you would like to make that kind of accusation, you would need to do that by
way of a substantive motion. Perhaps we can just have a short sharp question
from you.
Ms L. METTAM : Does the Treasurer accept that his claim
of paying down debt is misleading the WA public given his own figures
illustrates that is not the case?
The SPEAKER : That is the
question. Thank you.
AnswerView source ↗
Obviously, the answer is no. Over
the last financial year, debt will go down $1.7 billion. By 30 June, it will go
down to $27.9 billion. Does the Leader of the Liberal Party understand the
financial year? It concludes on 30 June. That is a drop of $1.7 billion in debt.
It is the fourth year in a row that debt has gone down. As I said to the
member, no other government in Australia is doing that, yet she comes in here
and complains about it. Every other state in Australia looks at Western Australia
and is envious of what is occurring here.
Ms L. Mettam : You have had
the windfalls.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I have two
points to make about that. Firstly, as I said to the member, the mining boom
from 2007–08 through to 2014 was monumental—bigger than the
existing successor resources industry, yet the former government managed to
blow debt because it did not manage its finances. It actually requires you to
show some strength in government, which you
did not show; we have. Secondly, we have surpluses across the forward estimates .
I explained to the member how the forward estimates work. I expect that debt
will come down next year because we budget cautiously. It has gone down each
year even though the forward estimates had it going up, because we estimate our revenues very cautiously. That just
means that it is all upside risk for the state. That is a good thing for the state, just so the member opposite knows.
Anyway,
the record is there. The Liberals and Nationals cannot manage money. What did
the last federal government blow debt to? It was $1 trillion. In all its
discussion, the opposition is ignoring the fact that over the COVID period we
spent around $12 billion in COVID response. We had to invest that in terms of
COVID response in order to manage the situation we faced. Despite that, we are
in the position we are, which is the strongest financial and economic position
of anywhere in Australia and probably the world.
the last financial year, debt will go down $1.7 billion. By 30 June, it will go
down to $27.9 billion. Does the Leader of the Liberal Party understand the
financial year? It concludes on 30 June. That is a drop of $1.7 billion in debt.
It is the fourth year in a row that debt has gone down. As I said to the
member, no other government in Australia is doing that, yet she comes in here
and complains about it. Every other state in Australia looks at Western Australia
and is envious of what is occurring here.
Ms L. Mettam : You have had
the windfalls.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I have two
points to make about that. Firstly, as I said to the member, the mining boom
from 2007–08 through to 2014 was monumental—bigger than the
existing successor resources industry, yet the former government managed to
blow debt because it did not manage its finances. It actually requires you to
show some strength in government, which you
did not show; we have. Secondly, we have surpluses across the forward estimates .
I explained to the member how the forward estimates work. I expect that debt
will come down next year because we budget cautiously. It has gone down each
year even though the forward estimates had it going up, because we estimate our revenues very cautiously. That just
means that it is all upside risk for the state. That is a good thing for the state, just so the member opposite knows.
Anyway,
the record is there. The Liberals and Nationals cannot manage money. What did
the last federal government blow debt to? It was $1 trillion. In all its
discussion, the opposition is ignoring the fact that over the COVID period we
spent around $12 billion in COVID response. We had to invest that in terms of
COVID response in order to manage the situation we faced. Despite that, we are
in the position we are, which is the strongest financial and economic position
of anywhere in Australia and probably the world.
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