❓ Mrs Munday questions the Treasurer on WA's economic strength and collaboration with the federal government. The Treasurer responds by highlighting WA's economic achievements and criticises the Liberal Party's approach to planning approvals.
AnsweredQoN 344Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
State economy—Approvals process
344. Mrs Lisa Munday to
the Treasurer:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to maintaining Western Australia as the strongest
economy in the nation.
(1) Can the Treasurer please outline to the house
how the Cook Labor government is working in partnership with the Albanese Labor
government in the lead-up to the federal productivity round table?
(2) Can the Treasurer also advise the house what
measures this government is taking to ensure that Western Australia remains
positioned to be the economic powerhouse of the nation?
344. Mrs Lisa Munday to
the Treasurer:
I refer to the Cook
Labor government's commitment to maintaining Western Australia as the strongest
economy in the nation.
(1) Can the Treasurer please outline to the house
how the Cook Labor government is working in partnership with the Albanese Labor
government in the lead-up to the federal productivity round table?
(2) Can the Treasurer also advise the house what
measures this government is taking to ensure that Western Australia remains
positioned to be the economic powerhouse of the nation?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I thank the member for Dawesville
for that question. Of course, all the statistics show that we have been leading
the nation in recent years when it comes to economic growth—the
strongest state final demand, the strongest domestic economy, the strongest
business investment, the strongest retail trade, the strongest consumer
confidence and, of course, some of the best job numbers in our history. But we
know that we have to work hard to keep that economic momentum so that we can
grow jobs and opportunities and make sure that we support our budget to be able
to spend on key areas across government. As part of the lead-up to the round table
that is happening right now, we have been working with the Albanese government through the Board of Treasurers and directly with the
federal Treasurer, with meetings last week about initiatives to try to
support future economic growth and economic productivity.
Of course, the big focus is
economic infrastructure—our delivery of ports, roads, rail, energy and
water supplies across the state to support new investment. We have also had improvements
in our approvals process. A key focus of these three days will be the approvals
process and making sure that we do not duplicate or create more red tape, and that
other states in fact copy what has been undertaken in Western Australia to
remove red tape to support a more streamlined approvals process. We know that
we are in global competition for capital and that people want confidence in our
approvals system. That has been a big focus. Of course, there was the Productivity
Commission announcement made today by the Premier and me, again making sure
that we have our own systems in place to continually look at how we facilitate
economic infrastructure, how to get common-user infrastructure and how to have
a regulatory system in place to ensure open access to monopolistic
infrastructure to support new entrants throughout WA. There is a lot of work
happening.
The whole nation is talking
about how to simplify approvals. That is the current theme. There is only one
side of politics across the whole nation that is looking at putting more red
tape into the approvals system, and that is the Liberal Party. Remember, this
was a party that was all about supporting business and cutting red tape, and
now it has launched a parliamentary inquiry into putting more red tape into the
system. Can members believe that? The whole nation is looking at productivity, efficiency
and how to support investment, and we have a parliamentary committee commenced
and headed by the Liberal Party to put more red tape into the planning system. I
refer to the ABC article "Parliamentary inquiry to probe Cook government's
anti-NIMBY planning laws". They have set up an inquiry to try to reject
planning laws that are supporting more housing. This is something that I will
keep making points about in the community, as I know the Minister for Planning does,
and also across the nation. I will tell other Treasurers that we have a Liberal
Party in WA that is actually undertaking a parliamentary committee to recommend
more red tape.
Dr Tony Buti: The member for Nedlands must be
home sick about it.
Ms Rita Saffioti: We cannot comment that he is not
here, but I agree.
Last week, Liberal
Party members demonstrated that they cannot count. This week, we again
demonstrate that they are economic vandals who will do anything to stop
investment in this state.
for that question. Of course, all the statistics show that we have been leading
the nation in recent years when it comes to economic growth—the
strongest state final demand, the strongest domestic economy, the strongest
business investment, the strongest retail trade, the strongest consumer
confidence and, of course, some of the best job numbers in our history. But we
know that we have to work hard to keep that economic momentum so that we can
grow jobs and opportunities and make sure that we support our budget to be able
to spend on key areas across government. As part of the lead-up to the round table
that is happening right now, we have been working with the Albanese government through the Board of Treasurers and directly with the
federal Treasurer, with meetings last week about initiatives to try to
support future economic growth and economic productivity.
Of course, the big focus is
economic infrastructure—our delivery of ports, roads, rail, energy and
water supplies across the state to support new investment. We have also had improvements
in our approvals process. A key focus of these three days will be the approvals
process and making sure that we do not duplicate or create more red tape, and that
other states in fact copy what has been undertaken in Western Australia to
remove red tape to support a more streamlined approvals process. We know that
we are in global competition for capital and that people want confidence in our
approvals system. That has been a big focus. Of course, there was the Productivity
Commission announcement made today by the Premier and me, again making sure
that we have our own systems in place to continually look at how we facilitate
economic infrastructure, how to get common-user infrastructure and how to have
a regulatory system in place to ensure open access to monopolistic
infrastructure to support new entrants throughout WA. There is a lot of work
happening.
The whole nation is talking
about how to simplify approvals. That is the current theme. There is only one
side of politics across the whole nation that is looking at putting more red
tape into the approvals system, and that is the Liberal Party. Remember, this
was a party that was all about supporting business and cutting red tape, and
now it has launched a parliamentary inquiry into putting more red tape into the
system. Can members believe that? The whole nation is looking at productivity, efficiency
and how to support investment, and we have a parliamentary committee commenced
and headed by the Liberal Party to put more red tape into the planning system. I
refer to the ABC article "Parliamentary inquiry to probe Cook government's
anti-NIMBY planning laws". They have set up an inquiry to try to reject
planning laws that are supporting more housing. This is something that I will
keep making points about in the community, as I know the Minister for Planning does,
and also across the nation. I will tell other Treasurers that we have a Liberal
Party in WA that is actually undertaking a parliamentary committee to recommend
more red tape.
Dr Tony Buti: The member for Nedlands must be
home sick about it.
Ms Rita Saffioti: We cannot comment that he is not
here, but I agree.
Last week, Liberal
Party members demonstrated that they cannot count. This week, we again
demonstrate that they are economic vandals who will do anything to stop
investment in this state.
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