❓ Mr. Mubarakai asks about support for Lotterywest retailers. Premier McGowan details increased commissions, stopped synthetic lotteries, and other support measures, linking it to overall economic growth.
AnsweredQoN 456Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
LOTTERYWEST RETAILERS
456. Mr Y. MUBARAKAI to the Premier:
I refer to the McGowan Labor government's commitment
to supporting the small businesses that drive our economy and create jobs. Can
the Premier advise the house how the McGowan Labor government is providing more
support for local Lotterywest retailers, and can the Premier outline to the
house why these small local businesses are so important to our economy?
456. Mr Y. MUBARAKAI to the Premier:
I refer to the McGowan Labor government's commitment
to supporting the small businesses that drive our economy and create jobs. Can
the Premier advise the house how the McGowan Labor government is providing more
support for local Lotterywest retailers, and can the Premier outline to the
house why these small local businesses are so important to our economy?
AnswerView source ↗
Mr Speaker —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Let me see! Minister for Sport and
Recreation, I call you to order, and the member for Vasse.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Can I thank the member for Jandakot for
the question. As we know, the member for Jandakot is a small business person,
who has had the initiative to set up and invest and create opportunities for
himself and his family.
Around 97 per cent of businesses in Western Australia are
small businesses, and they employ around half a million of our citizens. What
we have done, and what I have done, in conjunction with Lotterywest, for the
Lotterywest retailers has been to provide them with enormous additional support
since this government came to office. As we know, under the last government,
the retailers were suffering, and, frankly, were being treated very badly, as
some of the stories that we might hear from those retailers about what occurred
will attest. When we came to office, we set about fixing that. One of the
things we did was to change the arrangements for fit-outs, to stop retailers
from having that enormous expense—that change for change's sake
that did not achieve anything for them. We saved them tens of thousands of
dollars as a consequence. We also legislated to stop the synthetic lotteries
coming in and taking away their business, which was something they had been
calling for and which this government did. Two weeks ago, I was able to launch
a new package to support Lotterywest retailers. As we know, the retailers are
the newsagencies and standalone Lotterywest retailers in shopping centres and
on streets across Western Australia. We have announced that we will increase
the commission paid to retailers by nearly 11 per cent. This will mean that our
Lotterywest retailers in Western Australia are the best rewarded of any outlets
anywhere in Australia. This will give them support in a difficult market. That
means that potentially tens of thousands of dollars, and perhaps even more,
will go to retailers in extra commissions each year. We are also putting in
place measures to ensure that if they sign up a new member, there will be an
opportunity for them to share part of the commission from online purchases that
the member then makes, which is something they have sought for some time. There
will be new initiatives to support the sale of gift cards and so-called fast
tickets, enhance membership programs and promotions, mentor retailers, and
provide new digital communications assistance, so that emails and the like can
go to customers to make sure we build the connection between retailers and
customers. I would like to thank Lotterywest and its board for working
cooperatively with me, which I was very keen on. I would like to thank Susan
Hunt, who has proven to be an excellent CEO of Lotterywest and Healthway.
I add in this context that small
business obviously needs the economy to grow. Under this government, the
economy has grown. Some people do not understand the way in which this works,
so I will explain it. Under this government, the economy has grown by 3.8 per
cent over the last two years.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : In the year
prior to our election to office, the economy shrank. It was the first recession
on record in the history of Western Australia. We got the economy out of
recession and it has been growing since we have been in office.
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I know that
members opposite do not like that. They had the worst methamphetamine record in
history and the only recession in history.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : This
government has got the economy growing once again. I am very pleased with what
we have done for Lotterywest and for the many hundreds of small business people
out there and their families, who are the beneficiaries of the actions we have
taken.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Let me see! Minister for Sport and
Recreation, I call you to order, and the member for Vasse.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Can I thank the member for Jandakot for
the question. As we know, the member for Jandakot is a small business person,
who has had the initiative to set up and invest and create opportunities for
himself and his family.
Around 97 per cent of businesses in Western Australia are
small businesses, and they employ around half a million of our citizens. What
we have done, and what I have done, in conjunction with Lotterywest, for the
Lotterywest retailers has been to provide them with enormous additional support
since this government came to office. As we know, under the last government,
the retailers were suffering, and, frankly, were being treated very badly, as
some of the stories that we might hear from those retailers about what occurred
will attest. When we came to office, we set about fixing that. One of the
things we did was to change the arrangements for fit-outs, to stop retailers
from having that enormous expense—that change for change's sake
that did not achieve anything for them. We saved them tens of thousands of
dollars as a consequence. We also legislated to stop the synthetic lotteries
coming in and taking away their business, which was something they had been
calling for and which this government did. Two weeks ago, I was able to launch
a new package to support Lotterywest retailers. As we know, the retailers are
the newsagencies and standalone Lotterywest retailers in shopping centres and
on streets across Western Australia. We have announced that we will increase
the commission paid to retailers by nearly 11 per cent. This will mean that our
Lotterywest retailers in Western Australia are the best rewarded of any outlets
anywhere in Australia. This will give them support in a difficult market. That
means that potentially tens of thousands of dollars, and perhaps even more,
will go to retailers in extra commissions each year. We are also putting in
place measures to ensure that if they sign up a new member, there will be an
opportunity for them to share part of the commission from online purchases that
the member then makes, which is something they have sought for some time. There
will be new initiatives to support the sale of gift cards and so-called fast
tickets, enhance membership programs and promotions, mentor retailers, and
provide new digital communications assistance, so that emails and the like can
go to customers to make sure we build the connection between retailers and
customers. I would like to thank Lotterywest and its board for working
cooperatively with me, which I was very keen on. I would like to thank Susan
Hunt, who has proven to be an excellent CEO of Lotterywest and Healthway.
I add in this context that small
business obviously needs the economy to grow. Under this government, the
economy has grown. Some people do not understand the way in which this works,
so I will explain it. Under this government, the economy has grown by 3.8 per
cent over the last two years.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : In the year
prior to our election to office, the economy shrank. It was the first recession
on record in the history of Western Australia. We got the economy out of
recession and it has been growing since we have been in office.
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I know that
members opposite do not like that. They had the worst methamphetamine record in
history and the only recession in history.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : This
government has got the economy growing once again. I am very pleased with what
we have done for Lotterywest and for the many hundreds of small business people
out there and their families, who are the beneficiaries of the actions we have
taken.
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