Question on Notice regarding the potential for a state budget deficit in Western Australia due to the economic downturn and the government's commitment to a 47% revenue cap. The Premier avoids a direct answer, citing uncertainty.

AnsweredQoN 137Legislative Assembly
Asked
3 December 2008
Portfolio
Premier

QuestionView source ↗

STATE BUDGET — POSSIBLE DEFICIT
Mr C.J. BARNETT

AnswerView source ↗

It would depend on the severity of the economic downturn. Hopefully it will not be severe. Mr E.S. Ripper : Are you going to keep the 47 per cent revenue cap? Mr C.J. BARNETT : I cannot foretell the future. Mr E.S. Ripper : Are you going to maintain that as a financial target? Mr C.J. BARNETT : As if I can foretell the future. Mr E.S. Ripper : I’m not asking you to foretell the future; I’m asking you what the position is. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition is asking me to foretell the future. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is it your position to maintain that cap? Mr C.J. BARNETT : This government will have to make serious decisions about the capital works program and the size of, and growth in, the public service. Mr E.S. Ripper : What decisions will you make on the 47 per cent cap? Mr C.J. BARNETT : In the not-too-distant future the midyear financial results will come out and the opposition, like the government, will be able to look at them. We will then make whatever corrective decisions are necessary. Our objective is to keep debt-to-revenue ratios as they were and contain state debt.
It would depend on the severity of the economic downturn. Hopefully it will not be severe. Mr E.S. Ripper : Are you going to keep the 47 per cent revenue cap? Mr C.J. BARNETT : I cannot foretell the future. Mr E.S. Ripper : Are you going to maintain that as a financial target? Mr C.J. BARNETT : As if I can foretell the future. Mr E.S. Ripper : I’m not asking you to foretell the future; I’m asking you what the position is. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition is asking me to foretell the future. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is it your position to maintain that cap? Mr C.J. BARNETT : This government will have to make serious decisions about the capital works program and the size of, and growth in, the public service. Mr E.S. Ripper : What decisions will you make on the 47 per cent cap? Mr C.J. BARNETT : In the not-too-distant future the midyear financial results will come out and the opposition, like the government, will be able to look at them. We will then make whatever corrective decisions are necessary. Our objective is to keep debt-to-revenue ratios as they were and contain state debt.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Are you going to keep the 47 per cent revenue cap? Mr C.J. BARNETT : I cannot foretell the future. Mr E.S. Ripper : Are you going to maintain that as a financial target? Mr C.J. BARNETT : As if I can foretell the future. Mr E.S. Ripper : I’m not asking you to foretell the future; I’m asking you what the position is. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition is asking me to foretell the future. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is it your position to maintain that cap? Mr C.J. BARNETT : This government will have to make serious decisions about the capital works program and the size of, and growth in, the public service. Mr E.S. Ripper : What decisions will you make on the 47 per cent cap? Mr C.J. BARNETT : In the not-too-distant future the midyear financial results will come out and the opposition, like the government, will be able to look at them. We will then make whatever corrective decisions are necessary. Our objective is to keep debt-to-revenue ratios as they were and contain state debt.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I cannot foretell the future. Mr E.S. Ripper : Are you going to maintain that as a financial target? Mr C.J. BARNETT : As if I can foretell the future. Mr E.S. Ripper : I’m not asking you to foretell the future; I’m asking you what the position is. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition is asking me to foretell the future. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is it your position to maintain that cap? Mr C.J. BARNETT : This government will have to make serious decisions about the capital works program and the size of, and growth in, the public service. Mr E.S. Ripper : What decisions will you make on the 47 per cent cap? Mr C.J. BARNETT : In the not-too-distant future the midyear financial results will come out and the opposition, like the government, will be able to look at them. We will then make whatever corrective decisions are necessary. Our objective is to keep debt-to-revenue ratios as they were and contain state debt.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Are you going to maintain that as a financial target? Mr C.J. BARNETT : As if I can foretell the future. Mr E.S. Ripper : I’m not asking you to foretell the future; I’m asking you what the position is. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition is asking me to foretell the future. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is it your position to maintain that cap? Mr C.J. BARNETT : This government will have to make serious decisions about the capital works program and the size of, and growth in, the public service. Mr E.S. Ripper : What decisions will you make on the 47 per cent cap? Mr C.J. BARNETT : In the not-too-distant future the midyear financial results will come out and the opposition, like the government, will be able to look at them. We will then make whatever corrective decisions are necessary. Our objective is to keep debt-to-revenue ratios as they were and contain state debt.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : As if I can foretell the future. Mr E.S. Ripper : I’m not asking you to foretell the future; I’m asking you what the position is. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition is asking me to foretell the future. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is it your position to maintain that cap? Mr C.J. BARNETT : This government will have to make serious decisions about the capital works program and the size of, and growth in, the public service. Mr E.S. Ripper : What decisions will you make on the 47 per cent cap? Mr C.J. BARNETT : In the not-too-distant future the midyear financial results will come out and the opposition, like the government, will be able to look at them. We will then make whatever corrective decisions are necessary. Our objective is to keep debt-to-revenue ratios as they were and contain state debt.
Mr E.S. Ripper : I’m not asking you to foretell the future; I’m asking you what the position is. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition is asking me to foretell the future. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is it your position to maintain that cap? Mr C.J. BARNETT : This government will have to make serious decisions about the capital works program and the size of, and growth in, the public service. Mr E.S. Ripper : What decisions will you make on the 47 per cent cap? Mr C.J. BARNETT : In the not-too-distant future the midyear financial results will come out and the opposition, like the government, will be able to look at them. We will then make whatever corrective decisions are necessary. Our objective is to keep debt-to-revenue ratios as they were and contain state debt.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition is asking me to foretell the future. Mr E.S. Ripper : Is it your position to maintain that cap? Mr C.J. BARNETT : This government will have to make serious decisions about the capital works program and the size of, and growth in, the public service. Mr E.S. Ripper : What decisions will you make on the 47 per cent cap? Mr C.J. BARNETT : In the not-too-distant future the midyear financial results will come out and the opposition, like the government, will be able to look at them. We will then make whatever corrective decisions are necessary. Our objective is to keep debt-to-revenue ratios as they were and contain state debt.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Is it your position to maintain that cap? Mr C.J. BARNETT : This government will have to make serious decisions about the capital works program and the size of, and growth in, the public service. Mr E.S. Ripper : What decisions will you make on the 47 per cent cap? Mr C.J. BARNETT : In the not-too-distant future the midyear financial results will come out and the opposition, like the government, will be able to look at them. We will then make whatever corrective decisions are necessary. Our objective is to keep debt-to-revenue ratios as they were and contain state debt.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : This government will have to make serious decisions about the capital works program and the size of, and growth in, the public service. Mr E.S. Ripper : What decisions will you make on the 47 per cent cap? Mr C.J. BARNETT : In the not-too-distant future the midyear financial results will come out and the opposition, like the government, will be able to look at them. We will then make whatever corrective decisions are necessary. Our objective is to keep debt-to-revenue ratios as they were and contain state debt.
Mr E.S. Ripper : What decisions will you make on the 47 per cent cap? Mr C.J. BARNETT : In the not-too-distant future the midyear financial results will come out and the opposition, like the government, will be able to look at them. We will then make whatever corrective decisions are necessary. Our objective is to keep debt-to-revenue ratios as they were and contain state debt.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : In the not-too-distant future the midyear financial results will come out and the opposition, like the government, will be able to look at them. We will then make whatever corrective decisions are necessary. Our objective is to keep debt-to-revenue ratios as they were and contain state debt.

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