❓ Mr. Nalder questions the Premier about unspent COVID-19 rent assistance funds. The Premier assures that all funds will be used for recovery initiatives and reallocated if necessary, highlighting WA's strong economic performance.
AnsweredQoN 675Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS —
ECONOMIC RECOVERY PACKAGE
675. Mr
D.C. NALDER to the Premier:
I refer to Jacob Kagi's
report last night on ABC news that shone a light on the government's
very poorly designed and delivered COVID
economic policy response. Can the Premier confirm that $123 million out of the
$130 million intended for rent assistance measures has not gone to
struggling Western Australians and remains unspent in Treasury coffers?
ECONOMIC RECOVERY PACKAGE
675. Mr
D.C. NALDER to the Premier:
I refer to Jacob Kagi's
report last night on ABC news that shone a light on the government's
very poorly designed and delivered COVID
economic policy response. Can the Premier confirm that $123 million out of the
$130 million intended for rent assistance measures has not gone to
struggling Western Australians and remains unspent in Treasury coffers?
AnswerView source ↗
Every
dollar set aside for those recovery initiatives will go into recovery
initiatives. Yesterday, I was able to announce an enhancement of our
building bonus program of $30 million, taking it to $147 million. If programs
like the ones the member outlined are not as fully subscribed as we would hope —
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I will just
explain that. If programs are not as fully subscribed as one might hope, we
will make sure that the funds are allocated to other initiatives that support
economic activity across Western Australia for
small businesses and medium-sized enterprises. That just makes sense.
Obviously, and this is the case in all states , the initiatives around
land tax were not as heavily subscribed as we would have expected. In Western Australia's
case, that is partly because our economy is doing the best of anywhere in the
nation. As I outlined to the house a moment ago, and will outline again for the
member, looking at the actual statistics on consumer spending on entertainment,
hospitality, retail goods or whatever it might be, Western Australia is leading
the nation. The reason behind that is that we have a more open and free
economy. We have kept our trading relationships strong, as best we can in light
of some of the forces against that, and we have also kept, at this point in
time, COVID out of Western Australia. If the member has a question about that
matter, I will be happy to answer it.
dollar set aside for those recovery initiatives will go into recovery
initiatives. Yesterday, I was able to announce an enhancement of our
building bonus program of $30 million, taking it to $147 million. If programs
like the ones the member outlined are not as fully subscribed as we would hope —
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I will just
explain that. If programs are not as fully subscribed as one might hope, we
will make sure that the funds are allocated to other initiatives that support
economic activity across Western Australia for
small businesses and medium-sized enterprises. That just makes sense.
Obviously, and this is the case in all states , the initiatives around
land tax were not as heavily subscribed as we would have expected. In Western Australia's
case, that is partly because our economy is doing the best of anywhere in the
nation. As I outlined to the house a moment ago, and will outline again for the
member, looking at the actual statistics on consumer spending on entertainment,
hospitality, retail goods or whatever it might be, Western Australia is leading
the nation. The reason behind that is that we have a more open and free
economy. We have kept our trading relationships strong, as best we can in light
of some of the forces against that, and we have also kept, at this point in
time, COVID out of Western Australia. If the member has a question about that
matter, I will be happy to answer it.
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