❓ Mr. Murray questions the Premier about the progress and specifics of the government's asset privatisation plan to reduce state debt. The Premier outlines the rationale and process, indicating land sales will be prioritised initially.
AnsweredQoN 453Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STATE
FINANCES — ASSET SALES
453. Mr M.P. MURRAY to the
Premier:
Sorry about the queue jumpers before who messed up your
program, Mr Speaker!
The 2014–15 state budget flagged an asset
privatisation plan to reduce state debt and nominated the Premier to oversee an
orderly program of asset sales.
(1) How is the Premier's design of an orderly program
of asset sales progressing?
(2) Can the
Premier nominate the government-owned assets that are considered priorities for
privatisation?
(3) Does the
Premier think it is appropriate to leave not only his own government agencies
and their employees, but also the people of WA, in limbo about their futures
and the future supply of government services?
FINANCES — ASSET SALES
453. Mr M.P. MURRAY to the
Premier:
Sorry about the queue jumpers before who messed up your
program, Mr Speaker!
The 2014–15 state budget flagged an asset
privatisation plan to reduce state debt and nominated the Premier to oversee an
orderly program of asset sales.
(1) How is the Premier's design of an orderly program
of asset sales progressing?
(2) Can the
Premier nominate the government-owned assets that are considered priorities for
privatisation?
(3) Does the
Premier think it is appropriate to leave not only his own government agencies
and their employees, but also the people of WA, in limbo about their futures
and the future supply of government services?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3)
This government has been building $7 billion to $8 billion of new capital
assets every year. In the course of that it is sensible to also look at some
assets that can be transferred from public ownership into private ownership to
not only raise money, which will be used principally to retire debt, but also
partially help fund new assets—that is just sensible. We have yet to
determine which assets will be offered up for sale, and there are some complex
issues about some of those assets. The initial sales will primarily be land and
I expect to be able to announce in the next few weeks which parcels of land
will be put on to the market and which priority assets we will address. It can
be expected that this will be an ongoing program and we expect to be able to
contain the growth in debt through that process and to also fund some new
investments.
This government has been building $7 billion to $8 billion of new capital
assets every year. In the course of that it is sensible to also look at some
assets that can be transferred from public ownership into private ownership to
not only raise money, which will be used principally to retire debt, but also
partially help fund new assets—that is just sensible. We have yet to
determine which assets will be offered up for sale, and there are some complex
issues about some of those assets. The initial sales will primarily be land and
I expect to be able to announce in the next few weeks which parcels of land
will be put on to the market and which priority assets we will address. It can
be expected that this will be an ongoing program and we expect to be able to
contain the growth in debt through that process and to also fund some new
investments.
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