❓ A member of the opposition party questions the government's timing of an announcement regarding the Port Hedland enhancement scheme, specifically why the announcement was made well before funding was available. The Minister's response deflects blame onto the previous government.
AnsweredQoN 513Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
I refer the minister to an announcement dated 25 May 2003, made by the Premier, of the Port Hedland enhancement scheme. (1) Why was that announcement made more than a year before the funds would be made available? (2) Why did the Government not provide funding in the 2003-04 financial year? Hon TOM STEPHENS
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) It does not surprise me that a member of the Opposition would ask a question as stupid as that. The Opposition is made up of a group of members from a Government that did no planning for its budget decisions by the time it left office. We found ourselves with a set of commitments that the former Government claimed to have made but for which it had not left any budget allocations to deliver those commitments. Hon Norman Moore: We have done more in regional Western Australia than you would have thought of. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon TOM STEPHENS: Unlike the former Government, when we make a commitment, we plan for the roll out of that commitment. Hon Norman Moore: You did not tell them when the money was coming. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We did that from the start. Hon Norman Moore: The press release does not mention when the money is to be made available. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Barry House: It is part of the Government’s strategy to announce something five times. Hon Norman Moore: It is the Geoff “Good News” Gallop syndrome. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Simon O’Brien is waiting patiently to ask a question while other members try to slip in additional questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
(1) Why was that announcement made more than a year before the funds would be made available? (2) Why did the Government not provide funding in the 2003-04 financial year? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(2) It does not surprise me that a member of the Opposition would ask a question as stupid as that. The Opposition is made up of a group of members from a Government that did no planning for its budget decisions by the time it left office. We found ourselves with a set of commitments that the former Government claimed to have made but for which it had not left any budget allocations to deliver those commitments. Hon Norman Moore: We have done more in regional Western Australia than you would have thought of. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon TOM STEPHENS: Unlike the former Government, when we make a commitment, we plan for the roll out of that commitment. Hon Norman Moore: You did not tell them when the money was coming. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We did that from the start. Hon Norman Moore: The press release does not mention when the money is to be made available. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Barry House: It is part of the Government’s strategy to announce something five times. Hon Norman Moore: It is the Geoff “Good News” Gallop syndrome. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Simon O’Brien is waiting patiently to ask a question while other members try to slip in additional questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
(2) Why did the Government not provide funding in the 2003-04 financial year? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(2) It does not surprise me that a member of the Opposition would ask a question as stupid as that. The Opposition is made up of a group of members from a Government that did no planning for its budget decisions by the time it left office. We found ourselves with a set of commitments that the former Government claimed to have made but for which it had not left any budget allocations to deliver those commitments. Hon Norman Moore: We have done more in regional Western Australia than you would have thought of. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon TOM STEPHENS: Unlike the former Government, when we make a commitment, we plan for the roll out of that commitment. Hon Norman Moore: You did not tell them when the money was coming. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We did that from the start. Hon Norman Moore: The press release does not mention when the money is to be made available. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Barry House: It is part of the Government’s strategy to announce something five times. Hon Norman Moore: It is the Geoff “Good News” Gallop syndrome. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Simon O’Brien is waiting patiently to ask a question while other members try to slip in additional questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(2) It does not surprise me that a member of the Opposition would ask a question as stupid as that. The Opposition is made up of a group of members from a Government that did no planning for its budget decisions by the time it left office. We found ourselves with a set of commitments that the former Government claimed to have made but for which it had not left any budget allocations to deliver those commitments. Hon Norman Moore: We have done more in regional Western Australia than you would have thought of. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon TOM STEPHENS: Unlike the former Government, when we make a commitment, we plan for the roll out of that commitment. Hon Norman Moore: You did not tell them when the money was coming. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We did that from the start. Hon Norman Moore: The press release does not mention when the money is to be made available. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Barry House: It is part of the Government’s strategy to announce something five times. Hon Norman Moore: It is the Geoff “Good News” Gallop syndrome. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Simon O’Brien is waiting patiently to ask a question while other members try to slip in additional questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
(1)-(2) It does not surprise me that a member of the Opposition would ask a question as stupid as that. The Opposition is made up of a group of members from a Government that did no planning for its budget decisions by the time it left office. We found ourselves with a set of commitments that the former Government claimed to have made but for which it had not left any budget allocations to deliver those commitments. Hon Norman Moore: We have done more in regional Western Australia than you would have thought of. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon TOM STEPHENS: Unlike the former Government, when we make a commitment, we plan for the roll out of that commitment. Hon Norman Moore: You did not tell them when the money was coming. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We did that from the start. Hon Norman Moore: The press release does not mention when the money is to be made available. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Barry House: It is part of the Government’s strategy to announce something five times. Hon Norman Moore: It is the Geoff “Good News” Gallop syndrome. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Simon O’Brien is waiting patiently to ask a question while other members try to slip in additional questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
Hon Norman Moore: We have done more in regional Western Australia than you would have thought of. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon TOM STEPHENS: Unlike the former Government, when we make a commitment, we plan for the roll out of that commitment. Hon Norman Moore: You did not tell them when the money was coming. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We did that from the start. Hon Norman Moore: The press release does not mention when the money is to be made available. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Barry House: It is part of the Government’s strategy to announce something five times. Hon Norman Moore: It is the Geoff “Good News” Gallop syndrome. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Simon O’Brien is waiting patiently to ask a question while other members try to slip in additional questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon TOM STEPHENS: Unlike the former Government, when we make a commitment, we plan for the roll out of that commitment. Hon Norman Moore: You did not tell them when the money was coming. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We did that from the start. Hon Norman Moore: The press release does not mention when the money is to be made available. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Barry House: It is part of the Government’s strategy to announce something five times. Hon Norman Moore: It is the Geoff “Good News” Gallop syndrome. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Simon O’Brien is waiting patiently to ask a question while other members try to slip in additional questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
Hon TOM STEPHENS: Unlike the former Government, when we make a commitment, we plan for the roll out of that commitment. Hon Norman Moore: You did not tell them when the money was coming. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We did that from the start. Hon Norman Moore: The press release does not mention when the money is to be made available. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Barry House: It is part of the Government’s strategy to announce something five times. Hon Norman Moore: It is the Geoff “Good News” Gallop syndrome. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Simon O’Brien is waiting patiently to ask a question while other members try to slip in additional questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
Hon Norman Moore: You did not tell them when the money was coming. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We did that from the start. Hon Norman Moore: The press release does not mention when the money is to be made available. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Barry House: It is part of the Government’s strategy to announce something five times. Hon Norman Moore: It is the Geoff “Good News” Gallop syndrome. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Simon O’Brien is waiting patiently to ask a question while other members try to slip in additional questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
Hon TOM STEPHENS: We did that from the start. Hon Norman Moore: The press release does not mention when the money is to be made available. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Barry House: It is part of the Government’s strategy to announce something five times. Hon Norman Moore: It is the Geoff “Good News” Gallop syndrome. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Simon O’Brien is waiting patiently to ask a question while other members try to slip in additional questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
Hon Norman Moore: The press release does not mention when the money is to be made available. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Barry House: It is part of the Government’s strategy to announce something five times. Hon Norman Moore: It is the Geoff “Good News” Gallop syndrome. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Simon O’Brien is waiting patiently to ask a question while other members try to slip in additional questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Barry House: It is part of the Government’s strategy to announce something five times. Hon Norman Moore: It is the Geoff “Good News” Gallop syndrome. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Simon O’Brien is waiting patiently to ask a question while other members try to slip in additional questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
Hon Barry House: It is part of the Government’s strategy to announce something five times. Hon Norman Moore: It is the Geoff “Good News” Gallop syndrome. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Simon O’Brien is waiting patiently to ask a question while other members try to slip in additional questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
Hon Norman Moore: It is the Geoff “Good News” Gallop syndrome. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Simon O’Brien is waiting patiently to ask a question while other members try to slip in additional questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Simon O’Brien is waiting patiently to ask a question while other members try to slip in additional questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
(1) Why was that announcement made more than a year before the funds would be made available? (2) Why did the Government not provide funding in the 2003-04 financial year? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(2) It does not surprise me that a member of the Opposition would ask a question as stupid as that. The Opposition is made up of a group of members from a Government that did no planning for its budget decisions by the time it left office. We found ourselves with a set of commitments that the former Government claimed to have made but for which it had not left any budget allocations to deliver those commitments. Hon Norman Moore: We have done more in regional Western Australia than you would have thought of. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon TOM STEPHENS: Unlike the former Government, when we make a commitment, we plan for the roll out of that commitment. Hon Norman Moore: You did not tell them when the money was coming. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We did that from the start. Hon Norman Moore: The press release does not mention when the money is to be made available. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Barry House: It is part of the Government’s strategy to announce something five times. Hon Norman Moore: It is the Geoff “Good News” Gallop syndrome. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Simon O’Brien is waiting patiently to ask a question while other members try to slip in additional questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
(2) Why did the Government not provide funding in the 2003-04 financial year? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(2) It does not surprise me that a member of the Opposition would ask a question as stupid as that. The Opposition is made up of a group of members from a Government that did no planning for its budget decisions by the time it left office. We found ourselves with a set of commitments that the former Government claimed to have made but for which it had not left any budget allocations to deliver those commitments. Hon Norman Moore: We have done more in regional Western Australia than you would have thought of. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon TOM STEPHENS: Unlike the former Government, when we make a commitment, we plan for the roll out of that commitment. Hon Norman Moore: You did not tell them when the money was coming. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We did that from the start. Hon Norman Moore: The press release does not mention when the money is to be made available. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Barry House: It is part of the Government’s strategy to announce something five times. Hon Norman Moore: It is the Geoff “Good News” Gallop syndrome. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Simon O’Brien is waiting patiently to ask a question while other members try to slip in additional questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(2) It does not surprise me that a member of the Opposition would ask a question as stupid as that. The Opposition is made up of a group of members from a Government that did no planning for its budget decisions by the time it left office. We found ourselves with a set of commitments that the former Government claimed to have made but for which it had not left any budget allocations to deliver those commitments. Hon Norman Moore: We have done more in regional Western Australia than you would have thought of. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon TOM STEPHENS: Unlike the former Government, when we make a commitment, we plan for the roll out of that commitment. Hon Norman Moore: You did not tell them when the money was coming. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We did that from the start. Hon Norman Moore: The press release does not mention when the money is to be made available. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Barry House: It is part of the Government’s strategy to announce something five times. Hon Norman Moore: It is the Geoff “Good News” Gallop syndrome. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Simon O’Brien is waiting patiently to ask a question while other members try to slip in additional questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
(1)-(2) It does not surprise me that a member of the Opposition would ask a question as stupid as that. The Opposition is made up of a group of members from a Government that did no planning for its budget decisions by the time it left office. We found ourselves with a set of commitments that the former Government claimed to have made but for which it had not left any budget allocations to deliver those commitments. Hon Norman Moore: We have done more in regional Western Australia than you would have thought of. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon TOM STEPHENS: Unlike the former Government, when we make a commitment, we plan for the roll out of that commitment. Hon Norman Moore: You did not tell them when the money was coming. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We did that from the start. Hon Norman Moore: The press release does not mention when the money is to be made available. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Barry House: It is part of the Government’s strategy to announce something five times. Hon Norman Moore: It is the Geoff “Good News” Gallop syndrome. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Simon O’Brien is waiting patiently to ask a question while other members try to slip in additional questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
Hon Norman Moore: We have done more in regional Western Australia than you would have thought of. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon TOM STEPHENS: Unlike the former Government, when we make a commitment, we plan for the roll out of that commitment. Hon Norman Moore: You did not tell them when the money was coming. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We did that from the start. Hon Norman Moore: The press release does not mention when the money is to be made available. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Barry House: It is part of the Government’s strategy to announce something five times. Hon Norman Moore: It is the Geoff “Good News” Gallop syndrome. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Simon O’Brien is waiting patiently to ask a question while other members try to slip in additional questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon TOM STEPHENS: Unlike the former Government, when we make a commitment, we plan for the roll out of that commitment. Hon Norman Moore: You did not tell them when the money was coming. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We did that from the start. Hon Norman Moore: The press release does not mention when the money is to be made available. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Barry House: It is part of the Government’s strategy to announce something five times. Hon Norman Moore: It is the Geoff “Good News” Gallop syndrome. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Simon O’Brien is waiting patiently to ask a question while other members try to slip in additional questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
Hon TOM STEPHENS: Unlike the former Government, when we make a commitment, we plan for the roll out of that commitment. Hon Norman Moore: You did not tell them when the money was coming. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We did that from the start. Hon Norman Moore: The press release does not mention when the money is to be made available. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Barry House: It is part of the Government’s strategy to announce something five times. Hon Norman Moore: It is the Geoff “Good News” Gallop syndrome. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Simon O’Brien is waiting patiently to ask a question while other members try to slip in additional questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
Hon Norman Moore: You did not tell them when the money was coming. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We did that from the start. Hon Norman Moore: The press release does not mention when the money is to be made available. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Barry House: It is part of the Government’s strategy to announce something five times. Hon Norman Moore: It is the Geoff “Good News” Gallop syndrome. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Simon O’Brien is waiting patiently to ask a question while other members try to slip in additional questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
Hon TOM STEPHENS: We did that from the start. Hon Norman Moore: The press release does not mention when the money is to be made available. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Barry House: It is part of the Government’s strategy to announce something five times. Hon Norman Moore: It is the Geoff “Good News” Gallop syndrome. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Simon O’Brien is waiting patiently to ask a question while other members try to slip in additional questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
Hon Norman Moore: The press release does not mention when the money is to be made available. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Barry House: It is part of the Government’s strategy to announce something five times. Hon Norman Moore: It is the Geoff “Good News” Gallop syndrome. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Simon O’Brien is waiting patiently to ask a question while other members try to slip in additional questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Barry House: It is part of the Government’s strategy to announce something five times. Hon Norman Moore: It is the Geoff “Good News” Gallop syndrome. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Simon O’Brien is waiting patiently to ask a question while other members try to slip in additional questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
Hon Barry House: It is part of the Government’s strategy to announce something five times. Hon Norman Moore: It is the Geoff “Good News” Gallop syndrome. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Simon O’Brien is waiting patiently to ask a question while other members try to slip in additional questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
Hon Norman Moore: It is the Geoff “Good News” Gallop syndrome. The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Simon O’Brien is waiting patiently to ask a question while other members try to slip in additional questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
The PRESIDENT: Order, members! Hon Simon O’Brien is waiting patiently to ask a question while other members try to slip in additional questions. Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
Hon TOM STEPHENS: We made it absolutely clear to the council that the BHP Billiton funds would flow first, and the Government’s funds would flow after that.
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