❓ Mr. Stephens questions the Treasurer on the inequity between WA's regional allowance and the federal district allowance, seeking adjustments in the midyear review. The Treasurer's response is initially tangential, focusing on federal tax zone rebates and ongoing discussions.
AnsweredQoN 704Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
REGIONAL ALLOWANCES — INEQUITY
In relatively recent times the Treasurer has been reported as being critical of the federal government’s tax zone rebates for isolated regions. He has described them as inadequate to meet the needs of regional residents. (1) How does the Treasurer justify the fact that the regional allowance paid by the Western Australian government to its regionally based workforce is only half the district allowance paid by the federal government to its workers based in regions like the Pilbara? (2) Does the Treasurer intend in the forthcoming midyear review to announce adjustments that will redress this inequitable situation? (3) Can the Treasurer relay to the house whatever the junior Treasurer told him to say? Mr T.R. BUSWELL
In relatively recent times the Treasurer has been reported as being critical of the federal government’s tax zone rebates for isolated regions. He has described them as inadequate to meet the needs of regional residents. (1) How does the Treasurer justify the fact that the regional allowance paid by the Western Australian government to its regionally based workforce is only half the district allowance paid by the federal government to its workers based in regions like the Pilbara? (2) Does the Treasurer intend in the forthcoming midyear review to announce adjustments that will redress this inequitable situation? (3) Can the Treasurer relay to the house whatever the junior Treasurer told him to say? Mr T.R. BUSWELL
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(3) He firstly congratulated me on my efforts in opening the Carnamah show on the weekend, which was on a scale to almost rival the Perth Royal Show, and you were there of course, Mr Speaker. But moving on — Mr M.P. Murray : What pen were you in? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I will tell you what, Mr Speaker; I got a ride in the car that did the burnouts on the track supervised by the local police, but I did not get to the lamington tent, member for Collie-Preston! It is a very important issue. In the state government’s submission to the Henry tax review, one of the first issues we identified was that of the tax zone rebate. Mr T.G. Stephens : My question is about district allowances. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I understand that and I will get to that in a second. The tax zone rebate has significantly fallen behind in real value over an extended period. I have to say that I will not guess what the figures were, but they were quite significant in the extent to which the zone rebate would have to be increased. I believe it was in the hundreds of per cents to return it to the real value of when it was adjusted last time. If we are looking at meeting the significant challenges of attracting and maintaining a workforce in rural and regional Western Australia, my view is that that is the single most important thing that we can get done. We have put forward a case to the commonwealth and we will work through that process. The district allowances issue was a matter that the National Party took to the election. It is, as I understand it, and it remains, part of the royalties for regions program. There are, as I understand it, ongoing discussions involving the minister and ongoing discussions involving the Department of Commerce, for which I am the minister, in and around district allowances. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
(1) How does the Treasurer justify the fact that the regional allowance paid by the Western Australian government to its regionally based workforce is only half the district allowance paid by the federal government to its workers based in regions like the Pilbara? (2) Does the Treasurer intend in the forthcoming midyear review to announce adjustments that will redress this inequitable situation? (3) Can the Treasurer relay to the house whatever the junior Treasurer told him to say? Mr T.R. BUSWELL replied: (1)-(3) He firstly congratulated me on my efforts in opening the Carnamah show on the weekend, which was on a scale to almost rival the Perth Royal Show, and you were there of course, Mr Speaker. But moving on — Mr M.P. Murray : What pen were you in? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I will tell you what, Mr Speaker; I got a ride in the car that did the burnouts on the track supervised by the local police, but I did not get to the lamington tent, member for Collie-Preston! It is a very important issue. In the state government’s submission to the Henry tax review, one of the first issues we identified was that of the tax zone rebate. Mr T.G. Stephens : My question is about district allowances. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I understand that and I will get to that in a second. The tax zone rebate has significantly fallen behind in real value over an extended period. I have to say that I will not guess what the figures were, but they were quite significant in the extent to which the zone rebate would have to be increased. I believe it was in the hundreds of per cents to return it to the real value of when it was adjusted last time. If we are looking at meeting the significant challenges of attracting and maintaining a workforce in rural and regional Western Australia, my view is that that is the single most important thing that we can get done. We have put forward a case to the commonwealth and we will work through that process. The district allowances issue was a matter that the National Party took to the election. It is, as I understand it, and it remains, part of the royalties for regions program. There are, as I understand it, ongoing discussions involving the minister and ongoing discussions involving the Department of Commerce, for which I am the minister, in and around district allowances. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
(2) Does the Treasurer intend in the forthcoming midyear review to announce adjustments that will redress this inequitable situation? (3) Can the Treasurer relay to the house whatever the junior Treasurer told him to say? Mr T.R. BUSWELL replied: (1)-(3) He firstly congratulated me on my efforts in opening the Carnamah show on the weekend, which was on a scale to almost rival the Perth Royal Show, and you were there of course, Mr Speaker. But moving on — Mr M.P. Murray : What pen were you in? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I will tell you what, Mr Speaker; I got a ride in the car that did the burnouts on the track supervised by the local police, but I did not get to the lamington tent, member for Collie-Preston! It is a very important issue. In the state government’s submission to the Henry tax review, one of the first issues we identified was that of the tax zone rebate. Mr T.G. Stephens : My question is about district allowances. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I understand that and I will get to that in a second. The tax zone rebate has significantly fallen behind in real value over an extended period. I have to say that I will not guess what the figures were, but they were quite significant in the extent to which the zone rebate would have to be increased. I believe it was in the hundreds of per cents to return it to the real value of when it was adjusted last time. If we are looking at meeting the significant challenges of attracting and maintaining a workforce in rural and regional Western Australia, my view is that that is the single most important thing that we can get done. We have put forward a case to the commonwealth and we will work through that process. The district allowances issue was a matter that the National Party took to the election. It is, as I understand it, and it remains, part of the royalties for regions program. There are, as I understand it, ongoing discussions involving the minister and ongoing discussions involving the Department of Commerce, for which I am the minister, in and around district allowances. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
(3) Can the Treasurer relay to the house whatever the junior Treasurer told him to say? Mr T.R. BUSWELL replied: (1)-(3) He firstly congratulated me on my efforts in opening the Carnamah show on the weekend, which was on a scale to almost rival the Perth Royal Show, and you were there of course, Mr Speaker. But moving on — Mr M.P. Murray : What pen were you in? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I will tell you what, Mr Speaker; I got a ride in the car that did the burnouts on the track supervised by the local police, but I did not get to the lamington tent, member for Collie-Preston! It is a very important issue. In the state government’s submission to the Henry tax review, one of the first issues we identified was that of the tax zone rebate. Mr T.G. Stephens : My question is about district allowances. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I understand that and I will get to that in a second. The tax zone rebate has significantly fallen behind in real value over an extended period. I have to say that I will not guess what the figures were, but they were quite significant in the extent to which the zone rebate would have to be increased. I believe it was in the hundreds of per cents to return it to the real value of when it was adjusted last time. If we are looking at meeting the significant challenges of attracting and maintaining a workforce in rural and regional Western Australia, my view is that that is the single most important thing that we can get done. We have put forward a case to the commonwealth and we will work through that process. The district allowances issue was a matter that the National Party took to the election. It is, as I understand it, and it remains, part of the royalties for regions program. There are, as I understand it, ongoing discussions involving the minister and ongoing discussions involving the Department of Commerce, for which I am the minister, in and around district allowances. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL replied: (1)-(3) He firstly congratulated me on my efforts in opening the Carnamah show on the weekend, which was on a scale to almost rival the Perth Royal Show, and you were there of course, Mr Speaker. But moving on — Mr M.P. Murray : What pen were you in? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I will tell you what, Mr Speaker; I got a ride in the car that did the burnouts on the track supervised by the local police, but I did not get to the lamington tent, member for Collie-Preston! It is a very important issue. In the state government’s submission to the Henry tax review, one of the first issues we identified was that of the tax zone rebate. Mr T.G. Stephens : My question is about district allowances. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I understand that and I will get to that in a second. The tax zone rebate has significantly fallen behind in real value over an extended period. I have to say that I will not guess what the figures were, but they were quite significant in the extent to which the zone rebate would have to be increased. I believe it was in the hundreds of per cents to return it to the real value of when it was adjusted last time. If we are looking at meeting the significant challenges of attracting and maintaining a workforce in rural and regional Western Australia, my view is that that is the single most important thing that we can get done. We have put forward a case to the commonwealth and we will work through that process. The district allowances issue was a matter that the National Party took to the election. It is, as I understand it, and it remains, part of the royalties for regions program. There are, as I understand it, ongoing discussions involving the minister and ongoing discussions involving the Department of Commerce, for which I am the minister, in and around district allowances. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
(1)-(3) He firstly congratulated me on my efforts in opening the Carnamah show on the weekend, which was on a scale to almost rival the Perth Royal Show, and you were there of course, Mr Speaker. But moving on — Mr M.P. Murray : What pen were you in? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I will tell you what, Mr Speaker; I got a ride in the car that did the burnouts on the track supervised by the local police, but I did not get to the lamington tent, member for Collie-Preston! It is a very important issue. In the state government’s submission to the Henry tax review, one of the first issues we identified was that of the tax zone rebate. Mr T.G. Stephens : My question is about district allowances. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I understand that and I will get to that in a second. The tax zone rebate has significantly fallen behind in real value over an extended period. I have to say that I will not guess what the figures were, but they were quite significant in the extent to which the zone rebate would have to be increased. I believe it was in the hundreds of per cents to return it to the real value of when it was adjusted last time. If we are looking at meeting the significant challenges of attracting and maintaining a workforce in rural and regional Western Australia, my view is that that is the single most important thing that we can get done. We have put forward a case to the commonwealth and we will work through that process. The district allowances issue was a matter that the National Party took to the election. It is, as I understand it, and it remains, part of the royalties for regions program. There are, as I understand it, ongoing discussions involving the minister and ongoing discussions involving the Department of Commerce, for which I am the minister, in and around district allowances. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
Mr M.P. Murray : What pen were you in? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I will tell you what, Mr Speaker; I got a ride in the car that did the burnouts on the track supervised by the local police, but I did not get to the lamington tent, member for Collie-Preston! It is a very important issue. In the state government’s submission to the Henry tax review, one of the first issues we identified was that of the tax zone rebate. Mr T.G. Stephens : My question is about district allowances. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I understand that and I will get to that in a second. The tax zone rebate has significantly fallen behind in real value over an extended period. I have to say that I will not guess what the figures were, but they were quite significant in the extent to which the zone rebate would have to be increased. I believe it was in the hundreds of per cents to return it to the real value of when it was adjusted last time. If we are looking at meeting the significant challenges of attracting and maintaining a workforce in rural and regional Western Australia, my view is that that is the single most important thing that we can get done. We have put forward a case to the commonwealth and we will work through that process. The district allowances issue was a matter that the National Party took to the election. It is, as I understand it, and it remains, part of the royalties for regions program. There are, as I understand it, ongoing discussions involving the minister and ongoing discussions involving the Department of Commerce, for which I am the minister, in and around district allowances. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I will tell you what, Mr Speaker; I got a ride in the car that did the burnouts on the track supervised by the local police, but I did not get to the lamington tent, member for Collie-Preston! It is a very important issue. In the state government’s submission to the Henry tax review, one of the first issues we identified was that of the tax zone rebate. Mr T.G. Stephens : My question is about district allowances. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I understand that and I will get to that in a second. The tax zone rebate has significantly fallen behind in real value over an extended period. I have to say that I will not guess what the figures were, but they were quite significant in the extent to which the zone rebate would have to be increased. I believe it was in the hundreds of per cents to return it to the real value of when it was adjusted last time. If we are looking at meeting the significant challenges of attracting and maintaining a workforce in rural and regional Western Australia, my view is that that is the single most important thing that we can get done. We have put forward a case to the commonwealth and we will work through that process. The district allowances issue was a matter that the National Party took to the election. It is, as I understand it, and it remains, part of the royalties for regions program. There are, as I understand it, ongoing discussions involving the minister and ongoing discussions involving the Department of Commerce, for which I am the minister, in and around district allowances. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
The SPEAKER : Members! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I will tell you what, Mr Speaker; I got a ride in the car that did the burnouts on the track supervised by the local police, but I did not get to the lamington tent, member for Collie-Preston! It is a very important issue. In the state government’s submission to the Henry tax review, one of the first issues we identified was that of the tax zone rebate. Mr T.G. Stephens : My question is about district allowances. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I understand that and I will get to that in a second. The tax zone rebate has significantly fallen behind in real value over an extended period. I have to say that I will not guess what the figures were, but they were quite significant in the extent to which the zone rebate would have to be increased. I believe it was in the hundreds of per cents to return it to the real value of when it was adjusted last time. If we are looking at meeting the significant challenges of attracting and maintaining a workforce in rural and regional Western Australia, my view is that that is the single most important thing that we can get done. We have put forward a case to the commonwealth and we will work through that process. The district allowances issue was a matter that the National Party took to the election. It is, as I understand it, and it remains, part of the royalties for regions program. There are, as I understand it, ongoing discussions involving the minister and ongoing discussions involving the Department of Commerce, for which I am the minister, in and around district allowances. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I will tell you what, Mr Speaker; I got a ride in the car that did the burnouts on the track supervised by the local police, but I did not get to the lamington tent, member for Collie-Preston! It is a very important issue. In the state government’s submission to the Henry tax review, one of the first issues we identified was that of the tax zone rebate. Mr T.G. Stephens : My question is about district allowances. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I understand that and I will get to that in a second. The tax zone rebate has significantly fallen behind in real value over an extended period. I have to say that I will not guess what the figures were, but they were quite significant in the extent to which the zone rebate would have to be increased. I believe it was in the hundreds of per cents to return it to the real value of when it was adjusted last time. If we are looking at meeting the significant challenges of attracting and maintaining a workforce in rural and regional Western Australia, my view is that that is the single most important thing that we can get done. We have put forward a case to the commonwealth and we will work through that process. The district allowances issue was a matter that the National Party took to the election. It is, as I understand it, and it remains, part of the royalties for regions program. There are, as I understand it, ongoing discussions involving the minister and ongoing discussions involving the Department of Commerce, for which I am the minister, in and around district allowances. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
It is a very important issue. In the state government’s submission to the Henry tax review, one of the first issues we identified was that of the tax zone rebate. Mr T.G. Stephens : My question is about district allowances. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I understand that and I will get to that in a second. The tax zone rebate has significantly fallen behind in real value over an extended period. I have to say that I will not guess what the figures were, but they were quite significant in the extent to which the zone rebate would have to be increased. I believe it was in the hundreds of per cents to return it to the real value of when it was adjusted last time. If we are looking at meeting the significant challenges of attracting and maintaining a workforce in rural and regional Western Australia, my view is that that is the single most important thing that we can get done. We have put forward a case to the commonwealth and we will work through that process. The district allowances issue was a matter that the National Party took to the election. It is, as I understand it, and it remains, part of the royalties for regions program. There are, as I understand it, ongoing discussions involving the minister and ongoing discussions involving the Department of Commerce, for which I am the minister, in and around district allowances. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
Mr T.G. Stephens : My question is about district allowances. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I understand that and I will get to that in a second. The tax zone rebate has significantly fallen behind in real value over an extended period. I have to say that I will not guess what the figures were, but they were quite significant in the extent to which the zone rebate would have to be increased. I believe it was in the hundreds of per cents to return it to the real value of when it was adjusted last time. If we are looking at meeting the significant challenges of attracting and maintaining a workforce in rural and regional Western Australia, my view is that that is the single most important thing that we can get done. We have put forward a case to the commonwealth and we will work through that process. The district allowances issue was a matter that the National Party took to the election. It is, as I understand it, and it remains, part of the royalties for regions program. There are, as I understand it, ongoing discussions involving the minister and ongoing discussions involving the Department of Commerce, for which I am the minister, in and around district allowances. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I understand that and I will get to that in a second. The tax zone rebate has significantly fallen behind in real value over an extended period. I have to say that I will not guess what the figures were, but they were quite significant in the extent to which the zone rebate would have to be increased. I believe it was in the hundreds of per cents to return it to the real value of when it was adjusted last time. If we are looking at meeting the significant challenges of attracting and maintaining a workforce in rural and regional Western Australia, my view is that that is the single most important thing that we can get done. We have put forward a case to the commonwealth and we will work through that process. The district allowances issue was a matter that the National Party took to the election. It is, as I understand it, and it remains, part of the royalties for regions program. There are, as I understand it, ongoing discussions involving the minister and ongoing discussions involving the Department of Commerce, for which I am the minister, in and around district allowances. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
The tax zone rebate has significantly fallen behind in real value over an extended period. I have to say that I will not guess what the figures were, but they were quite significant in the extent to which the zone rebate would have to be increased. I believe it was in the hundreds of per cents to return it to the real value of when it was adjusted last time. If we are looking at meeting the significant challenges of attracting and maintaining a workforce in rural and regional Western Australia, my view is that that is the single most important thing that we can get done. We have put forward a case to the commonwealth and we will work through that process. The district allowances issue was a matter that the National Party took to the election. It is, as I understand it, and it remains, part of the royalties for regions program. There are, as I understand it, ongoing discussions involving the minister and ongoing discussions involving the Department of Commerce, for which I am the minister, in and around district allowances. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
The district allowances issue was a matter that the National Party took to the election. It is, as I understand it, and it remains, part of the royalties for regions program. There are, as I understand it, ongoing discussions involving the minister and ongoing discussions involving the Department of Commerce, for which I am the minister, in and around district allowances. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
(1) How does the Treasurer justify the fact that the regional allowance paid by the Western Australian government to its regionally based workforce is only half the district allowance paid by the federal government to its workers based in regions like the Pilbara? (2) Does the Treasurer intend in the forthcoming midyear review to announce adjustments that will redress this inequitable situation? (3) Can the Treasurer relay to the house whatever the junior Treasurer told him to say? Mr T.R. BUSWELL replied: (1)-(3) He firstly congratulated me on my efforts in opening the Carnamah show on the weekend, which was on a scale to almost rival the Perth Royal Show, and you were there of course, Mr Speaker. But moving on — Mr M.P. Murray : What pen were you in? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I will tell you what, Mr Speaker; I got a ride in the car that did the burnouts on the track supervised by the local police, but I did not get to the lamington tent, member for Collie-Preston! It is a very important issue. In the state government’s submission to the Henry tax review, one of the first issues we identified was that of the tax zone rebate. Mr T.G. Stephens : My question is about district allowances. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I understand that and I will get to that in a second. The tax zone rebate has significantly fallen behind in real value over an extended period. I have to say that I will not guess what the figures were, but they were quite significant in the extent to which the zone rebate would have to be increased. I believe it was in the hundreds of per cents to return it to the real value of when it was adjusted last time. If we are looking at meeting the significant challenges of attracting and maintaining a workforce in rural and regional Western Australia, my view is that that is the single most important thing that we can get done. We have put forward a case to the commonwealth and we will work through that process. The district allowances issue was a matter that the National Party took to the election. It is, as I understand it, and it remains, part of the royalties for regions program. There are, as I understand it, ongoing discussions involving the minister and ongoing discussions involving the Department of Commerce, for which I am the minister, in and around district allowances. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
(2) Does the Treasurer intend in the forthcoming midyear review to announce adjustments that will redress this inequitable situation? (3) Can the Treasurer relay to the house whatever the junior Treasurer told him to say? Mr T.R. BUSWELL replied: (1)-(3) He firstly congratulated me on my efforts in opening the Carnamah show on the weekend, which was on a scale to almost rival the Perth Royal Show, and you were there of course, Mr Speaker. But moving on — Mr M.P. Murray : What pen were you in? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I will tell you what, Mr Speaker; I got a ride in the car that did the burnouts on the track supervised by the local police, but I did not get to the lamington tent, member for Collie-Preston! It is a very important issue. In the state government’s submission to the Henry tax review, one of the first issues we identified was that of the tax zone rebate. Mr T.G. Stephens : My question is about district allowances. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I understand that and I will get to that in a second. The tax zone rebate has significantly fallen behind in real value over an extended period. I have to say that I will not guess what the figures were, but they were quite significant in the extent to which the zone rebate would have to be increased. I believe it was in the hundreds of per cents to return it to the real value of when it was adjusted last time. If we are looking at meeting the significant challenges of attracting and maintaining a workforce in rural and regional Western Australia, my view is that that is the single most important thing that we can get done. We have put forward a case to the commonwealth and we will work through that process. The district allowances issue was a matter that the National Party took to the election. It is, as I understand it, and it remains, part of the royalties for regions program. There are, as I understand it, ongoing discussions involving the minister and ongoing discussions involving the Department of Commerce, for which I am the minister, in and around district allowances. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
(3) Can the Treasurer relay to the house whatever the junior Treasurer told him to say? Mr T.R. BUSWELL replied: (1)-(3) He firstly congratulated me on my efforts in opening the Carnamah show on the weekend, which was on a scale to almost rival the Perth Royal Show, and you were there of course, Mr Speaker. But moving on — Mr M.P. Murray : What pen were you in? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I will tell you what, Mr Speaker; I got a ride in the car that did the burnouts on the track supervised by the local police, but I did not get to the lamington tent, member for Collie-Preston! It is a very important issue. In the state government’s submission to the Henry tax review, one of the first issues we identified was that of the tax zone rebate. Mr T.G. Stephens : My question is about district allowances. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I understand that and I will get to that in a second. The tax zone rebate has significantly fallen behind in real value over an extended period. I have to say that I will not guess what the figures were, but they were quite significant in the extent to which the zone rebate would have to be increased. I believe it was in the hundreds of per cents to return it to the real value of when it was adjusted last time. If we are looking at meeting the significant challenges of attracting and maintaining a workforce in rural and regional Western Australia, my view is that that is the single most important thing that we can get done. We have put forward a case to the commonwealth and we will work through that process. The district allowances issue was a matter that the National Party took to the election. It is, as I understand it, and it remains, part of the royalties for regions program. There are, as I understand it, ongoing discussions involving the minister and ongoing discussions involving the Department of Commerce, for which I am the minister, in and around district allowances. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL replied: (1)-(3) He firstly congratulated me on my efforts in opening the Carnamah show on the weekend, which was on a scale to almost rival the Perth Royal Show, and you were there of course, Mr Speaker. But moving on — Mr M.P. Murray : What pen were you in? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I will tell you what, Mr Speaker; I got a ride in the car that did the burnouts on the track supervised by the local police, but I did not get to the lamington tent, member for Collie-Preston! It is a very important issue. In the state government’s submission to the Henry tax review, one of the first issues we identified was that of the tax zone rebate. Mr T.G. Stephens : My question is about district allowances. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I understand that and I will get to that in a second. The tax zone rebate has significantly fallen behind in real value over an extended period. I have to say that I will not guess what the figures were, but they were quite significant in the extent to which the zone rebate would have to be increased. I believe it was in the hundreds of per cents to return it to the real value of when it was adjusted last time. If we are looking at meeting the significant challenges of attracting and maintaining a workforce in rural and regional Western Australia, my view is that that is the single most important thing that we can get done. We have put forward a case to the commonwealth and we will work through that process. The district allowances issue was a matter that the National Party took to the election. It is, as I understand it, and it remains, part of the royalties for regions program. There are, as I understand it, ongoing discussions involving the minister and ongoing discussions involving the Department of Commerce, for which I am the minister, in and around district allowances. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
(1)-(3) He firstly congratulated me on my efforts in opening the Carnamah show on the weekend, which was on a scale to almost rival the Perth Royal Show, and you were there of course, Mr Speaker. But moving on — Mr M.P. Murray : What pen were you in? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I will tell you what, Mr Speaker; I got a ride in the car that did the burnouts on the track supervised by the local police, but I did not get to the lamington tent, member for Collie-Preston! It is a very important issue. In the state government’s submission to the Henry tax review, one of the first issues we identified was that of the tax zone rebate. Mr T.G. Stephens : My question is about district allowances. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I understand that and I will get to that in a second. The tax zone rebate has significantly fallen behind in real value over an extended period. I have to say that I will not guess what the figures were, but they were quite significant in the extent to which the zone rebate would have to be increased. I believe it was in the hundreds of per cents to return it to the real value of when it was adjusted last time. If we are looking at meeting the significant challenges of attracting and maintaining a workforce in rural and regional Western Australia, my view is that that is the single most important thing that we can get done. We have put forward a case to the commonwealth and we will work through that process. The district allowances issue was a matter that the National Party took to the election. It is, as I understand it, and it remains, part of the royalties for regions program. There are, as I understand it, ongoing discussions involving the minister and ongoing discussions involving the Department of Commerce, for which I am the minister, in and around district allowances. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
Mr M.P. Murray : What pen were you in? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I will tell you what, Mr Speaker; I got a ride in the car that did the burnouts on the track supervised by the local police, but I did not get to the lamington tent, member for Collie-Preston! It is a very important issue. In the state government’s submission to the Henry tax review, one of the first issues we identified was that of the tax zone rebate. Mr T.G. Stephens : My question is about district allowances. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I understand that and I will get to that in a second. The tax zone rebate has significantly fallen behind in real value over an extended period. I have to say that I will not guess what the figures were, but they were quite significant in the extent to which the zone rebate would have to be increased. I believe it was in the hundreds of per cents to return it to the real value of when it was adjusted last time. If we are looking at meeting the significant challenges of attracting and maintaining a workforce in rural and regional Western Australia, my view is that that is the single most important thing that we can get done. We have put forward a case to the commonwealth and we will work through that process. The district allowances issue was a matter that the National Party took to the election. It is, as I understand it, and it remains, part of the royalties for regions program. There are, as I understand it, ongoing discussions involving the minister and ongoing discussions involving the Department of Commerce, for which I am the minister, in and around district allowances. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I will tell you what, Mr Speaker; I got a ride in the car that did the burnouts on the track supervised by the local police, but I did not get to the lamington tent, member for Collie-Preston! It is a very important issue. In the state government’s submission to the Henry tax review, one of the first issues we identified was that of the tax zone rebate. Mr T.G. Stephens : My question is about district allowances. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I understand that and I will get to that in a second. The tax zone rebate has significantly fallen behind in real value over an extended period. I have to say that I will not guess what the figures were, but they were quite significant in the extent to which the zone rebate would have to be increased. I believe it was in the hundreds of per cents to return it to the real value of when it was adjusted last time. If we are looking at meeting the significant challenges of attracting and maintaining a workforce in rural and regional Western Australia, my view is that that is the single most important thing that we can get done. We have put forward a case to the commonwealth and we will work through that process. The district allowances issue was a matter that the National Party took to the election. It is, as I understand it, and it remains, part of the royalties for regions program. There are, as I understand it, ongoing discussions involving the minister and ongoing discussions involving the Department of Commerce, for which I am the minister, in and around district allowances. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
The SPEAKER : Members! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I will tell you what, Mr Speaker; I got a ride in the car that did the burnouts on the track supervised by the local police, but I did not get to the lamington tent, member for Collie-Preston! It is a very important issue. In the state government’s submission to the Henry tax review, one of the first issues we identified was that of the tax zone rebate. Mr T.G. Stephens : My question is about district allowances. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I understand that and I will get to that in a second. The tax zone rebate has significantly fallen behind in real value over an extended period. I have to say that I will not guess what the figures were, but they were quite significant in the extent to which the zone rebate would have to be increased. I believe it was in the hundreds of per cents to return it to the real value of when it was adjusted last time. If we are looking at meeting the significant challenges of attracting and maintaining a workforce in rural and regional Western Australia, my view is that that is the single most important thing that we can get done. We have put forward a case to the commonwealth and we will work through that process. The district allowances issue was a matter that the National Party took to the election. It is, as I understand it, and it remains, part of the royalties for regions program. There are, as I understand it, ongoing discussions involving the minister and ongoing discussions involving the Department of Commerce, for which I am the minister, in and around district allowances. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I will tell you what, Mr Speaker; I got a ride in the car that did the burnouts on the track supervised by the local police, but I did not get to the lamington tent, member for Collie-Preston! It is a very important issue. In the state government’s submission to the Henry tax review, one of the first issues we identified was that of the tax zone rebate. Mr T.G. Stephens : My question is about district allowances. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I understand that and I will get to that in a second. The tax zone rebate has significantly fallen behind in real value over an extended period. I have to say that I will not guess what the figures were, but they were quite significant in the extent to which the zone rebate would have to be increased. I believe it was in the hundreds of per cents to return it to the real value of when it was adjusted last time. If we are looking at meeting the significant challenges of attracting and maintaining a workforce in rural and regional Western Australia, my view is that that is the single most important thing that we can get done. We have put forward a case to the commonwealth and we will work through that process. The district allowances issue was a matter that the National Party took to the election. It is, as I understand it, and it remains, part of the royalties for regions program. There are, as I understand it, ongoing discussions involving the minister and ongoing discussions involving the Department of Commerce, for which I am the minister, in and around district allowances. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
It is a very important issue. In the state government’s submission to the Henry tax review, one of the first issues we identified was that of the tax zone rebate. Mr T.G. Stephens : My question is about district allowances. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I understand that and I will get to that in a second. The tax zone rebate has significantly fallen behind in real value over an extended period. I have to say that I will not guess what the figures were, but they were quite significant in the extent to which the zone rebate would have to be increased. I believe it was in the hundreds of per cents to return it to the real value of when it was adjusted last time. If we are looking at meeting the significant challenges of attracting and maintaining a workforce in rural and regional Western Australia, my view is that that is the single most important thing that we can get done. We have put forward a case to the commonwealth and we will work through that process. The district allowances issue was a matter that the National Party took to the election. It is, as I understand it, and it remains, part of the royalties for regions program. There are, as I understand it, ongoing discussions involving the minister and ongoing discussions involving the Department of Commerce, for which I am the minister, in and around district allowances. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
Mr T.G. Stephens : My question is about district allowances. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I understand that and I will get to that in a second. The tax zone rebate has significantly fallen behind in real value over an extended period. I have to say that I will not guess what the figures were, but they were quite significant in the extent to which the zone rebate would have to be increased. I believe it was in the hundreds of per cents to return it to the real value of when it was adjusted last time. If we are looking at meeting the significant challenges of attracting and maintaining a workforce in rural and regional Western Australia, my view is that that is the single most important thing that we can get done. We have put forward a case to the commonwealth and we will work through that process. The district allowances issue was a matter that the National Party took to the election. It is, as I understand it, and it remains, part of the royalties for regions program. There are, as I understand it, ongoing discussions involving the minister and ongoing discussions involving the Department of Commerce, for which I am the minister, in and around district allowances. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I understand that and I will get to that in a second. The tax zone rebate has significantly fallen behind in real value over an extended period. I have to say that I will not guess what the figures were, but they were quite significant in the extent to which the zone rebate would have to be increased. I believe it was in the hundreds of per cents to return it to the real value of when it was adjusted last time. If we are looking at meeting the significant challenges of attracting and maintaining a workforce in rural and regional Western Australia, my view is that that is the single most important thing that we can get done. We have put forward a case to the commonwealth and we will work through that process. The district allowances issue was a matter that the National Party took to the election. It is, as I understand it, and it remains, part of the royalties for regions program. There are, as I understand it, ongoing discussions involving the minister and ongoing discussions involving the Department of Commerce, for which I am the minister, in and around district allowances. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
The tax zone rebate has significantly fallen behind in real value over an extended period. I have to say that I will not guess what the figures were, but they were quite significant in the extent to which the zone rebate would have to be increased. I believe it was in the hundreds of per cents to return it to the real value of when it was adjusted last time. If we are looking at meeting the significant challenges of attracting and maintaining a workforce in rural and regional Western Australia, my view is that that is the single most important thing that we can get done. We have put forward a case to the commonwealth and we will work through that process. The district allowances issue was a matter that the National Party took to the election. It is, as I understand it, and it remains, part of the royalties for regions program. There are, as I understand it, ongoing discussions involving the minister and ongoing discussions involving the Department of Commerce, for which I am the minister, in and around district allowances. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
The district allowances issue was a matter that the National Party took to the election. It is, as I understand it, and it remains, part of the royalties for regions program. There are, as I understand it, ongoing discussions involving the minister and ongoing discussions involving the Department of Commerce, for which I am the minister, in and around district allowances. Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
Mr E.S. Ripper interjected. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : When the Leader of the Opposition looks at what has been rolled out under the government’s royalties for regions program, he will find that it is massive. He is right: there is unfinished business yet to be done, but we do not back away from that. At the end of the day, one can only do so much, as heroic as those efforts have been. The district allowances issue was discussed with the electorate at the last election and it is a matter that we are still working on.
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