❓ Shadow Treasurer Ripper questions Treasurer Barnett about the state's debt and perceived unwillingness to disclose borrowing figures, suggesting this will lead to increased household bills. Barnett deflects, stating the information is in the budget and attributing bill increases to public trading enterprises.
AnsweredQoN 468Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STATE DEBT — BLOW-OUT
I ask a supplementary question. Why is the Treasurer refusing to tell the people of Western Australia how much he is borrowing, and can he understand public fears that managing this debt will only cause him to raise family bills even more savagely than he has to date? Mr C.J. BARNETT
I ask a supplementary question. Why is the Treasurer refusing to tell the people of Western Australia how much he is borrowing, and can he understand public fears that managing this debt will only cause him to raise family bills even more savagely than he has to date? Mr C.J. BARNETT
AnswerView source ↗
No, it will not. As the Leader of the Opposition knows—I assume the member is talking about electricity, water and the like—family bills come from public trading enterprises. Mr E.S. Ripper : You increased the dividend payout ratio. You are taking in additional revenue and you are using it to manage the debt. You will not tell us what the debt is. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No. They have been brought into line with GTEs around Australia. The government will take more direct control over the next two years. Mr E.S. Ripper : How much are you borrowing per day? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Read the budget; it is in the budget. Mr E.S. Ripper : You’re the Treasurer. You were asked yesterday and you couldn’t answer. Why can’t you answer today? Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition should read the budget papers. If he looks at the debt figures and divides them by 365, he will have an answer.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: No, it will not. As the Leader of the Opposition knows—I assume the member is talking about electricity, water and the like—family bills come from public trading enterprises. Mr E.S. Ripper : You increased the dividend payout ratio. You are taking in additional revenue and you are using it to manage the debt. You will not tell us what the debt is. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No. They have been brought into line with GTEs around Australia. The government will take more direct control over the next two years. Mr E.S. Ripper : How much are you borrowing per day? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Read the budget; it is in the budget. Mr E.S. Ripper : You’re the Treasurer. You were asked yesterday and you couldn’t answer. Why can’t you answer today? Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition should read the budget papers. If he looks at the debt figures and divides them by 365, he will have an answer.
No, it will not. As the Leader of the Opposition knows—I assume the member is talking about electricity, water and the like—family bills come from public trading enterprises. Mr E.S. Ripper : You increased the dividend payout ratio. You are taking in additional revenue and you are using it to manage the debt. You will not tell us what the debt is. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No. They have been brought into line with GTEs around Australia. The government will take more direct control over the next two years. Mr E.S. Ripper : How much are you borrowing per day? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Read the budget; it is in the budget. Mr E.S. Ripper : You’re the Treasurer. You were asked yesterday and you couldn’t answer. Why can’t you answer today? Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition should read the budget papers. If he looks at the debt figures and divides them by 365, he will have an answer.
Mr E.S. Ripper : You increased the dividend payout ratio. You are taking in additional revenue and you are using it to manage the debt. You will not tell us what the debt is. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No. They have been brought into line with GTEs around Australia. The government will take more direct control over the next two years. Mr E.S. Ripper : How much are you borrowing per day? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Read the budget; it is in the budget. Mr E.S. Ripper : You’re the Treasurer. You were asked yesterday and you couldn’t answer. Why can’t you answer today? Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition should read the budget papers. If he looks at the debt figures and divides them by 365, he will have an answer.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : No. They have been brought into line with GTEs around Australia. The government will take more direct control over the next two years. Mr E.S. Ripper : How much are you borrowing per day? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Read the budget; it is in the budget. Mr E.S. Ripper : You’re the Treasurer. You were asked yesterday and you couldn’t answer. Why can’t you answer today? Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition should read the budget papers. If he looks at the debt figures and divides them by 365, he will have an answer.
Mr E.S. Ripper : How much are you borrowing per day? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Read the budget; it is in the budget. Mr E.S. Ripper : You’re the Treasurer. You were asked yesterday and you couldn’t answer. Why can’t you answer today? Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition should read the budget papers. If he looks at the debt figures and divides them by 365, he will have an answer.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Read the budget; it is in the budget. Mr E.S. Ripper : You’re the Treasurer. You were asked yesterday and you couldn’t answer. Why can’t you answer today? Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition should read the budget papers. If he looks at the debt figures and divides them by 365, he will have an answer.
Mr E.S. Ripper : You’re the Treasurer. You were asked yesterday and you couldn’t answer. Why can’t you answer today? Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition should read the budget papers. If he looks at the debt figures and divides them by 365, he will have an answer.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition should read the budget papers. If he looks at the debt figures and divides them by 365, he will have an answer.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: No, it will not. As the Leader of the Opposition knows—I assume the member is talking about electricity, water and the like—family bills come from public trading enterprises. Mr E.S. Ripper : You increased the dividend payout ratio. You are taking in additional revenue and you are using it to manage the debt. You will not tell us what the debt is. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No. They have been brought into line with GTEs around Australia. The government will take more direct control over the next two years. Mr E.S. Ripper : How much are you borrowing per day? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Read the budget; it is in the budget. Mr E.S. Ripper : You’re the Treasurer. You were asked yesterday and you couldn’t answer. Why can’t you answer today? Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition should read the budget papers. If he looks at the debt figures and divides them by 365, he will have an answer.
No, it will not. As the Leader of the Opposition knows—I assume the member is talking about electricity, water and the like—family bills come from public trading enterprises. Mr E.S. Ripper : You increased the dividend payout ratio. You are taking in additional revenue and you are using it to manage the debt. You will not tell us what the debt is. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No. They have been brought into line with GTEs around Australia. The government will take more direct control over the next two years. Mr E.S. Ripper : How much are you borrowing per day? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Read the budget; it is in the budget. Mr E.S. Ripper : You’re the Treasurer. You were asked yesterday and you couldn’t answer. Why can’t you answer today? Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition should read the budget papers. If he looks at the debt figures and divides them by 365, he will have an answer.
Mr E.S. Ripper : You increased the dividend payout ratio. You are taking in additional revenue and you are using it to manage the debt. You will not tell us what the debt is. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No. They have been brought into line with GTEs around Australia. The government will take more direct control over the next two years. Mr E.S. Ripper : How much are you borrowing per day? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Read the budget; it is in the budget. Mr E.S. Ripper : You’re the Treasurer. You were asked yesterday and you couldn’t answer. Why can’t you answer today? Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition should read the budget papers. If he looks at the debt figures and divides them by 365, he will have an answer.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : No. They have been brought into line with GTEs around Australia. The government will take more direct control over the next two years. Mr E.S. Ripper : How much are you borrowing per day? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Read the budget; it is in the budget. Mr E.S. Ripper : You’re the Treasurer. You were asked yesterday and you couldn’t answer. Why can’t you answer today? Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition should read the budget papers. If he looks at the debt figures and divides them by 365, he will have an answer.
Mr E.S. Ripper : How much are you borrowing per day? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Read the budget; it is in the budget. Mr E.S. Ripper : You’re the Treasurer. You were asked yesterday and you couldn’t answer. Why can’t you answer today? Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition should read the budget papers. If he looks at the debt figures and divides them by 365, he will have an answer.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Read the budget; it is in the budget. Mr E.S. Ripper : You’re the Treasurer. You were asked yesterday and you couldn’t answer. Why can’t you answer today? Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition should read the budget papers. If he looks at the debt figures and divides them by 365, he will have an answer.
Mr E.S. Ripper : You’re the Treasurer. You were asked yesterday and you couldn’t answer. Why can’t you answer today? Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition should read the budget papers. If he looks at the debt figures and divides them by 365, he will have an answer.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition should read the budget papers. If he looks at the debt figures and divides them by 365, he will have an answer.
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