❓ Ms MacTiernan questions Mr Grylls on his apparent reversal regarding the use of Royalties for Regions funding for the rail rescue package, referencing a prior commitment. Mr Grylls defends his position, stating the funding should come from normal government revenue and criticises Ms MacTiernan's past record.
AnsweredQoN 555Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ROYALTIES FOR REGIONS — RAIL RESCUE PACKAGE
During the last election, the minister pledged to his wheatbelt constituency to fund the rail rescue package from royalties for regions money. I refer the minister to an article from the Countryman titled “Nats pledge rail rescue”, which states — WA Nationals leader Brendon Grylls said the party believed the State component of the Rail Rescue package should be funded through its Royalties for Regions policy. “It’s important infrastructure that needs to be supported,” Mr Grylls said. Why is the minister now refusing to allow royalties for regions funding to be used to ensure that millions of tonnes of grain are not carted on country roads and, given the $281 million in unallocated royalties for regions money, what possible justification can the minister give for this breach of election commitment? Mr B.J. GRYLLS
During the last election, the minister pledged to his wheatbelt constituency to fund the rail rescue package from royalties for regions money. I refer the minister to an article from the Countryman titled “Nats pledge rail rescue”, which states — WA Nationals leader Brendon Grylls said the party believed the State component of the Rail Rescue package should be funded through its Royalties for Regions policy. “It’s important infrastructure that needs to be supported,” Mr Grylls said. Why is the minister now refusing to allow royalties for regions funding to be used to ensure that millions of tonnes of grain are not carted on country roads and, given the $281 million in unallocated royalties for regions money, what possible justification can the minister give for this breach of election commitment? Mr B.J. GRYLLS
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Armadale for the question. I have been very clear since the formation of the Liberal-National government that I believe that the rail investment package funding that industry is seeking for the grain rail network in regional Western Australia should come from normal government operating revenue. I have made it clear and industry has made it clear that we do not believe that royalties for regions money should be used for that task, and it will not be used for that task. But can I say that regional people are very much surprised at the member’s latest incarnation as a member interested in regional issues. What happened in the last two years with the Grain Infrastructure Group proposal? When the member for Armadale was the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure building a railway from the metropolitan area to Mandurah, when we saw budget overrun after overrun, where was the member’s commitment to regional Western Australia? The member for Armadale had no commitment to regional Western Australia. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I would like the member for Armadale to be able to hear the minister’s answer. I am sure some members in this place would also like the member for Armadale to be able to hear the answer. Members will keep a little quieter or I will formally start to call them. While I am on my feet, I formally call the members for Albany and Midland. Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is not envisaged that royalties for regions funds will be spent on a rail rescue package in the wheatbelt area of Western Australia because we believe that funding should be made available from normal government operations.
“It’s important infrastructure that needs to be supported,” Mr Grylls said.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS replied: I thank the member for Armadale for the question. I have been very clear since the formation of the Liberal-National government that I believe that the rail investment package funding that industry is seeking for the grain rail network in regional Western Australia should come from normal government operating revenue. I have made it clear and industry has made it clear that we do not believe that royalties for regions money should be used for that task, and it will not be used for that task. But can I say that regional people are very much surprised at the member’s latest incarnation as a member interested in regional issues. What happened in the last two years with the Grain Infrastructure Group proposal? When the member for Armadale was the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure building a railway from the metropolitan area to Mandurah, when we saw budget overrun after overrun, where was the member’s commitment to regional Western Australia? The member for Armadale had no commitment to regional Western Australia. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I would like the member for Armadale to be able to hear the minister’s answer. I am sure some members in this place would also like the member for Armadale to be able to hear the answer. Members will keep a little quieter or I will formally start to call them. While I am on my feet, I formally call the members for Albany and Midland. Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is not envisaged that royalties for regions funds will be spent on a rail rescue package in the wheatbelt area of Western Australia because we believe that funding should be made available from normal government operations.
I thank the member for Armadale for the question. I have been very clear since the formation of the Liberal-National government that I believe that the rail investment package funding that industry is seeking for the grain rail network in regional Western Australia should come from normal government operating revenue. I have made it clear and industry has made it clear that we do not believe that royalties for regions money should be used for that task, and it will not be used for that task. But can I say that regional people are very much surprised at the member’s latest incarnation as a member interested in regional issues. What happened in the last two years with the Grain Infrastructure Group proposal? When the member for Armadale was the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure building a railway from the metropolitan area to Mandurah, when we saw budget overrun after overrun, where was the member’s commitment to regional Western Australia? The member for Armadale had no commitment to regional Western Australia. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I would like the member for Armadale to be able to hear the minister’s answer. I am sure some members in this place would also like the member for Armadale to be able to hear the answer. Members will keep a little quieter or I will formally start to call them. While I am on my feet, I formally call the members for Albany and Midland. Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is not envisaged that royalties for regions funds will be spent on a rail rescue package in the wheatbelt area of Western Australia because we believe that funding should be made available from normal government operations.
I have been very clear since the formation of the Liberal-National government that I believe that the rail investment package funding that industry is seeking for the grain rail network in regional Western Australia should come from normal government operating revenue. I have made it clear and industry has made it clear that we do not believe that royalties for regions money should be used for that task, and it will not be used for that task. But can I say that regional people are very much surprised at the member’s latest incarnation as a member interested in regional issues. What happened in the last two years with the Grain Infrastructure Group proposal? When the member for Armadale was the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure building a railway from the metropolitan area to Mandurah, when we saw budget overrun after overrun, where was the member’s commitment to regional Western Australia? The member for Armadale had no commitment to regional Western Australia. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I would like the member for Armadale to be able to hear the minister’s answer. I am sure some members in this place would also like the member for Armadale to be able to hear the answer. Members will keep a little quieter or I will formally start to call them. While I am on my feet, I formally call the members for Albany and Midland. Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is not envisaged that royalties for regions funds will be spent on a rail rescue package in the wheatbelt area of Western Australia because we believe that funding should be made available from normal government operations.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I would like the member for Armadale to be able to hear the minister’s answer. I am sure some members in this place would also like the member for Armadale to be able to hear the answer. Members will keep a little quieter or I will formally start to call them. While I am on my feet, I formally call the members for Albany and Midland. Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is not envisaged that royalties for regions funds will be spent on a rail rescue package in the wheatbelt area of Western Australia because we believe that funding should be made available from normal government operations.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! I would like the member for Armadale to be able to hear the minister’s answer. I am sure some members in this place would also like the member for Armadale to be able to hear the answer. Members will keep a little quieter or I will formally start to call them. While I am on my feet, I formally call the members for Albany and Midland. Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is not envisaged that royalties for regions funds will be spent on a rail rescue package in the wheatbelt area of Western Australia because we believe that funding should be made available from normal government operations.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is not envisaged that royalties for regions funds will be spent on a rail rescue package in the wheatbelt area of Western Australia because we believe that funding should be made available from normal government operations.
“It’s important infrastructure that needs to be supported,” Mr Grylls said.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS replied: I thank the member for Armadale for the question. I have been very clear since the formation of the Liberal-National government that I believe that the rail investment package funding that industry is seeking for the grain rail network in regional Western Australia should come from normal government operating revenue. I have made it clear and industry has made it clear that we do not believe that royalties for regions money should be used for that task, and it will not be used for that task. But can I say that regional people are very much surprised at the member’s latest incarnation as a member interested in regional issues. What happened in the last two years with the Grain Infrastructure Group proposal? When the member for Armadale was the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure building a railway from the metropolitan area to Mandurah, when we saw budget overrun after overrun, where was the member’s commitment to regional Western Australia? The member for Armadale had no commitment to regional Western Australia. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I would like the member for Armadale to be able to hear the minister’s answer. I am sure some members in this place would also like the member for Armadale to be able to hear the answer. Members will keep a little quieter or I will formally start to call them. While I am on my feet, I formally call the members for Albany and Midland. Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is not envisaged that royalties for regions funds will be spent on a rail rescue package in the wheatbelt area of Western Australia because we believe that funding should be made available from normal government operations.
I thank the member for Armadale for the question. I have been very clear since the formation of the Liberal-National government that I believe that the rail investment package funding that industry is seeking for the grain rail network in regional Western Australia should come from normal government operating revenue. I have made it clear and industry has made it clear that we do not believe that royalties for regions money should be used for that task, and it will not be used for that task. But can I say that regional people are very much surprised at the member’s latest incarnation as a member interested in regional issues. What happened in the last two years with the Grain Infrastructure Group proposal? When the member for Armadale was the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure building a railway from the metropolitan area to Mandurah, when we saw budget overrun after overrun, where was the member’s commitment to regional Western Australia? The member for Armadale had no commitment to regional Western Australia. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I would like the member for Armadale to be able to hear the minister’s answer. I am sure some members in this place would also like the member for Armadale to be able to hear the answer. Members will keep a little quieter or I will formally start to call them. While I am on my feet, I formally call the members for Albany and Midland. Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is not envisaged that royalties for regions funds will be spent on a rail rescue package in the wheatbelt area of Western Australia because we believe that funding should be made available from normal government operations.
I have been very clear since the formation of the Liberal-National government that I believe that the rail investment package funding that industry is seeking for the grain rail network in regional Western Australia should come from normal government operating revenue. I have made it clear and industry has made it clear that we do not believe that royalties for regions money should be used for that task, and it will not be used for that task. But can I say that regional people are very much surprised at the member’s latest incarnation as a member interested in regional issues. What happened in the last two years with the Grain Infrastructure Group proposal? When the member for Armadale was the Minister for Planning and Infrastructure building a railway from the metropolitan area to Mandurah, when we saw budget overrun after overrun, where was the member’s commitment to regional Western Australia? The member for Armadale had no commitment to regional Western Australia. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I would like the member for Armadale to be able to hear the minister’s answer. I am sure some members in this place would also like the member for Armadale to be able to hear the answer. Members will keep a little quieter or I will formally start to call them. While I am on my feet, I formally call the members for Albany and Midland. Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is not envisaged that royalties for regions funds will be spent on a rail rescue package in the wheatbelt area of Western Australia because we believe that funding should be made available from normal government operations.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I would like the member for Armadale to be able to hear the minister’s answer. I am sure some members in this place would also like the member for Armadale to be able to hear the answer. Members will keep a little quieter or I will formally start to call them. While I am on my feet, I formally call the members for Albany and Midland. Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is not envisaged that royalties for regions funds will be spent on a rail rescue package in the wheatbelt area of Western Australia because we believe that funding should be made available from normal government operations.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! I would like the member for Armadale to be able to hear the minister’s answer. I am sure some members in this place would also like the member for Armadale to be able to hear the answer. Members will keep a little quieter or I will formally start to call them. While I am on my feet, I formally call the members for Albany and Midland. Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is not envisaged that royalties for regions funds will be spent on a rail rescue package in the wheatbelt area of Western Australia because we believe that funding should be made available from normal government operations.
Mr B.J. GRYLLS : Thank you, Mr Speaker. It is not envisaged that royalties for regions funds will be spent on a rail rescue package in the wheatbelt area of Western Australia because we believe that funding should be made available from normal government operations.
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