❓ Mr. Barnett (Liberal) questions Treasurer Ripper (Labor) about discrepancies between stated election promises and the Under Treasurer's report, alleging misleading of the electorate regarding expenditure commitments. Ripper defends Labor's financial plan, highlighting operating vs. capital expenditure and criticising the opposition's record.
AnsweredQoN 32Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
GOVERNMENT’S ELECTION PROMISES
I refer to the Under Treasurer’s statement in the first edition of Treasury News for 2001 which reads - The election of the Labor Government, and more particularly the delivery of its policy agenda, adds a completely new dimension to the tasks facing the sector. At the broadest level, this agenda involves introducing new expenditure initiatives totalling around $1.2 billion over the next four years, spread across both recurrent and capital initiatives. The fact that these measures are to be funded from existing resources adds to the dimension of the task. Will the Treasurer now admit that the Labor Party misled the electorate during the election campaign when it claimed that its election promises totalled $756 million, which is almost half a billion dollars short of the real figure as confirmed by the Under Treasurer in his first report? Mr RIPPER
I refer to the Under Treasurer’s statement in the first edition of Treasury News for 2001 which reads - The election of the Labor Government, and more particularly the delivery of its policy agenda, adds a completely new dimension to the tasks facing the sector. At the broadest level, this agenda involves introducing new expenditure initiatives totalling around $1.2 billion over the next four years, spread across both recurrent and capital initiatives. The fact that these measures are to be funded from existing resources adds to the dimension of the task. Will the Treasurer now admit that the Labor Party misled the electorate during the election campaign when it claimed that its election promises totalled $756 million, which is almost half a billion dollars short of the real figure as confirmed by the Under Treasurer in his first report? Mr RIPPER
AnswerView source ↗
Clearly, the Leader of the Opposition was not paying attention during the election campaign. The Labor Party clearly said that it had both operating expenditure commitments and capital expenditure commitments. It indicated that its operating expenditure commitments totalled $756 million. Mr Barnett: You publicly denied that it was over $1 billion. Mr RIPPER: Of operating expenditure. That is right. The total commitment includes both capital and operating expenditure. The intention was always to fund those commitments from within existing resources. The capital works commitments will be funded from within existing capital works allocations. The Labor Party presented a financial plan for the funding of the operating expenditure. The Leader of the Opposition sat on the previous Government’s budget committee, which delivered four operating deficits in a row. When the Liberal Party prepared its election commitments with the full resources of government behind it, what could it do? It presented uncosted, unfunded and unplanned election commitments. The Leader of the Opposition has no record on which to stand on this matter. The Labor Party has a responsible financial plan. Mr Barnett: You promised $1.2 billion. You claimed in the election campaign that it was $770 million. The Under Treasurer has published the figure as $1.2 billion. Mr RIPPER: The Leader of the Opposition can find the costings on the Labor Party web site. He will find that the Labor Party clearly explained to the community that there were both operating expenditure and capital expenditure commitments. The Labor Party’s financial plan was much more rigorous and sophisticated than that which the Liberal Party could produce with the full weight of the public service behind it. It has no record on which to come into this Parliament and make these sorts of statements.
Mr RIPPER replied: Clearly, the Leader of the Opposition was not paying attention during the election campaign. The Labor Party clearly said that it had both operating expenditure commitments and capital expenditure commitments. It indicated that its operating expenditure commitments totalled $756 million. Mr Barnett: You publicly denied that it was over $1 billion. Mr RIPPER: Of operating expenditure. That is right. The total commitment includes both capital and operating expenditure. The intention was always to fund those commitments from within existing resources. The capital works commitments will be funded from within existing capital works allocations. The Labor Party presented a financial plan for the funding of the operating expenditure. The Leader of the Opposition sat on the previous Government’s budget committee, which delivered four operating deficits in a row. When the Liberal Party prepared its election commitments with the full resources of government behind it, what could it do? It presented uncosted, unfunded and unplanned election commitments. The Leader of the Opposition has no record on which to stand on this matter. The Labor Party has a responsible financial plan. Mr Barnett: You promised $1.2 billion. You claimed in the election campaign that it was $770 million. The Under Treasurer has published the figure as $1.2 billion. Mr RIPPER: The Leader of the Opposition can find the costings on the Labor Party web site. He will find that the Labor Party clearly explained to the community that there were both operating expenditure and capital expenditure commitments. The Labor Party’s financial plan was much more rigorous and sophisticated than that which the Liberal Party could produce with the full weight of the public service behind it. It has no record on which to come into this Parliament and make these sorts of statements.
Clearly, the Leader of the Opposition was not paying attention during the election campaign. The Labor Party clearly said that it had both operating expenditure commitments and capital expenditure commitments. It indicated that its operating expenditure commitments totalled $756 million. Mr Barnett: You publicly denied that it was over $1 billion. Mr RIPPER: Of operating expenditure. That is right. The total commitment includes both capital and operating expenditure. The intention was always to fund those commitments from within existing resources. The capital works commitments will be funded from within existing capital works allocations. The Labor Party presented a financial plan for the funding of the operating expenditure. The Leader of the Opposition sat on the previous Government’s budget committee, which delivered four operating deficits in a row. When the Liberal Party prepared its election commitments with the full resources of government behind it, what could it do? It presented uncosted, unfunded and unplanned election commitments. The Leader of the Opposition has no record on which to stand on this matter. The Labor Party has a responsible financial plan. Mr Barnett: You promised $1.2 billion. You claimed in the election campaign that it was $770 million. The Under Treasurer has published the figure as $1.2 billion. Mr RIPPER: The Leader of the Opposition can find the costings on the Labor Party web site. He will find that the Labor Party clearly explained to the community that there were both operating expenditure and capital expenditure commitments. The Labor Party’s financial plan was much more rigorous and sophisticated than that which the Liberal Party could produce with the full weight of the public service behind it. It has no record on which to come into this Parliament and make these sorts of statements.
Mr Barnett: You publicly denied that it was over $1 billion. Mr RIPPER: Of operating expenditure. That is right. The total commitment includes both capital and operating expenditure. The intention was always to fund those commitments from within existing resources. The capital works commitments will be funded from within existing capital works allocations. The Labor Party presented a financial plan for the funding of the operating expenditure. The Leader of the Opposition sat on the previous Government’s budget committee, which delivered four operating deficits in a row. When the Liberal Party prepared its election commitments with the full resources of government behind it, what could it do? It presented uncosted, unfunded and unplanned election commitments. The Leader of the Opposition has no record on which to stand on this matter. The Labor Party has a responsible financial plan. Mr Barnett: You promised $1.2 billion. You claimed in the election campaign that it was $770 million. The Under Treasurer has published the figure as $1.2 billion. Mr RIPPER: The Leader of the Opposition can find the costings on the Labor Party web site. He will find that the Labor Party clearly explained to the community that there were both operating expenditure and capital expenditure commitments. The Labor Party’s financial plan was much more rigorous and sophisticated than that which the Liberal Party could produce with the full weight of the public service behind it. It has no record on which to come into this Parliament and make these sorts of statements.
Mr RIPPER: Of operating expenditure. That is right. The total commitment includes both capital and operating expenditure. The intention was always to fund those commitments from within existing resources. The capital works commitments will be funded from within existing capital works allocations. The Labor Party presented a financial plan for the funding of the operating expenditure. The Leader of the Opposition sat on the previous Government’s budget committee, which delivered four operating deficits in a row. When the Liberal Party prepared its election commitments with the full resources of government behind it, what could it do? It presented uncosted, unfunded and unplanned election commitments. The Leader of the Opposition has no record on which to stand on this matter. The Labor Party has a responsible financial plan. Mr Barnett: You promised $1.2 billion. You claimed in the election campaign that it was $770 million. The Under Treasurer has published the figure as $1.2 billion. Mr RIPPER: The Leader of the Opposition can find the costings on the Labor Party web site. He will find that the Labor Party clearly explained to the community that there were both operating expenditure and capital expenditure commitments. The Labor Party’s financial plan was much more rigorous and sophisticated than that which the Liberal Party could produce with the full weight of the public service behind it. It has no record on which to come into this Parliament and make these sorts of statements.
The Leader of the Opposition sat on the previous Government’s budget committee, which delivered four operating deficits in a row. When the Liberal Party prepared its election commitments with the full resources of government behind it, what could it do? It presented uncosted, unfunded and unplanned election commitments. The Leader of the Opposition has no record on which to stand on this matter. The Labor Party has a responsible financial plan. Mr Barnett: You promised $1.2 billion. You claimed in the election campaign that it was $770 million. The Under Treasurer has published the figure as $1.2 billion. Mr RIPPER: The Leader of the Opposition can find the costings on the Labor Party web site. He will find that the Labor Party clearly explained to the community that there were both operating expenditure and capital expenditure commitments. The Labor Party’s financial plan was much more rigorous and sophisticated than that which the Liberal Party could produce with the full weight of the public service behind it. It has no record on which to come into this Parliament and make these sorts of statements.
Mr Barnett: You promised $1.2 billion. You claimed in the election campaign that it was $770 million. The Under Treasurer has published the figure as $1.2 billion. Mr RIPPER: The Leader of the Opposition can find the costings on the Labor Party web site. He will find that the Labor Party clearly explained to the community that there were both operating expenditure and capital expenditure commitments. The Labor Party’s financial plan was much more rigorous and sophisticated than that which the Liberal Party could produce with the full weight of the public service behind it. It has no record on which to come into this Parliament and make these sorts of statements.
Mr RIPPER: The Leader of the Opposition can find the costings on the Labor Party web site. He will find that the Labor Party clearly explained to the community that there were both operating expenditure and capital expenditure commitments. The Labor Party’s financial plan was much more rigorous and sophisticated than that which the Liberal Party could produce with the full weight of the public service behind it. It has no record on which to come into this Parliament and make these sorts of statements.
Mr RIPPER replied: Clearly, the Leader of the Opposition was not paying attention during the election campaign. The Labor Party clearly said that it had both operating expenditure commitments and capital expenditure commitments. It indicated that its operating expenditure commitments totalled $756 million. Mr Barnett: You publicly denied that it was over $1 billion. Mr RIPPER: Of operating expenditure. That is right. The total commitment includes both capital and operating expenditure. The intention was always to fund those commitments from within existing resources. The capital works commitments will be funded from within existing capital works allocations. The Labor Party presented a financial plan for the funding of the operating expenditure. The Leader of the Opposition sat on the previous Government’s budget committee, which delivered four operating deficits in a row. When the Liberal Party prepared its election commitments with the full resources of government behind it, what could it do? It presented uncosted, unfunded and unplanned election commitments. The Leader of the Opposition has no record on which to stand on this matter. The Labor Party has a responsible financial plan. Mr Barnett: You promised $1.2 billion. You claimed in the election campaign that it was $770 million. The Under Treasurer has published the figure as $1.2 billion. Mr RIPPER: The Leader of the Opposition can find the costings on the Labor Party web site. He will find that the Labor Party clearly explained to the community that there were both operating expenditure and capital expenditure commitments. The Labor Party’s financial plan was much more rigorous and sophisticated than that which the Liberal Party could produce with the full weight of the public service behind it. It has no record on which to come into this Parliament and make these sorts of statements.
Clearly, the Leader of the Opposition was not paying attention during the election campaign. The Labor Party clearly said that it had both operating expenditure commitments and capital expenditure commitments. It indicated that its operating expenditure commitments totalled $756 million. Mr Barnett: You publicly denied that it was over $1 billion. Mr RIPPER: Of operating expenditure. That is right. The total commitment includes both capital and operating expenditure. The intention was always to fund those commitments from within existing resources. The capital works commitments will be funded from within existing capital works allocations. The Labor Party presented a financial plan for the funding of the operating expenditure. The Leader of the Opposition sat on the previous Government’s budget committee, which delivered four operating deficits in a row. When the Liberal Party prepared its election commitments with the full resources of government behind it, what could it do? It presented uncosted, unfunded and unplanned election commitments. The Leader of the Opposition has no record on which to stand on this matter. The Labor Party has a responsible financial plan. Mr Barnett: You promised $1.2 billion. You claimed in the election campaign that it was $770 million. The Under Treasurer has published the figure as $1.2 billion. Mr RIPPER: The Leader of the Opposition can find the costings on the Labor Party web site. He will find that the Labor Party clearly explained to the community that there were both operating expenditure and capital expenditure commitments. The Labor Party’s financial plan was much more rigorous and sophisticated than that which the Liberal Party could produce with the full weight of the public service behind it. It has no record on which to come into this Parliament and make these sorts of statements.
Mr Barnett: You publicly denied that it was over $1 billion. Mr RIPPER: Of operating expenditure. That is right. The total commitment includes both capital and operating expenditure. The intention was always to fund those commitments from within existing resources. The capital works commitments will be funded from within existing capital works allocations. The Labor Party presented a financial plan for the funding of the operating expenditure. The Leader of the Opposition sat on the previous Government’s budget committee, which delivered four operating deficits in a row. When the Liberal Party prepared its election commitments with the full resources of government behind it, what could it do? It presented uncosted, unfunded and unplanned election commitments. The Leader of the Opposition has no record on which to stand on this matter. The Labor Party has a responsible financial plan. Mr Barnett: You promised $1.2 billion. You claimed in the election campaign that it was $770 million. The Under Treasurer has published the figure as $1.2 billion. Mr RIPPER: The Leader of the Opposition can find the costings on the Labor Party web site. He will find that the Labor Party clearly explained to the community that there were both operating expenditure and capital expenditure commitments. The Labor Party’s financial plan was much more rigorous and sophisticated than that which the Liberal Party could produce with the full weight of the public service behind it. It has no record on which to come into this Parliament and make these sorts of statements.
Mr RIPPER: Of operating expenditure. That is right. The total commitment includes both capital and operating expenditure. The intention was always to fund those commitments from within existing resources. The capital works commitments will be funded from within existing capital works allocations. The Labor Party presented a financial plan for the funding of the operating expenditure. The Leader of the Opposition sat on the previous Government’s budget committee, which delivered four operating deficits in a row. When the Liberal Party prepared its election commitments with the full resources of government behind it, what could it do? It presented uncosted, unfunded and unplanned election commitments. The Leader of the Opposition has no record on which to stand on this matter. The Labor Party has a responsible financial plan. Mr Barnett: You promised $1.2 billion. You claimed in the election campaign that it was $770 million. The Under Treasurer has published the figure as $1.2 billion. Mr RIPPER: The Leader of the Opposition can find the costings on the Labor Party web site. He will find that the Labor Party clearly explained to the community that there were both operating expenditure and capital expenditure commitments. The Labor Party’s financial plan was much more rigorous and sophisticated than that which the Liberal Party could produce with the full weight of the public service behind it. It has no record on which to come into this Parliament and make these sorts of statements.
The Leader of the Opposition sat on the previous Government’s budget committee, which delivered four operating deficits in a row. When the Liberal Party prepared its election commitments with the full resources of government behind it, what could it do? It presented uncosted, unfunded and unplanned election commitments. The Leader of the Opposition has no record on which to stand on this matter. The Labor Party has a responsible financial plan. Mr Barnett: You promised $1.2 billion. You claimed in the election campaign that it was $770 million. The Under Treasurer has published the figure as $1.2 billion. Mr RIPPER: The Leader of the Opposition can find the costings on the Labor Party web site. He will find that the Labor Party clearly explained to the community that there were both operating expenditure and capital expenditure commitments. The Labor Party’s financial plan was much more rigorous and sophisticated than that which the Liberal Party could produce with the full weight of the public service behind it. It has no record on which to come into this Parliament and make these sorts of statements.
Mr Barnett: You promised $1.2 billion. You claimed in the election campaign that it was $770 million. The Under Treasurer has published the figure as $1.2 billion. Mr RIPPER: The Leader of the Opposition can find the costings on the Labor Party web site. He will find that the Labor Party clearly explained to the community that there were both operating expenditure and capital expenditure commitments. The Labor Party’s financial plan was much more rigorous and sophisticated than that which the Liberal Party could produce with the full weight of the public service behind it. It has no record on which to come into this Parliament and make these sorts of statements.
Mr RIPPER: The Leader of the Opposition can find the costings on the Labor Party web site. He will find that the Labor Party clearly explained to the community that there were both operating expenditure and capital expenditure commitments. The Labor Party’s financial plan was much more rigorous and sophisticated than that which the Liberal Party could produce with the full weight of the public service behind it. It has no record on which to come into this Parliament and make these sorts of statements.
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