❓ Mr. Michael asks the Premier for an update on support provided to WA businesses during the pandemic. The Premier details economic support measures, highlighting WA's strong economy and contribution to the nation.
AnsweredQoN 71Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS — BUSINESS SUPPORT
71. Mr D.R. MICHAEL to the Premier:
I
refer to the McGowan Labor government's commitment to supporting the Western
Australian economy as Omicron spreads throughout the community. Can the
Premier update the house on the support this government has provided to local
businesses throughout the pandemic, including businesses in Perth and the CBD?
71. Mr D.R. MICHAEL to the Premier:
I
refer to the McGowan Labor government's commitment to supporting the Western
Australian economy as Omicron spreads throughout the community. Can the
Premier update the house on the support this government has provided to local
businesses throughout the pandemic, including businesses in Perth and the CBD?
AnswerView source ↗
Throughout the pandemic the
government has always stepped up to support business, particularly small
business, the economy and people's employment. We have done this
primarily by keeping COVID out of Western Australia for the last two years and therefore having perhaps the strongest
economy in the whole world and one of the strongest set of finances certainly in Australia but
potentially in a subnational jurisdiction anywhere in the world. Our economy has carried the entire country over the past two years, which I will go into in
just a moment. But we are now into the new phase of the pandemic. We have over
600 cases reported today. Omicron is far more infectious and far more transmissible; therefore, we need to respond
to that, as we are currently. Unfortunately, there will be disruption .
Many businesses will be impacted; therefore, we will need to continue to listen
to business, small business and the workforce and respond as we have throughout
the entire pandemic.
To date, we have delivered around
$10 billion of economic support in COVID-19 response measures in Western Australia over the course of the last two
years. This has included direct support for households and economic stimulus programs and $1.5 billion in direct support, particularly for small
businesses. This has been targeted at businesses right across the economy and
includes payroll tax waivers, $17 500 grants to various businesses, small business lockdown assistance grants, licence fee
waivers, electricity tariff offsets and the list goes on. Last week, we announced a $77 million safe transition industry
support package, which will provide direct support to international education, the events industry, aviation, tourism businesses and travel agents,
and we expect to provide further support to Western Australian businesses soon.
By staying open, as a state, over
the last two years, we helped support the rest of the country by keeping our
major export industries open, which provide
around half the nation's exports, perhaps more. I think it approaches
60 per cent of the nation's
exports. We help provide massive revenues for the commonwealth government that
was therefore able to assist other governments around Australia. The
federal government has provided $13.65 billion in COVID-19 disaster response
payments, including $7.5 billion to New South Wales, $4.45 billion to Victoria,
$344 million to the Australian Capital Territory and $252 million to
Queensland. Western Australia has not received one dollar of that. But the good
thing is, and we are very pleased to have done it, by maintaining our very
strong position, particularly in relation to COVID, Western Australia has been
able to fund that support for the other states. Once again, it shows Western Australia
supporting the rest of the nation.
I do cop lots of criticism, as we
outlined before. I would have been criticised by the opposition for doing
quarantine and criticised for not doing quarantine. But, apparently, yesterday,
I was criticised by the Leader of the Opposition for being too pro–Western
Australian. According to the opposition, the Premier is so Western Australian,
he is too pro–Western Australian! As I say, Leader of the Opposition
and opposition members, sometimes you have to think before you speak. I do not think that criticising the Premier of the
state for being too pro the state is a valid criticism.
government has always stepped up to support business, particularly small
business, the economy and people's employment. We have done this
primarily by keeping COVID out of Western Australia for the last two years and therefore having perhaps the strongest
economy in the whole world and one of the strongest set of finances certainly in Australia but
potentially in a subnational jurisdiction anywhere in the world. Our economy has carried the entire country over the past two years, which I will go into in
just a moment. But we are now into the new phase of the pandemic. We have over
600 cases reported today. Omicron is far more infectious and far more transmissible; therefore, we need to respond
to that, as we are currently. Unfortunately, there will be disruption .
Many businesses will be impacted; therefore, we will need to continue to listen
to business, small business and the workforce and respond as we have throughout
the entire pandemic.
To date, we have delivered around
$10 billion of economic support in COVID-19 response measures in Western Australia over the course of the last two
years. This has included direct support for households and economic stimulus programs and $1.5 billion in direct support, particularly for small
businesses. This has been targeted at businesses right across the economy and
includes payroll tax waivers, $17 500 grants to various businesses, small business lockdown assistance grants, licence fee
waivers, electricity tariff offsets and the list goes on. Last week, we announced a $77 million safe transition industry
support package, which will provide direct support to international education, the events industry, aviation, tourism businesses and travel agents,
and we expect to provide further support to Western Australian businesses soon.
By staying open, as a state, over
the last two years, we helped support the rest of the country by keeping our
major export industries open, which provide
around half the nation's exports, perhaps more. I think it approaches
60 per cent of the nation's
exports. We help provide massive revenues for the commonwealth government that
was therefore able to assist other governments around Australia. The
federal government has provided $13.65 billion in COVID-19 disaster response
payments, including $7.5 billion to New South Wales, $4.45 billion to Victoria,
$344 million to the Australian Capital Territory and $252 million to
Queensland. Western Australia has not received one dollar of that. But the good
thing is, and we are very pleased to have done it, by maintaining our very
strong position, particularly in relation to COVID, Western Australia has been
able to fund that support for the other states. Once again, it shows Western Australia
supporting the rest of the nation.
I do cop lots of criticism, as we
outlined before. I would have been criticised by the opposition for doing
quarantine and criticised for not doing quarantine. But, apparently, yesterday,
I was criticised by the Leader of the Opposition for being too pro–Western
Australian. According to the opposition, the Premier is so Western Australian,
he is too pro–Western Australian! As I say, Leader of the Opposition
and opposition members, sometimes you have to think before you speak. I do not think that criticising the Premier of the
state for being too pro the state is a valid criticism.
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