❓ The Minister for State Development praises the Gallop Labor Government's economic performance, highlighting job creation, low unemployment, and responsible financial management, while contrasting it with the previous Liberal-National government's record and questioning the financial credibility of the current Leader of the Opposition.
AnsweredQoN 621Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer the minister to the strong performance of the Western Australian economy under the Gallop Labor Government and ask the minister to outline the steps the Government has taken to ensure the economy continues to grow and create jobs and opportunities for all Western Australians. Mr C.M. BROWN
AnswerView source ↗
I am very pleased to have that question from the member for Swan Hills. It is very good to be in a Parliament and in a Government that are presiding over record levels of business investment in the State and to see the high level of confidence in the Gallop Government with the investment coming into this State. Members will recall that for a short time the Court Government had investment in the State. It was a short time, because it was pretty abysmal in the second period and towards the end of the first period. However, initially when it had some success, it was said by then Premier Court that the reason there is investment in the State is that the business community has confidence in the Government. If we apply the same rationale now, the business community is expressing enormous confidence in the Gallop Government. Of course, we are also seeing job creation, with 52 000 additional jobs being created, and a situation in which unemployment is at the lowest level since official records were kept; it is now down to 4.8 per cent. We are seeing very significant economic growth in Western Australia. Of course, we are also seeing that in the backdrop of responsible financial management led by the Treasurer. It is to be recalled that when the Liberal-National Parties were in power, five out of eight budgets were in deficit. If a Government had a 50 per cent run, it would not be bad. Fifty per cent is a sort of mediocre run, but it would not be bad. However, five out of eight is called a failure - it is not called 50 per cent - and the Court Government did it on five separate occasions, as opposed to the record of our terrific Treasurer, who has had to make pretty hard decisions, not the wimpy things, and has kept the budget in the black. What can we do with it? We can do school maintenance, put money into mental health and do all those other things, and that gives great confidence to the people of Western Australia. That is to be compared with the record of the spendthrifts on the other side, who spent enormously when they did not have the money to do so. When the now Leader of the Opposition was the Minister for Education, he blew out the education budget by $300 million in three years. That prompted the then Under Treasurer - the now Chief Executive of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia - to write a memo to the then Premier warning about the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition. It will be very interesting in this forthcoming state election if the former Under Treasurer, the person who knew about the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition, sends out the same warning to the business community. We will see whether he has a bit of consistency, because he was there viewing what was happening when the Leader of the Opposition was the Minister for Education and was spending money that he did not have and making commitments that the State did not have the ability to finance. Along with his colleagues, he sent the State into deficit; yet he now seeks to claim the top prize of being the Premier. This forthcoming election will be interesting, when the issues of financial credibility and the question of balancing budgets are keenly on the line, and when the person who is now in a most powerful job as the head of the private sector organisations in Western Australia knows the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition. He personally oversaw and warned the then Premier about the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition. In his new position, he now has a golden opportunity to warn the business community about the track record of the person who would be the spendthrift Premier of the State of Western Australia.
Mr C.M. BROWN replied: I am very pleased to have that question from the member for Swan Hills. It is very good to be in a Parliament and in a Government that are presiding over record levels of business investment in the State and to see the high level of confidence in the Gallop Government with the investment coming into this State. Members will recall that for a short time the Court Government had investment in the State. It was a short time, because it was pretty abysmal in the second period and towards the end of the first period. However, initially when it had some success, it was said by then Premier Court that the reason there is investment in the State is that the business community has confidence in the Government. If we apply the same rationale now, the business community is expressing enormous confidence in the Gallop Government. Of course, we are also seeing job creation, with 52 000 additional jobs being created, and a situation in which unemployment is at the lowest level since official records were kept; it is now down to 4.8 per cent. We are seeing very significant economic growth in Western Australia. Of course, we are also seeing that in the backdrop of responsible financial management led by the Treasurer. It is to be recalled that when the Liberal-National Parties were in power, five out of eight budgets were in deficit. If a Government had a 50 per cent run, it would not be bad. Fifty per cent is a sort of mediocre run, but it would not be bad. However, five out of eight is called a failure - it is not called 50 per cent - and the Court Government did it on five separate occasions, as opposed to the record of our terrific Treasurer, who has had to make pretty hard decisions, not the wimpy things, and has kept the budget in the black. What can we do with it? We can do school maintenance, put money into mental health and do all those other things, and that gives great confidence to the people of Western Australia. That is to be compared with the record of the spendthrifts on the other side, who spent enormously when they did not have the money to do so. When the now Leader of the Opposition was the Minister for Education, he blew out the education budget by $300 million in three years. That prompted the then Under Treasurer - the now Chief Executive of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia - to write a memo to the then Premier warning about the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition. It will be very interesting in this forthcoming state election if the former Under Treasurer, the person who knew about the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition, sends out the same warning to the business community. We will see whether he has a bit of consistency, because he was there viewing what was happening when the Leader of the Opposition was the Minister for Education and was spending money that he did not have and making commitments that the State did not have the ability to finance. Along with his colleagues, he sent the State into deficit; yet he now seeks to claim the top prize of being the Premier. This forthcoming election will be interesting, when the issues of financial credibility and the question of balancing budgets are keenly on the line, and when the person who is now in a most powerful job as the head of the private sector organisations in Western Australia knows the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition. He personally oversaw and warned the then Premier about the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition. In his new position, he now has a golden opportunity to warn the business community about the track record of the person who would be the spendthrift Premier of the State of Western Australia.
I am very pleased to have that question from the member for Swan Hills. It is very good to be in a Parliament and in a Government that are presiding over record levels of business investment in the State and to see the high level of confidence in the Gallop Government with the investment coming into this State. Members will recall that for a short time the Court Government had investment in the State. It was a short time, because it was pretty abysmal in the second period and towards the end of the first period. However, initially when it had some success, it was said by then Premier Court that the reason there is investment in the State is that the business community has confidence in the Government. If we apply the same rationale now, the business community is expressing enormous confidence in the Gallop Government. Of course, we are also seeing job creation, with 52 000 additional jobs being created, and a situation in which unemployment is at the lowest level since official records were kept; it is now down to 4.8 per cent. We are seeing very significant economic growth in Western Australia. Of course, we are also seeing that in the backdrop of responsible financial management led by the Treasurer. It is to be recalled that when the Liberal-National Parties were in power, five out of eight budgets were in deficit. If a Government had a 50 per cent run, it would not be bad. Fifty per cent is a sort of mediocre run, but it would not be bad. However, five out of eight is called a failure - it is not called 50 per cent - and the Court Government did it on five separate occasions, as opposed to the record of our terrific Treasurer, who has had to make pretty hard decisions, not the wimpy things, and has kept the budget in the black. What can we do with it? We can do school maintenance, put money into mental health and do all those other things, and that gives great confidence to the people of Western Australia. That is to be compared with the record of the spendthrifts on the other side, who spent enormously when they did not have the money to do so. When the now Leader of the Opposition was the Minister for Education, he blew out the education budget by $300 million in three years. That prompted the then Under Treasurer - the now Chief Executive of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia - to write a memo to the then Premier warning about the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition. It will be very interesting in this forthcoming state election if the former Under Treasurer, the person who knew about the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition, sends out the same warning to the business community. We will see whether he has a bit of consistency, because he was there viewing what was happening when the Leader of the Opposition was the Minister for Education and was spending money that he did not have and making commitments that the State did not have the ability to finance. Along with his colleagues, he sent the State into deficit; yet he now seeks to claim the top prize of being the Premier. This forthcoming election will be interesting, when the issues of financial credibility and the question of balancing budgets are keenly on the line, and when the person who is now in a most powerful job as the head of the private sector organisations in Western Australia knows the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition. He personally oversaw and warned the then Premier about the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition. In his new position, he now has a golden opportunity to warn the business community about the track record of the person who would be the spendthrift Premier of the State of Western Australia.
Of course, we are also seeing that in the backdrop of responsible financial management led by the Treasurer. It is to be recalled that when the Liberal-National Parties were in power, five out of eight budgets were in deficit. If a Government had a 50 per cent run, it would not be bad. Fifty per cent is a sort of mediocre run, but it would not be bad. However, five out of eight is called a failure - it is not called 50 per cent - and the Court Government did it on five separate occasions, as opposed to the record of our terrific Treasurer, who has had to make pretty hard decisions, not the wimpy things, and has kept the budget in the black. What can we do with it? We can do school maintenance, put money into mental health and do all those other things, and that gives great confidence to the people of Western Australia. That is to be compared with the record of the spendthrifts on the other side, who spent enormously when they did not have the money to do so. When the now Leader of the Opposition was the Minister for Education, he blew out the education budget by $300 million in three years. That prompted the then Under Treasurer - the now Chief Executive of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia - to write a memo to the then Premier warning about the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition. It will be very interesting in this forthcoming state election if the former Under Treasurer, the person who knew about the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition, sends out the same warning to the business community. We will see whether he has a bit of consistency, because he was there viewing what was happening when the Leader of the Opposition was the Minister for Education and was spending money that he did not have and making commitments that the State did not have the ability to finance. Along with his colleagues, he sent the State into deficit; yet he now seeks to claim the top prize of being the Premier. This forthcoming election will be interesting, when the issues of financial credibility and the question of balancing budgets are keenly on the line, and when the person who is now in a most powerful job as the head of the private sector organisations in Western Australia knows the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition. He personally oversaw and warned the then Premier about the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition. In his new position, he now has a golden opportunity to warn the business community about the track record of the person who would be the spendthrift Premier of the State of Western Australia.
This forthcoming election will be interesting, when the issues of financial credibility and the question of balancing budgets are keenly on the line, and when the person who is now in a most powerful job as the head of the private sector organisations in Western Australia knows the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition. He personally oversaw and warned the then Premier about the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition. In his new position, he now has a golden opportunity to warn the business community about the track record of the person who would be the spendthrift Premier of the State of Western Australia.
Mr C.M. BROWN replied: I am very pleased to have that question from the member for Swan Hills. It is very good to be in a Parliament and in a Government that are presiding over record levels of business investment in the State and to see the high level of confidence in the Gallop Government with the investment coming into this State. Members will recall that for a short time the Court Government had investment in the State. It was a short time, because it was pretty abysmal in the second period and towards the end of the first period. However, initially when it had some success, it was said by then Premier Court that the reason there is investment in the State is that the business community has confidence in the Government. If we apply the same rationale now, the business community is expressing enormous confidence in the Gallop Government. Of course, we are also seeing job creation, with 52 000 additional jobs being created, and a situation in which unemployment is at the lowest level since official records were kept; it is now down to 4.8 per cent. We are seeing very significant economic growth in Western Australia. Of course, we are also seeing that in the backdrop of responsible financial management led by the Treasurer. It is to be recalled that when the Liberal-National Parties were in power, five out of eight budgets were in deficit. If a Government had a 50 per cent run, it would not be bad. Fifty per cent is a sort of mediocre run, but it would not be bad. However, five out of eight is called a failure - it is not called 50 per cent - and the Court Government did it on five separate occasions, as opposed to the record of our terrific Treasurer, who has had to make pretty hard decisions, not the wimpy things, and has kept the budget in the black. What can we do with it? We can do school maintenance, put money into mental health and do all those other things, and that gives great confidence to the people of Western Australia. That is to be compared with the record of the spendthrifts on the other side, who spent enormously when they did not have the money to do so. When the now Leader of the Opposition was the Minister for Education, he blew out the education budget by $300 million in three years. That prompted the then Under Treasurer - the now Chief Executive of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia - to write a memo to the then Premier warning about the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition. It will be very interesting in this forthcoming state election if the former Under Treasurer, the person who knew about the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition, sends out the same warning to the business community. We will see whether he has a bit of consistency, because he was there viewing what was happening when the Leader of the Opposition was the Minister for Education and was spending money that he did not have and making commitments that the State did not have the ability to finance. Along with his colleagues, he sent the State into deficit; yet he now seeks to claim the top prize of being the Premier. This forthcoming election will be interesting, when the issues of financial credibility and the question of balancing budgets are keenly on the line, and when the person who is now in a most powerful job as the head of the private sector organisations in Western Australia knows the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition. He personally oversaw and warned the then Premier about the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition. In his new position, he now has a golden opportunity to warn the business community about the track record of the person who would be the spendthrift Premier of the State of Western Australia.
I am very pleased to have that question from the member for Swan Hills. It is very good to be in a Parliament and in a Government that are presiding over record levels of business investment in the State and to see the high level of confidence in the Gallop Government with the investment coming into this State. Members will recall that for a short time the Court Government had investment in the State. It was a short time, because it was pretty abysmal in the second period and towards the end of the first period. However, initially when it had some success, it was said by then Premier Court that the reason there is investment in the State is that the business community has confidence in the Government. If we apply the same rationale now, the business community is expressing enormous confidence in the Gallop Government. Of course, we are also seeing job creation, with 52 000 additional jobs being created, and a situation in which unemployment is at the lowest level since official records were kept; it is now down to 4.8 per cent. We are seeing very significant economic growth in Western Australia. Of course, we are also seeing that in the backdrop of responsible financial management led by the Treasurer. It is to be recalled that when the Liberal-National Parties were in power, five out of eight budgets were in deficit. If a Government had a 50 per cent run, it would not be bad. Fifty per cent is a sort of mediocre run, but it would not be bad. However, five out of eight is called a failure - it is not called 50 per cent - and the Court Government did it on five separate occasions, as opposed to the record of our terrific Treasurer, who has had to make pretty hard decisions, not the wimpy things, and has kept the budget in the black. What can we do with it? We can do school maintenance, put money into mental health and do all those other things, and that gives great confidence to the people of Western Australia. That is to be compared with the record of the spendthrifts on the other side, who spent enormously when they did not have the money to do so. When the now Leader of the Opposition was the Minister for Education, he blew out the education budget by $300 million in three years. That prompted the then Under Treasurer - the now Chief Executive of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia - to write a memo to the then Premier warning about the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition. It will be very interesting in this forthcoming state election if the former Under Treasurer, the person who knew about the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition, sends out the same warning to the business community. We will see whether he has a bit of consistency, because he was there viewing what was happening when the Leader of the Opposition was the Minister for Education and was spending money that he did not have and making commitments that the State did not have the ability to finance. Along with his colleagues, he sent the State into deficit; yet he now seeks to claim the top prize of being the Premier. This forthcoming election will be interesting, when the issues of financial credibility and the question of balancing budgets are keenly on the line, and when the person who is now in a most powerful job as the head of the private sector organisations in Western Australia knows the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition. He personally oversaw and warned the then Premier about the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition. In his new position, he now has a golden opportunity to warn the business community about the track record of the person who would be the spendthrift Premier of the State of Western Australia.
Of course, we are also seeing that in the backdrop of responsible financial management led by the Treasurer. It is to be recalled that when the Liberal-National Parties were in power, five out of eight budgets were in deficit. If a Government had a 50 per cent run, it would not be bad. Fifty per cent is a sort of mediocre run, but it would not be bad. However, five out of eight is called a failure - it is not called 50 per cent - and the Court Government did it on five separate occasions, as opposed to the record of our terrific Treasurer, who has had to make pretty hard decisions, not the wimpy things, and has kept the budget in the black. What can we do with it? We can do school maintenance, put money into mental health and do all those other things, and that gives great confidence to the people of Western Australia. That is to be compared with the record of the spendthrifts on the other side, who spent enormously when they did not have the money to do so. When the now Leader of the Opposition was the Minister for Education, he blew out the education budget by $300 million in three years. That prompted the then Under Treasurer - the now Chief Executive of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia - to write a memo to the then Premier warning about the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition. It will be very interesting in this forthcoming state election if the former Under Treasurer, the person who knew about the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition, sends out the same warning to the business community. We will see whether he has a bit of consistency, because he was there viewing what was happening when the Leader of the Opposition was the Minister for Education and was spending money that he did not have and making commitments that the State did not have the ability to finance. Along with his colleagues, he sent the State into deficit; yet he now seeks to claim the top prize of being the Premier. This forthcoming election will be interesting, when the issues of financial credibility and the question of balancing budgets are keenly on the line, and when the person who is now in a most powerful job as the head of the private sector organisations in Western Australia knows the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition. He personally oversaw and warned the then Premier about the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition. In his new position, he now has a golden opportunity to warn the business community about the track record of the person who would be the spendthrift Premier of the State of Western Australia.
This forthcoming election will be interesting, when the issues of financial credibility and the question of balancing budgets are keenly on the line, and when the person who is now in a most powerful job as the head of the private sector organisations in Western Australia knows the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition. He personally oversaw and warned the then Premier about the spending habits of the Leader of the Opposition. In his new position, he now has a golden opportunity to warn the business community about the track record of the person who would be the spendthrift Premier of the State of Western Australia.
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