❓ Mr. Buswell questions the Treasurer about increased tax revenue and lack of tax relief despite a budget surplus. Mr. Ripper defends the government's financial management, citing economic growth, debt reduction, and infrastructure investment.
AnsweredQoN 688Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STATE FINANCES - TAX RELIEF
I refer to the 2005-06 annual report on state finances tabled by the Treasurer in the Parliament this morning. (1) How can the Treasurer justify the fact that, on average, the government is now collecting $2 500 in tax for every man, woman and child in Western Australia, an increase of $1 000 from when the Labor Party first came to power? (2) Why is it that the government continues to refuse to provide taxation relief to Western Australians when the Treasurer sits on a $2.3 billion surplus and cannot even spend the money that he has allocated to his much-vaunted infrastructure program? Mr E.S. RIPPER
I refer to the 2005-06 annual report on state finances tabled by the Treasurer in the Parliament this morning. (1) How can the Treasurer justify the fact that, on average, the government is now collecting $2 500 in tax for every man, woman and child in Western Australia, an increase of $1 000 from when the Labor Party first came to power? (2) Why is it that the government continues to refuse to provide taxation relief to Western Australians when the Treasurer sits on a $2.3 billion surplus and cannot even spend the money that he has allocated to his much-vaunted infrastructure program? Mr E.S. RIPPER
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) There is one big difference between where we are now and where we were in 2001: in 2001 the economy had become smaller under the stewardship of the then minister for state development, the member for Cottesloe, and it was a $75 billion economy. By the end of this year, it will be a $123 billion economy. Although members of the opposition might find it a bit hard to understand, 14 per cent economic growth actually brings in a bit more revenue to government coffers. What are we doing with that revenue? We are investing it in the future. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I apologise, Mr Speaker; I got carried away by my enthusiasm about the state of the economy. Of course, with 14 per cent economic growth, additional revenue has flowed into the government’s Treasury. We are paying off debt with that revenue. We have a record low debt of $3.2 billion for Western Australia and we are investing in infrastructure. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Last financial year we delivered a record capital works program. What a trifecta for our community. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition thinks that the idea is to raise his voice if he is not heard the first time. That is not the case. I call him to order for the second time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : If there were any wit or intelligence in the interjections, I might take them, but, unfortunately, there is not. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
(1) How can the Treasurer justify the fact that, on average, the government is now collecting $2 500 in tax for every man, woman and child in Western Australia, an increase of $1 000 from when the Labor Party first came to power? (2) Why is it that the government continues to refuse to provide taxation relief to Western Australians when the Treasurer sits on a $2.3 billion surplus and cannot even spend the money that he has allocated to his much-vaunted infrastructure program? Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: (1)-(2) There is one big difference between where we are now and where we were in 2001: in 2001 the economy had become smaller under the stewardship of the then minister for state development, the member for Cottesloe, and it was a $75 billion economy. By the end of this year, it will be a $123 billion economy. Although members of the opposition might find it a bit hard to understand, 14 per cent economic growth actually brings in a bit more revenue to government coffers. What are we doing with that revenue? We are investing it in the future. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I apologise, Mr Speaker; I got carried away by my enthusiasm about the state of the economy. Of course, with 14 per cent economic growth, additional revenue has flowed into the government’s Treasury. We are paying off debt with that revenue. We have a record low debt of $3.2 billion for Western Australia and we are investing in infrastructure. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Last financial year we delivered a record capital works program. What a trifecta for our community. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition thinks that the idea is to raise his voice if he is not heard the first time. That is not the case. I call him to order for the second time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : If there were any wit or intelligence in the interjections, I might take them, but, unfortunately, there is not. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
(2) Why is it that the government continues to refuse to provide taxation relief to Western Australians when the Treasurer sits on a $2.3 billion surplus and cannot even spend the money that he has allocated to his much-vaunted infrastructure program? Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: (1)-(2) There is one big difference between where we are now and where we were in 2001: in 2001 the economy had become smaller under the stewardship of the then minister for state development, the member for Cottesloe, and it was a $75 billion economy. By the end of this year, it will be a $123 billion economy. Although members of the opposition might find it a bit hard to understand, 14 per cent economic growth actually brings in a bit more revenue to government coffers. What are we doing with that revenue? We are investing it in the future. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I apologise, Mr Speaker; I got carried away by my enthusiasm about the state of the economy. Of course, with 14 per cent economic growth, additional revenue has flowed into the government’s Treasury. We are paying off debt with that revenue. We have a record low debt of $3.2 billion for Western Australia and we are investing in infrastructure. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Last financial year we delivered a record capital works program. What a trifecta for our community. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition thinks that the idea is to raise his voice if he is not heard the first time. That is not the case. I call him to order for the second time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : If there were any wit or intelligence in the interjections, I might take them, but, unfortunately, there is not. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: (1)-(2) There is one big difference between where we are now and where we were in 2001: in 2001 the economy had become smaller under the stewardship of the then minister for state development, the member for Cottesloe, and it was a $75 billion economy. By the end of this year, it will be a $123 billion economy. Although members of the opposition might find it a bit hard to understand, 14 per cent economic growth actually brings in a bit more revenue to government coffers. What are we doing with that revenue? We are investing it in the future. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I apologise, Mr Speaker; I got carried away by my enthusiasm about the state of the economy. Of course, with 14 per cent economic growth, additional revenue has flowed into the government’s Treasury. We are paying off debt with that revenue. We have a record low debt of $3.2 billion for Western Australia and we are investing in infrastructure. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Last financial year we delivered a record capital works program. What a trifecta for our community. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition thinks that the idea is to raise his voice if he is not heard the first time. That is not the case. I call him to order for the second time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : If there were any wit or intelligence in the interjections, I might take them, but, unfortunately, there is not. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
(1)-(2) There is one big difference between where we are now and where we were in 2001: in 2001 the economy had become smaller under the stewardship of the then minister for state development, the member for Cottesloe, and it was a $75 billion economy. By the end of this year, it will be a $123 billion economy. Although members of the opposition might find it a bit hard to understand, 14 per cent economic growth actually brings in a bit more revenue to government coffers. What are we doing with that revenue? We are investing it in the future. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I apologise, Mr Speaker; I got carried away by my enthusiasm about the state of the economy. Of course, with 14 per cent economic growth, additional revenue has flowed into the government’s Treasury. We are paying off debt with that revenue. We have a record low debt of $3.2 billion for Western Australia and we are investing in infrastructure. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Last financial year we delivered a record capital works program. What a trifecta for our community. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition thinks that the idea is to raise his voice if he is not heard the first time. That is not the case. I call him to order for the second time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : If there were any wit or intelligence in the interjections, I might take them, but, unfortunately, there is not. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I apologise, Mr Speaker; I got carried away by my enthusiasm about the state of the economy. Of course, with 14 per cent economic growth, additional revenue has flowed into the government’s Treasury. We are paying off debt with that revenue. We have a record low debt of $3.2 billion for Western Australia and we are investing in infrastructure. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Last financial year we delivered a record capital works program. What a trifecta for our community. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition thinks that the idea is to raise his voice if he is not heard the first time. That is not the case. I call him to order for the second time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : If there were any wit or intelligence in the interjections, I might take them, but, unfortunately, there is not. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I apologise, Mr Speaker; I got carried away by my enthusiasm about the state of the economy. Of course, with 14 per cent economic growth, additional revenue has flowed into the government’s Treasury. We are paying off debt with that revenue. We have a record low debt of $3.2 billion for Western Australia and we are investing in infrastructure. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Last financial year we delivered a record capital works program. What a trifecta for our community. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition thinks that the idea is to raise his voice if he is not heard the first time. That is not the case. I call him to order for the second time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : If there were any wit or intelligence in the interjections, I might take them, but, unfortunately, there is not. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Mr E.S. RIPPER : I apologise, Mr Speaker; I got carried away by my enthusiasm about the state of the economy. Of course, with 14 per cent economic growth, additional revenue has flowed into the government’s Treasury. We are paying off debt with that revenue. We have a record low debt of $3.2 billion for Western Australia and we are investing in infrastructure. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Last financial year we delivered a record capital works program. What a trifecta for our community. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition thinks that the idea is to raise his voice if he is not heard the first time. That is not the case. I call him to order for the second time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : If there were any wit or intelligence in the interjections, I might take them, but, unfortunately, there is not. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Last financial year we delivered a record capital works program. What a trifecta for our community. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition thinks that the idea is to raise his voice if he is not heard the first time. That is not the case. I call him to order for the second time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : If there were any wit or intelligence in the interjections, I might take them, but, unfortunately, there is not. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
The SPEAKER : Order, member! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Last financial year we delivered a record capital works program. What a trifecta for our community. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition thinks that the idea is to raise his voice if he is not heard the first time. That is not the case. I call him to order for the second time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : If there were any wit or intelligence in the interjections, I might take them, but, unfortunately, there is not. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Mr E.S. RIPPER : Last financial year we delivered a record capital works program. What a trifecta for our community. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition thinks that the idea is to raise his voice if he is not heard the first time. That is not the case. I call him to order for the second time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : If there were any wit or intelligence in the interjections, I might take them, but, unfortunately, there is not. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition thinks that the idea is to raise his voice if he is not heard the first time. That is not the case. I call him to order for the second time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : If there were any wit or intelligence in the interjections, I might take them, but, unfortunately, there is not. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
The SPEAKER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition thinks that the idea is to raise his voice if he is not heard the first time. That is not the case. I call him to order for the second time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : If there were any wit or intelligence in the interjections, I might take them, but, unfortunately, there is not. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Mr E.S. RIPPER : If there were any wit or intelligence in the interjections, I might take them, but, unfortunately, there is not. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
(1) How can the Treasurer justify the fact that, on average, the government is now collecting $2 500 in tax for every man, woman and child in Western Australia, an increase of $1 000 from when the Labor Party first came to power? (2) Why is it that the government continues to refuse to provide taxation relief to Western Australians when the Treasurer sits on a $2.3 billion surplus and cannot even spend the money that he has allocated to his much-vaunted infrastructure program? Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: (1)-(2) There is one big difference between where we are now and where we were in 2001: in 2001 the economy had become smaller under the stewardship of the then minister for state development, the member for Cottesloe, and it was a $75 billion economy. By the end of this year, it will be a $123 billion economy. Although members of the opposition might find it a bit hard to understand, 14 per cent economic growth actually brings in a bit more revenue to government coffers. What are we doing with that revenue? We are investing it in the future. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I apologise, Mr Speaker; I got carried away by my enthusiasm about the state of the economy. Of course, with 14 per cent economic growth, additional revenue has flowed into the government’s Treasury. We are paying off debt with that revenue. We have a record low debt of $3.2 billion for Western Australia and we are investing in infrastructure. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Last financial year we delivered a record capital works program. What a trifecta for our community. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition thinks that the idea is to raise his voice if he is not heard the first time. That is not the case. I call him to order for the second time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : If there were any wit or intelligence in the interjections, I might take them, but, unfortunately, there is not. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
(2) Why is it that the government continues to refuse to provide taxation relief to Western Australians when the Treasurer sits on a $2.3 billion surplus and cannot even spend the money that he has allocated to his much-vaunted infrastructure program? Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: (1)-(2) There is one big difference between where we are now and where we were in 2001: in 2001 the economy had become smaller under the stewardship of the then minister for state development, the member for Cottesloe, and it was a $75 billion economy. By the end of this year, it will be a $123 billion economy. Although members of the opposition might find it a bit hard to understand, 14 per cent economic growth actually brings in a bit more revenue to government coffers. What are we doing with that revenue? We are investing it in the future. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I apologise, Mr Speaker; I got carried away by my enthusiasm about the state of the economy. Of course, with 14 per cent economic growth, additional revenue has flowed into the government’s Treasury. We are paying off debt with that revenue. We have a record low debt of $3.2 billion for Western Australia and we are investing in infrastructure. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Last financial year we delivered a record capital works program. What a trifecta for our community. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition thinks that the idea is to raise his voice if he is not heard the first time. That is not the case. I call him to order for the second time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : If there were any wit or intelligence in the interjections, I might take them, but, unfortunately, there is not. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: (1)-(2) There is one big difference between where we are now and where we were in 2001: in 2001 the economy had become smaller under the stewardship of the then minister for state development, the member for Cottesloe, and it was a $75 billion economy. By the end of this year, it will be a $123 billion economy. Although members of the opposition might find it a bit hard to understand, 14 per cent economic growth actually brings in a bit more revenue to government coffers. What are we doing with that revenue? We are investing it in the future. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I apologise, Mr Speaker; I got carried away by my enthusiasm about the state of the economy. Of course, with 14 per cent economic growth, additional revenue has flowed into the government’s Treasury. We are paying off debt with that revenue. We have a record low debt of $3.2 billion for Western Australia and we are investing in infrastructure. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Last financial year we delivered a record capital works program. What a trifecta for our community. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition thinks that the idea is to raise his voice if he is not heard the first time. That is not the case. I call him to order for the second time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : If there were any wit or intelligence in the interjections, I might take them, but, unfortunately, there is not. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
(1)-(2) There is one big difference between where we are now and where we were in 2001: in 2001 the economy had become smaller under the stewardship of the then minister for state development, the member for Cottesloe, and it was a $75 billion economy. By the end of this year, it will be a $123 billion economy. Although members of the opposition might find it a bit hard to understand, 14 per cent economic growth actually brings in a bit more revenue to government coffers. What are we doing with that revenue? We are investing it in the future. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I apologise, Mr Speaker; I got carried away by my enthusiasm about the state of the economy. Of course, with 14 per cent economic growth, additional revenue has flowed into the government’s Treasury. We are paying off debt with that revenue. We have a record low debt of $3.2 billion for Western Australia and we are investing in infrastructure. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Last financial year we delivered a record capital works program. What a trifecta for our community. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition thinks that the idea is to raise his voice if he is not heard the first time. That is not the case. I call him to order for the second time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : If there were any wit or intelligence in the interjections, I might take them, but, unfortunately, there is not. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I apologise, Mr Speaker; I got carried away by my enthusiasm about the state of the economy. Of course, with 14 per cent economic growth, additional revenue has flowed into the government’s Treasury. We are paying off debt with that revenue. We have a record low debt of $3.2 billion for Western Australia and we are investing in infrastructure. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Last financial year we delivered a record capital works program. What a trifecta for our community. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition thinks that the idea is to raise his voice if he is not heard the first time. That is not the case. I call him to order for the second time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : If there were any wit or intelligence in the interjections, I might take them, but, unfortunately, there is not. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I apologise, Mr Speaker; I got carried away by my enthusiasm about the state of the economy. Of course, with 14 per cent economic growth, additional revenue has flowed into the government’s Treasury. We are paying off debt with that revenue. We have a record low debt of $3.2 billion for Western Australia and we are investing in infrastructure. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Last financial year we delivered a record capital works program. What a trifecta for our community. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition thinks that the idea is to raise his voice if he is not heard the first time. That is not the case. I call him to order for the second time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : If there were any wit or intelligence in the interjections, I might take them, but, unfortunately, there is not. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Mr E.S. RIPPER : I apologise, Mr Speaker; I got carried away by my enthusiasm about the state of the economy. Of course, with 14 per cent economic growth, additional revenue has flowed into the government’s Treasury. We are paying off debt with that revenue. We have a record low debt of $3.2 billion for Western Australia and we are investing in infrastructure. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Last financial year we delivered a record capital works program. What a trifecta for our community. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition thinks that the idea is to raise his voice if he is not heard the first time. That is not the case. I call him to order for the second time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : If there were any wit or intelligence in the interjections, I might take them, but, unfortunately, there is not. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Last financial year we delivered a record capital works program. What a trifecta for our community. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition thinks that the idea is to raise his voice if he is not heard the first time. That is not the case. I call him to order for the second time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : If there were any wit or intelligence in the interjections, I might take them, but, unfortunately, there is not. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
The SPEAKER : Order, member! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Last financial year we delivered a record capital works program. What a trifecta for our community. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition thinks that the idea is to raise his voice if he is not heard the first time. That is not the case. I call him to order for the second time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : If there were any wit or intelligence in the interjections, I might take them, but, unfortunately, there is not. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Mr E.S. RIPPER : Last financial year we delivered a record capital works program. What a trifecta for our community. Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition thinks that the idea is to raise his voice if he is not heard the first time. That is not the case. I call him to order for the second time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : If there were any wit or intelligence in the interjections, I might take them, but, unfortunately, there is not. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Mr T. Buswell interjected. The SPEAKER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition thinks that the idea is to raise his voice if he is not heard the first time. That is not the case. I call him to order for the second time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : If there were any wit or intelligence in the interjections, I might take them, but, unfortunately, there is not. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
The SPEAKER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition thinks that the idea is to raise his voice if he is not heard the first time. That is not the case. I call him to order for the second time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : If there were any wit or intelligence in the interjections, I might take them, but, unfortunately, there is not. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Mr E.S. RIPPER : If there were any wit or intelligence in the interjections, I might take them, but, unfortunately, there is not. Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Mr P.D. Omodei interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Mr E.S. RIPPER : Speaking of lack of wit and intelligence, that was the Leader of the Opposition. We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
We have a wonderful trifecta for our community - a record surplus, record low debt and a record capital works program. No government in the past has delivered such a trifecta to our community. We have a debt to revenue ratio of under 20 per cent, giving us phenomenal financial capacity for the future. If members opposite think that there was no taxation impact when they were in government, they should look at the newspaper headlines from when Richard Court was Premier. One states “Budget slugs home owners”. That is what the Liberal government did. Another headline states “$180 tax burden for WA families”. That is what the Liberal government did. Members should not come into this place, holy and self-righteous, and preach to me about tax when this government has cut taxes four times in the past two years. We have cut stamp duty by 15 per cent. This government introduced stamp duty exemptions for first home owners. Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Mr C.J. Barnett : Tell the truth. A pack of lies. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I am sure that I heard the member for Cottesloe speak unparliamentary words and I direct that he withdraw them. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I said “a pack of lies” and I withdraw that comment if it was unparliamentary. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : I, along with my colleagues, have cut taxes four times in the past two years. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Mr E.S. RIPPER : I have cut stamp duty rates by 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
The SPEAKER : I call the Deputy Leader of the Opposition to order for the third time and the member for Cottesloe to order for the first time. Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
Mr E.S. RIPPER : This government was the first government in the history of this state to introduce stamp duty exemptions for first home buyers. I support further tax cuts, if the government has the capacity to deliver them. How do we determine that capacity? We do not look at the peak of the boom and make decisions as though the peak of the boom will continue year after year. We do not look backwards; we look forwards. We look at the sustainability of the economic performance. Let us remember that the opposition is not alone in suggesting that the money should go to other areas. There are four broad areas in which additional financial capacity can be used: tax cuts, service improvements, wage increases and infrastructure. We can spend the dollar once; we cannot spend it four times. We have to make careful decisions about the right balance between those four areas. We have to make decisions not just for today, but also for tomorrow. I do not have any truck with those people who say that we should squander all the benefits of the boom now. We are about investing for the future of this state through debt reduction, saving future taxpayers $150 million a year in interest payments, and through building the infrastructure that this economy needs for the future.
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