❓ Mr. Johnston questions the Minister for Regional Development regarding the National Party's stance on a gold royalty increase included in previous state budgets, alleging dysfunction within the Liberal-National alliance. The Minister confirms his presence in cabinet during budget approvals and defends the alliance's effectiveness despite policy differences.
AnsweredQoN 46Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
GOLD
ROYALTIES
46. Mr W.J.
JOHNSTON to the Minister for Regional Development:
I refer to the dysfunction and division within the minister's
alliance government over royalties, highlighted by his statement released
yesterday regarding the gold royalty that had been booked in the state budget
for the past three years and his claim that, ''The Nationals WA will not
support any increase in gold royalty in Western Australia.''
(1) Was the minister in cabinet when the 2012–13,
2013–14 and 2014–15 budgets were approved?
(2) Were other
National Party members in cabinet when these budgets were approved, which
included the gold royalty increase?
ROYALTIES
46. Mr W.J.
JOHNSTON to the Minister for Regional Development:
I refer to the dysfunction and division within the minister's
alliance government over royalties, highlighted by his statement released
yesterday regarding the gold royalty that had been booked in the state budget
for the past three years and his claim that, ''The Nationals WA will not
support any increase in gold royalty in Western Australia.''
(1) Was the minister in cabinet when the 2012–13,
2013–14 and 2014–15 budgets were approved?
(2) Were other
National Party members in cabinet when these budgets were approved, which
included the gold royalty increase?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2)
I thank the member for Cannington for the question. To work backwards, the
answer is yes, I was in cabinet when decisions were made around all the past
budgets. The position of the government—it is not my portfolio—is
that the review and the decisions to be made around that are still to be
brought to cabinet. To answer the first part of the question, I have stated the
National Party's position, which was taken up very strongly by the
Labor Party. I make the point that that does not mean that there is any dysfunction
in the Liberal–National alliance. We are very, very effective as a
government and, as the Treasurer just highlighted, the fundamentals of this
state are absolutely sound. Yes, there will be differences from time to time on
policy settings and that is absolutely appropriate.
I thank the member for Cannington for the question. To work backwards, the
answer is yes, I was in cabinet when decisions were made around all the past
budgets. The position of the government—it is not my portfolio—is
that the review and the decisions to be made around that are still to be
brought to cabinet. To answer the first part of the question, I have stated the
National Party's position, which was taken up very strongly by the
Labor Party. I make the point that that does not mean that there is any dysfunction
in the Liberal–National alliance. We are very, very effective as a
government and, as the Treasurer just highlighted, the fundamentals of this
state are absolutely sound. Yes, there will be differences from time to time on
policy settings and that is absolutely appropriate.
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