❓ Mr McGrath questions the Premier on whether his opposition to the TAB sale in 2016 diminished its value. The Premier deflects, highlighting Mr McGrath's past contradictory statements on TAB privatisation and blaming the previous Liberal government's inaction.
AnsweredQoN 779Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TAB —
PRIVATISATION
779. Mr J.E. McGRATH to the Premier:
It is a busy day at the office!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! I want
to hear this.
Mr J.E. McGRATH : I have
another question for my good friend the Premier. Will he confirm that because
of his political opportunism in opposing the sale of the TAB in 2016, the value
taxpayers and the racing industry will now receive from any sale has been
significantly diminished; and, if so, to what extent?
Mr P. Papalia interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister for
Tourism, I call you to order for the first time.
PRIVATISATION
779. Mr J.E. McGRATH to the Premier:
It is a busy day at the office!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! I want
to hear this.
Mr J.E. McGRATH : I have
another question for my good friend the Premier. Will he confirm that because
of his political opportunism in opposing the sale of the TAB in 2016, the value
taxpayers and the racing industry will now receive from any sale has been
significantly diminished; and, if so, to what extent?
Mr P. Papalia interjected.
The SPEAKER : Minister for
Tourism, I call you to order for the first time.
AnswerView source ↗
I am very pleased that the member
for South Perth asked me this question because post the last question, some
information has been provided to me that might be of interest to him.
Mr S.K. L'Estrange :
Table it!
Mr M. McGOWAN : Thank you very
much. I will table it! It is from Hansard , so members opposite might
even know that it exists.
On 22 August 2006 —
Mr J.E. McGrath : It's
12 years ago!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : On 22 August
2006, the member for South Perth stated —
I hope our TAB never becomes
corporatised �
On 20 August 2014, which is more
recent—in fact, who was in government then? The Liberal Party was in
government. The member for South Perth stated —
We have had personal attacks on me by
the member for Collie–Preston, who said I have changed my position.
Would I be the first person in the world to have changed their position on
something? Of course, I always believed that the TAB should never be
privatised; that was my view up until events of more recent times.
In other words, he changed his
position.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : What standard
of proof am I operating on here?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, please!
I want to hear the answer.
Mr M. McGOWAN : What standard
of proof am I operating under? That is beyond reasonable doubt—the
member said one thing and then he moved his position as events changed. Two
entries in Hansard demonstrate that. I do not know what other evidence
the member wants. The second part of the member's question was somehow
blaming me for the Liberal Party not resolving the issues around the TAB and
selling the TAB. I was in opposition and the member's party controlled
both houses of Parliament, so the idea that somehow it was my fault, when we
had 21 members of Parliament in this house and a minority in the upper house
and the then government had an overwhelming majority in both, is frankly
ridiculous.
for South Perth asked me this question because post the last question, some
information has been provided to me that might be of interest to him.
Mr S.K. L'Estrange :
Table it!
Mr M. McGOWAN : Thank you very
much. I will table it! It is from Hansard , so members opposite might
even know that it exists.
On 22 August 2006 —
Mr J.E. McGrath : It's
12 years ago!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : On 22 August
2006, the member for South Perth stated —
I hope our TAB never becomes
corporatised �
On 20 August 2014, which is more
recent—in fact, who was in government then? The Liberal Party was in
government. The member for South Perth stated —
We have had personal attacks on me by
the member for Collie–Preston, who said I have changed my position.
Would I be the first person in the world to have changed their position on
something? Of course, I always believed that the TAB should never be
privatised; that was my view up until events of more recent times.
In other words, he changed his
position.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : What standard
of proof am I operating on here?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, please!
I want to hear the answer.
Mr M. McGOWAN : What standard
of proof am I operating under? That is beyond reasonable doubt—the
member said one thing and then he moved his position as events changed. Two
entries in Hansard demonstrate that. I do not know what other evidence
the member wants. The second part of the member's question was somehow
blaming me for the Liberal Party not resolving the issues around the TAB and
selling the TAB. I was in opposition and the member's party controlled
both houses of Parliament, so the idea that somehow it was my fault, when we
had 21 members of Parliament in this house and a minority in the upper house
and the then government had an overwhelming majority in both, is frankly
ridiculous.
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