❓ Premier Barnett discusses the implications of the change in federal government, highlighting the removal of the mining and carbon taxes as beneficial for WA. He also criticises the WA Labor party's performance in the federal election.
AnsweredQoN 454Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
FEDERAL–STATE
RELATIONS
454. MR N.W. MORTON to the Premier:
Can the Premier please update the house on what a change of
federal government will mean for relations between Western Australia and the
federal government?
RELATIONS
454. MR N.W. MORTON to the Premier:
Can the Premier please update the house on what a change of
federal government will mean for relations between Western Australia and the
federal government?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question. I had a conversation
with Prime Minister-elect Tony Abbott yesterday. He will obviously proceed on
what he clearly has a mandate for. The removal of the mining tax will be great
for this state in terms of international confidence in mining investment. It
will be more important than the amount of money that may or may not be raised
in tax. I think the carbon tax removal also will be of great benefit in terms
of the cost of living for Western Australians. People will see an eight to nine
per cent drop in their electricity bills.
Ms L.L. Baker interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Maylands!
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Girrawheen! Thank you! I call you to order for the first time.
Member for Maylands! If you have such a penchant for trains, can you ask a
question later in the proceedings? Thank you.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
It was an emphatic victory. I note in the lead-up to the election ABC radio
reported on the Leader of the Opposition as follows —
Mr McGowan says people who are
angry with the Premier, Colin Barnett, over budget cuts or broken promises
should use their vote to send the Federal Coalition a message.
They did send a message; it was not a backlash. If it were a
backlash, it was the sort of backlash a party would love to have in any
election.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
How badly did Labor do in this election? At the last state election there was a
five per cent swing to the government in Western Australia. The ALP primary
vote in the state election was 33 per cent. We did not think it could have gone
much lower. After all, it was the worst result for the Labor Party since 1917,
but they excelled themselves! The Western Australian ALP primary vote for seats
in the federal election was down to 29 per cent—the lowest vote of any
Australian state. The Liberal primary vote alone in Western Australia was 48
per cent; add in the vote for our friends the National Party and it went to 51
per cent — the highest
vote for the coalition in any Australian state. So we got a record high and
members opposite got the lowest vote in Labor Party history—the lowest
vote ever. Labor got one out of six senators up. We heard, ''Building
for the future with Joe Bullock.'' They got rid of their only young
senator and brought in old Joe. What a forward-looking effort!
For the last six months the Leader of the Opposition has
tried to rewrite the history of the state election. He stands distinguished as
achieving the worst result for a Labor leader since 1917. He has led the state
Labor Party in Western Australia when it has achieved its lowest result ever.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Members opposite seem to think this is a trivial matter. If the result in the
booths around the state on Saturday were replicated in a state election, a
number of them would lose their seats. Do they want to know who they are? The
members for West Swan, Victoria Park, Armadale, Midland, Mandurah, Butler,
Collie–Preston, Girrawheen and Albany would all lose their seats. That
is how badly they are doing.
Several members interjected.
Mr P.C. Tinley :
You live in fantasy land, Premier.
The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Willagee.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
look forward to a good working relationship with the Abbott government. The
backlash the Leader of the Opposition tried to organise ended up in a colossal
windfall for Tony Abbott and the coalition. He is very pleased that in Western
Australia the coalition got its highest vote and the Labor Party got its lowest
vote ever—end of story. Keep on being nasty and being personal in your
attacks and you will continue to go down, my friend.
with Prime Minister-elect Tony Abbott yesterday. He will obviously proceed on
what he clearly has a mandate for. The removal of the mining tax will be great
for this state in terms of international confidence in mining investment. It
will be more important than the amount of money that may or may not be raised
in tax. I think the carbon tax removal also will be of great benefit in terms
of the cost of living for Western Australians. People will see an eight to nine
per cent drop in their electricity bills.
Ms L.L. Baker interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Maylands!
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Girrawheen! Thank you! I call you to order for the first time.
Member for Maylands! If you have such a penchant for trains, can you ask a
question later in the proceedings? Thank you.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
It was an emphatic victory. I note in the lead-up to the election ABC radio
reported on the Leader of the Opposition as follows —
Mr McGowan says people who are
angry with the Premier, Colin Barnett, over budget cuts or broken promises
should use their vote to send the Federal Coalition a message.
They did send a message; it was not a backlash. If it were a
backlash, it was the sort of backlash a party would love to have in any
election.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
How badly did Labor do in this election? At the last state election there was a
five per cent swing to the government in Western Australia. The ALP primary
vote in the state election was 33 per cent. We did not think it could have gone
much lower. After all, it was the worst result for the Labor Party since 1917,
but they excelled themselves! The Western Australian ALP primary vote for seats
in the federal election was down to 29 per cent—the lowest vote of any
Australian state. The Liberal primary vote alone in Western Australia was 48
per cent; add in the vote for our friends the National Party and it went to 51
per cent — the highest
vote for the coalition in any Australian state. So we got a record high and
members opposite got the lowest vote in Labor Party history—the lowest
vote ever. Labor got one out of six senators up. We heard, ''Building
for the future with Joe Bullock.'' They got rid of their only young
senator and brought in old Joe. What a forward-looking effort!
For the last six months the Leader of the Opposition has
tried to rewrite the history of the state election. He stands distinguished as
achieving the worst result for a Labor leader since 1917. He has led the state
Labor Party in Western Australia when it has achieved its lowest result ever.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Members opposite seem to think this is a trivial matter. If the result in the
booths around the state on Saturday were replicated in a state election, a
number of them would lose their seats. Do they want to know who they are? The
members for West Swan, Victoria Park, Armadale, Midland, Mandurah, Butler,
Collie–Preston, Girrawheen and Albany would all lose their seats. That
is how badly they are doing.
Several members interjected.
Mr P.C. Tinley :
You live in fantasy land, Premier.
The SPEAKER : Members! Member for Willagee.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
look forward to a good working relationship with the Abbott government. The
backlash the Leader of the Opposition tried to organise ended up in a colossal
windfall for Tony Abbott and the coalition. He is very pleased that in Western
Australia the coalition got its highest vote and the Labor Party got its lowest
vote ever—end of story. Keep on being nasty and being personal in your
attacks and you will continue to go down, my friend.
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