❓ Opposition questions the Premier's progress on controlling GTE executive salaries, referencing past promises and current payments. The Premier deflects, blaming previous agreements made by the Opposition Leader when he was Treasurer.
AnsweredQoN 270Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
SENIOR EXECUTIVES — SALARIES
I refer to the speed and efficiency with which the Premier’s government, among many measures, slashed Redress WA payments, ended the It Pays to Learn allowance and increased electricity charges by 46 per cent. (1) What progress can the Premier report on the promise he made last year to bring the salaries of senior executives of government trading enterprises back under government control? (2) Why will a wink or nod suffice to have GTEs do the government’s bidding on commercial matters such as access to ports, yet prove totally ineffective in controlling executive wage blow-outs? (3) Does the Premier support the $750 000 payment made to GESB CEO, Michele Dolin, when it is based in part on a salary that he said he opposed? Mr C.J. BARNETT
I refer to the speed and efficiency with which the Premier’s government, among many measures, slashed Redress WA payments, ended the It Pays to Learn allowance and increased electricity charges by 46 per cent. (1) What progress can the Premier report on the promise he made last year to bring the salaries of senior executives of government trading enterprises back under government control? (2) Why will a wink or nod suffice to have GTEs do the government’s bidding on commercial matters such as access to ports, yet prove totally ineffective in controlling executive wage blow-outs? (3) Does the Premier support the $750 000 payment made to GESB CEO, Michele Dolin, when it is based in part on a salary that he said he opposed? Mr C.J. BARNETT
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) The way that the salaries and packages for several GTEs are constructed is not appropriate for people working within the broader public sector. Mr E.S. Ripper : Why don’t you have a conversation with them, and why isn’t that effective? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Why is it not effective? It is not effective because these agreements were signed by the Leader of the Opposition when he was Treasurer. That is exactly the reason. They are gradually being worked out in one way or another. As reappointments or new appointments are being made, they are being made on a proper basis rather than including bonuses and all the other components that the Leader of the Opposition put in them. I think it is just a bit rich that the Leader of the Opposition would raise an issue such as that. He referred to speed and efficiency. Talk about “Mr Speedy” and “Mr Efficient”! Has anyone seen the report on the Office of Shared Services? How much did the Labor government lose on that—$500 million? We could have built half the stadium for the price of a project that does not work. How dare the Leader of the Opposition come into this place and talk about speed and efficiency! Without doubt, he was the most inefficient, slowest and most slothful Treasurer this state has ever had. He could not pick up the phone to take a call from Inpex Corporation, yet he comes in here and asks why I have not done it. The difference is that this government acts properly and deals with issues properly. We respect people’s working agreements and contracts, but as they come up and as we do new agreements, we are doing them properly.
(1) What progress can the Premier report on the promise he made last year to bring the salaries of senior executives of government trading enterprises back under government control? (2) Why will a wink or nod suffice to have GTEs do the government’s bidding on commercial matters such as access to ports, yet prove totally ineffective in controlling executive wage blow-outs? (3) Does the Premier support the $750 000 payment made to GESB CEO, Michele Dolin, when it is based in part on a salary that he said he opposed? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(3) The way that the salaries and packages for several GTEs are constructed is not appropriate for people working within the broader public sector. Mr E.S. Ripper : Why don’t you have a conversation with them, and why isn’t that effective? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Why is it not effective? It is not effective because these agreements were signed by the Leader of the Opposition when he was Treasurer. That is exactly the reason. They are gradually being worked out in one way or another. As reappointments or new appointments are being made, they are being made on a proper basis rather than including bonuses and all the other components that the Leader of the Opposition put in them. I think it is just a bit rich that the Leader of the Opposition would raise an issue such as that. He referred to speed and efficiency. Talk about “Mr Speedy” and “Mr Efficient”! Has anyone seen the report on the Office of Shared Services? How much did the Labor government lose on that—$500 million? We could have built half the stadium for the price of a project that does not work. How dare the Leader of the Opposition come into this place and talk about speed and efficiency! Without doubt, he was the most inefficient, slowest and most slothful Treasurer this state has ever had. He could not pick up the phone to take a call from Inpex Corporation, yet he comes in here and asks why I have not done it. The difference is that this government acts properly and deals with issues properly. We respect people’s working agreements and contracts, but as they come up and as we do new agreements, we are doing them properly.
(2) Why will a wink or nod suffice to have GTEs do the government’s bidding on commercial matters such as access to ports, yet prove totally ineffective in controlling executive wage blow-outs? (3) Does the Premier support the $750 000 payment made to GESB CEO, Michele Dolin, when it is based in part on a salary that he said he opposed? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(3) The way that the salaries and packages for several GTEs are constructed is not appropriate for people working within the broader public sector. Mr E.S. Ripper : Why don’t you have a conversation with them, and why isn’t that effective? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Why is it not effective? It is not effective because these agreements were signed by the Leader of the Opposition when he was Treasurer. That is exactly the reason. They are gradually being worked out in one way or another. As reappointments or new appointments are being made, they are being made on a proper basis rather than including bonuses and all the other components that the Leader of the Opposition put in them. I think it is just a bit rich that the Leader of the Opposition would raise an issue such as that. He referred to speed and efficiency. Talk about “Mr Speedy” and “Mr Efficient”! Has anyone seen the report on the Office of Shared Services? How much did the Labor government lose on that—$500 million? We could have built half the stadium for the price of a project that does not work. How dare the Leader of the Opposition come into this place and talk about speed and efficiency! Without doubt, he was the most inefficient, slowest and most slothful Treasurer this state has ever had. He could not pick up the phone to take a call from Inpex Corporation, yet he comes in here and asks why I have not done it. The difference is that this government acts properly and deals with issues properly. We respect people’s working agreements and contracts, but as they come up and as we do new agreements, we are doing them properly.
(3) Does the Premier support the $750 000 payment made to GESB CEO, Michele Dolin, when it is based in part on a salary that he said he opposed? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(3) The way that the salaries and packages for several GTEs are constructed is not appropriate for people working within the broader public sector. Mr E.S. Ripper : Why don’t you have a conversation with them, and why isn’t that effective? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Why is it not effective? It is not effective because these agreements were signed by the Leader of the Opposition when he was Treasurer. That is exactly the reason. They are gradually being worked out in one way or another. As reappointments or new appointments are being made, they are being made on a proper basis rather than including bonuses and all the other components that the Leader of the Opposition put in them. I think it is just a bit rich that the Leader of the Opposition would raise an issue such as that. He referred to speed and efficiency. Talk about “Mr Speedy” and “Mr Efficient”! Has anyone seen the report on the Office of Shared Services? How much did the Labor government lose on that—$500 million? We could have built half the stadium for the price of a project that does not work. How dare the Leader of the Opposition come into this place and talk about speed and efficiency! Without doubt, he was the most inefficient, slowest and most slothful Treasurer this state has ever had. He could not pick up the phone to take a call from Inpex Corporation, yet he comes in here and asks why I have not done it. The difference is that this government acts properly and deals with issues properly. We respect people’s working agreements and contracts, but as they come up and as we do new agreements, we are doing them properly.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(3) The way that the salaries and packages for several GTEs are constructed is not appropriate for people working within the broader public sector. Mr E.S. Ripper : Why don’t you have a conversation with them, and why isn’t that effective? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Why is it not effective? It is not effective because these agreements were signed by the Leader of the Opposition when he was Treasurer. That is exactly the reason. They are gradually being worked out in one way or another. As reappointments or new appointments are being made, they are being made on a proper basis rather than including bonuses and all the other components that the Leader of the Opposition put in them. I think it is just a bit rich that the Leader of the Opposition would raise an issue such as that. He referred to speed and efficiency. Talk about “Mr Speedy” and “Mr Efficient”! Has anyone seen the report on the Office of Shared Services? How much did the Labor government lose on that—$500 million? We could have built half the stadium for the price of a project that does not work. How dare the Leader of the Opposition come into this place and talk about speed and efficiency! Without doubt, he was the most inefficient, slowest and most slothful Treasurer this state has ever had. He could not pick up the phone to take a call from Inpex Corporation, yet he comes in here and asks why I have not done it. The difference is that this government acts properly and deals with issues properly. We respect people’s working agreements and contracts, but as they come up and as we do new agreements, we are doing them properly.
(1)–(3) The way that the salaries and packages for several GTEs are constructed is not appropriate for people working within the broader public sector. Mr E.S. Ripper : Why don’t you have a conversation with them, and why isn’t that effective? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Why is it not effective? It is not effective because these agreements were signed by the Leader of the Opposition when he was Treasurer. That is exactly the reason. They are gradually being worked out in one way or another. As reappointments or new appointments are being made, they are being made on a proper basis rather than including bonuses and all the other components that the Leader of the Opposition put in them. I think it is just a bit rich that the Leader of the Opposition would raise an issue such as that. He referred to speed and efficiency. Talk about “Mr Speedy” and “Mr Efficient”! Has anyone seen the report on the Office of Shared Services? How much did the Labor government lose on that—$500 million? We could have built half the stadium for the price of a project that does not work. How dare the Leader of the Opposition come into this place and talk about speed and efficiency! Without doubt, he was the most inefficient, slowest and most slothful Treasurer this state has ever had. He could not pick up the phone to take a call from Inpex Corporation, yet he comes in here and asks why I have not done it. The difference is that this government acts properly and deals with issues properly. We respect people’s working agreements and contracts, but as they come up and as we do new agreements, we are doing them properly.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Why don’t you have a conversation with them, and why isn’t that effective? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Why is it not effective? It is not effective because these agreements were signed by the Leader of the Opposition when he was Treasurer. That is exactly the reason. They are gradually being worked out in one way or another. As reappointments or new appointments are being made, they are being made on a proper basis rather than including bonuses and all the other components that the Leader of the Opposition put in them. I think it is just a bit rich that the Leader of the Opposition would raise an issue such as that. He referred to speed and efficiency. Talk about “Mr Speedy” and “Mr Efficient”! Has anyone seen the report on the Office of Shared Services? How much did the Labor government lose on that—$500 million? We could have built half the stadium for the price of a project that does not work. How dare the Leader of the Opposition come into this place and talk about speed and efficiency! Without doubt, he was the most inefficient, slowest and most slothful Treasurer this state has ever had. He could not pick up the phone to take a call from Inpex Corporation, yet he comes in here and asks why I have not done it. The difference is that this government acts properly and deals with issues properly. We respect people’s working agreements and contracts, but as they come up and as we do new agreements, we are doing them properly.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Why is it not effective? It is not effective because these agreements were signed by the Leader of the Opposition when he was Treasurer. That is exactly the reason. They are gradually being worked out in one way or another. As reappointments or new appointments are being made, they are being made on a proper basis rather than including bonuses and all the other components that the Leader of the Opposition put in them. I think it is just a bit rich that the Leader of the Opposition would raise an issue such as that. He referred to speed and efficiency. Talk about “Mr Speedy” and “Mr Efficient”! Has anyone seen the report on the Office of Shared Services? How much did the Labor government lose on that—$500 million? We could have built half the stadium for the price of a project that does not work. How dare the Leader of the Opposition come into this place and talk about speed and efficiency! Without doubt, he was the most inefficient, slowest and most slothful Treasurer this state has ever had. He could not pick up the phone to take a call from Inpex Corporation, yet he comes in here and asks why I have not done it. The difference is that this government acts properly and deals with issues properly. We respect people’s working agreements and contracts, but as they come up and as we do new agreements, we are doing them properly.
(1) What progress can the Premier report on the promise he made last year to bring the salaries of senior executives of government trading enterprises back under government control? (2) Why will a wink or nod suffice to have GTEs do the government’s bidding on commercial matters such as access to ports, yet prove totally ineffective in controlling executive wage blow-outs? (3) Does the Premier support the $750 000 payment made to GESB CEO, Michele Dolin, when it is based in part on a salary that he said he opposed? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(3) The way that the salaries and packages for several GTEs are constructed is not appropriate for people working within the broader public sector. Mr E.S. Ripper : Why don’t you have a conversation with them, and why isn’t that effective? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Why is it not effective? It is not effective because these agreements were signed by the Leader of the Opposition when he was Treasurer. That is exactly the reason. They are gradually being worked out in one way or another. As reappointments or new appointments are being made, they are being made on a proper basis rather than including bonuses and all the other components that the Leader of the Opposition put in them. I think it is just a bit rich that the Leader of the Opposition would raise an issue such as that. He referred to speed and efficiency. Talk about “Mr Speedy” and “Mr Efficient”! Has anyone seen the report on the Office of Shared Services? How much did the Labor government lose on that—$500 million? We could have built half the stadium for the price of a project that does not work. How dare the Leader of the Opposition come into this place and talk about speed and efficiency! Without doubt, he was the most inefficient, slowest and most slothful Treasurer this state has ever had. He could not pick up the phone to take a call from Inpex Corporation, yet he comes in here and asks why I have not done it. The difference is that this government acts properly and deals with issues properly. We respect people’s working agreements and contracts, but as they come up and as we do new agreements, we are doing them properly.
(2) Why will a wink or nod suffice to have GTEs do the government’s bidding on commercial matters such as access to ports, yet prove totally ineffective in controlling executive wage blow-outs? (3) Does the Premier support the $750 000 payment made to GESB CEO, Michele Dolin, when it is based in part on a salary that he said he opposed? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(3) The way that the salaries and packages for several GTEs are constructed is not appropriate for people working within the broader public sector. Mr E.S. Ripper : Why don’t you have a conversation with them, and why isn’t that effective? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Why is it not effective? It is not effective because these agreements were signed by the Leader of the Opposition when he was Treasurer. That is exactly the reason. They are gradually being worked out in one way or another. As reappointments or new appointments are being made, they are being made on a proper basis rather than including bonuses and all the other components that the Leader of the Opposition put in them. I think it is just a bit rich that the Leader of the Opposition would raise an issue such as that. He referred to speed and efficiency. Talk about “Mr Speedy” and “Mr Efficient”! Has anyone seen the report on the Office of Shared Services? How much did the Labor government lose on that—$500 million? We could have built half the stadium for the price of a project that does not work. How dare the Leader of the Opposition come into this place and talk about speed and efficiency! Without doubt, he was the most inefficient, slowest and most slothful Treasurer this state has ever had. He could not pick up the phone to take a call from Inpex Corporation, yet he comes in here and asks why I have not done it. The difference is that this government acts properly and deals with issues properly. We respect people’s working agreements and contracts, but as they come up and as we do new agreements, we are doing them properly.
(3) Does the Premier support the $750 000 payment made to GESB CEO, Michele Dolin, when it is based in part on a salary that he said he opposed? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(3) The way that the salaries and packages for several GTEs are constructed is not appropriate for people working within the broader public sector. Mr E.S. Ripper : Why don’t you have a conversation with them, and why isn’t that effective? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Why is it not effective? It is not effective because these agreements were signed by the Leader of the Opposition when he was Treasurer. That is exactly the reason. They are gradually being worked out in one way or another. As reappointments or new appointments are being made, they are being made on a proper basis rather than including bonuses and all the other components that the Leader of the Opposition put in them. I think it is just a bit rich that the Leader of the Opposition would raise an issue such as that. He referred to speed and efficiency. Talk about “Mr Speedy” and “Mr Efficient”! Has anyone seen the report on the Office of Shared Services? How much did the Labor government lose on that—$500 million? We could have built half the stadium for the price of a project that does not work. How dare the Leader of the Opposition come into this place and talk about speed and efficiency! Without doubt, he was the most inefficient, slowest and most slothful Treasurer this state has ever had. He could not pick up the phone to take a call from Inpex Corporation, yet he comes in here and asks why I have not done it. The difference is that this government acts properly and deals with issues properly. We respect people’s working agreements and contracts, but as they come up and as we do new agreements, we are doing them properly.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(3) The way that the salaries and packages for several GTEs are constructed is not appropriate for people working within the broader public sector. Mr E.S. Ripper : Why don’t you have a conversation with them, and why isn’t that effective? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Why is it not effective? It is not effective because these agreements were signed by the Leader of the Opposition when he was Treasurer. That is exactly the reason. They are gradually being worked out in one way or another. As reappointments or new appointments are being made, they are being made on a proper basis rather than including bonuses and all the other components that the Leader of the Opposition put in them. I think it is just a bit rich that the Leader of the Opposition would raise an issue such as that. He referred to speed and efficiency. Talk about “Mr Speedy” and “Mr Efficient”! Has anyone seen the report on the Office of Shared Services? How much did the Labor government lose on that—$500 million? We could have built half the stadium for the price of a project that does not work. How dare the Leader of the Opposition come into this place and talk about speed and efficiency! Without doubt, he was the most inefficient, slowest and most slothful Treasurer this state has ever had. He could not pick up the phone to take a call from Inpex Corporation, yet he comes in here and asks why I have not done it. The difference is that this government acts properly and deals with issues properly. We respect people’s working agreements and contracts, but as they come up and as we do new agreements, we are doing them properly.
(1)–(3) The way that the salaries and packages for several GTEs are constructed is not appropriate for people working within the broader public sector. Mr E.S. Ripper : Why don’t you have a conversation with them, and why isn’t that effective? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Why is it not effective? It is not effective because these agreements were signed by the Leader of the Opposition when he was Treasurer. That is exactly the reason. They are gradually being worked out in one way or another. As reappointments or new appointments are being made, they are being made on a proper basis rather than including bonuses and all the other components that the Leader of the Opposition put in them. I think it is just a bit rich that the Leader of the Opposition would raise an issue such as that. He referred to speed and efficiency. Talk about “Mr Speedy” and “Mr Efficient”! Has anyone seen the report on the Office of Shared Services? How much did the Labor government lose on that—$500 million? We could have built half the stadium for the price of a project that does not work. How dare the Leader of the Opposition come into this place and talk about speed and efficiency! Without doubt, he was the most inefficient, slowest and most slothful Treasurer this state has ever had. He could not pick up the phone to take a call from Inpex Corporation, yet he comes in here and asks why I have not done it. The difference is that this government acts properly and deals with issues properly. We respect people’s working agreements and contracts, but as they come up and as we do new agreements, we are doing them properly.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Why don’t you have a conversation with them, and why isn’t that effective? Mr C.J. BARNETT : Why is it not effective? It is not effective because these agreements were signed by the Leader of the Opposition when he was Treasurer. That is exactly the reason. They are gradually being worked out in one way or another. As reappointments or new appointments are being made, they are being made on a proper basis rather than including bonuses and all the other components that the Leader of the Opposition put in them. I think it is just a bit rich that the Leader of the Opposition would raise an issue such as that. He referred to speed and efficiency. Talk about “Mr Speedy” and “Mr Efficient”! Has anyone seen the report on the Office of Shared Services? How much did the Labor government lose on that—$500 million? We could have built half the stadium for the price of a project that does not work. How dare the Leader of the Opposition come into this place and talk about speed and efficiency! Without doubt, he was the most inefficient, slowest and most slothful Treasurer this state has ever had. He could not pick up the phone to take a call from Inpex Corporation, yet he comes in here and asks why I have not done it. The difference is that this government acts properly and deals with issues properly. We respect people’s working agreements and contracts, but as they come up and as we do new agreements, we are doing them properly.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Why is it not effective? It is not effective because these agreements were signed by the Leader of the Opposition when he was Treasurer. That is exactly the reason. They are gradually being worked out in one way or another. As reappointments or new appointments are being made, they are being made on a proper basis rather than including bonuses and all the other components that the Leader of the Opposition put in them. I think it is just a bit rich that the Leader of the Opposition would raise an issue such as that. He referred to speed and efficiency. Talk about “Mr Speedy” and “Mr Efficient”! Has anyone seen the report on the Office of Shared Services? How much did the Labor government lose on that—$500 million? We could have built half the stadium for the price of a project that does not work. How dare the Leader of the Opposition come into this place and talk about speed and efficiency! Without doubt, he was the most inefficient, slowest and most slothful Treasurer this state has ever had. He could not pick up the phone to take a call from Inpex Corporation, yet he comes in here and asks why I have not done it. The difference is that this government acts properly and deals with issues properly. We respect people’s working agreements and contracts, but as they come up and as we do new agreements, we are doing them properly.
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