❓ Mr. Wyatt questions the Premier about the government valuation and remediation costs for land sold to Burswood Entertainment Complex. The Premier refuses to table the valuation documents, citing ongoing commercial transactions, leading to heated exchanges and accusations.
AnsweredQoN 393Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
BURSWOOD ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX — LAND
VALUATION
393. Mr B.S.
WYATT to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. So taxpayers can be sure that they
receive appropriate value for the sale of a significant asset will the Premier
table in the Parliament the government valuation of that land, as well as the
estimate of the cost to remediate that property?
VALUATION
393. Mr B.S.
WYATT to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. So taxpayers can be sure that they
receive appropriate value for the sale of a significant asset will the Premier
table in the Parliament the government valuation of that land, as well as the
estimate of the cost to remediate that property?
AnswerView source ↗
I have just told the
member for Victoria Park that the government valuation was $95 million, and the
cost to remediate it —
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Will you table it?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, I will not.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Why not?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Because this is a commercial transaction
and Burswood —
Mr B.S. Wyatt : It is now public.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : There may also be other commercial
transactions. Burswood still has an entitlement to acquire further land.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : I am not interested in the other land; I am
interested in the value of that land.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am just telling the member that we are
not tabling that because there are other commercial transactions —
Mr M. McGowan : How did you come up with the valuation?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I just explained the answer; the Leader of
the Opposition needs to listen! I am very happy to answer the question, but I
will not —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : The member for Victoria Park has asked a supplementary question and I
believe the Premier is endeavouring to answer it. We do not need any
interjections.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : The valuation was $95 million. The
assessment from a building and construction point of view—not a formal
one, because no-one knows until they start digging—is that to remediate
that site it will be at least $30 million.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Was that a written assessment?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; no-one knows, because no-one has done
the excavation work yet.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : I would have thought if you are applying a
$30 million discount, you'd get something written!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Once again we can see why the Labor Party
could never ever do a deal. They could not trust themselves! That is why they
lost Inpex Corporation and why they are disregarded around this nation and
internationally. I thought at the time that the Leader of the Opposition
actually —
Point of Order
Mr B.S. WYATT : My supplementary question was very specific
about whether the Premier would table any written valuations or written costs
that he may have received regarding the sale of a significant asset. Mr Speaker,
I ask you to draw the Premier back to that question.
The SPEAKER : My response to you, member for Victoria Park, is this: I gave you a
supplementary question and I believe the Premier answered that supplementary
question. There were further interjections to which the Premier responded. He
might wish to desist from responding to those interjections, but as far as I
can discern you have had your supplementary question answered.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
To conclude: I have been absolutely open on the valuation—$95 million;
I wonder whether the opposition would have done that in government.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : You
just won't table it, that's your problem!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
No; I have been absolutely open in that.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : No,
you haven't—you haven't tabled it!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I have said that the assessment is that remediation of a
contaminated site —
Mr B.S. Wyatt : But
whose assessment?
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Ask another question another day!
But it is expected to be at least
$30 million, and on that basis there was a commercial negotiation over the
transfer of a piece of land to which Burswood had a legal entitlement under the
agreement act of 1985, and so we agreed on a price of $60 million. I happen to
think that is a good result for the state of Western Australia. A whole new
high school can be built for $60 million.
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I am dismayed that on the day, the Leader of the Opposition,
for a fleeting moment of credibility, said he actually supported the
development, but clearly, now, he does not!
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Oh,
you idiot!
Withdrawal of Remark
The
SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, I am going to ask you to —
Mr B.S. WYATT : I
withdraw, Mr Speaker.
The SPEAKER : The
member for Wanneroo has the call.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you, members! Member for Victoria Park, I do not need to hear any further words
from you at this point; I will formally call you to order for the first time
today.
member for Victoria Park that the government valuation was $95 million, and the
cost to remediate it —
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Will you table it?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, I will not.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Why not?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Because this is a commercial transaction
and Burswood —
Mr B.S. Wyatt : It is now public.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : There may also be other commercial
transactions. Burswood still has an entitlement to acquire further land.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : I am not interested in the other land; I am
interested in the value of that land.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I am just telling the member that we are
not tabling that because there are other commercial transactions —
Mr M. McGowan : How did you come up with the valuation?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I just explained the answer; the Leader of
the Opposition needs to listen! I am very happy to answer the question, but I
will not —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : The member for Victoria Park has asked a supplementary question and I
believe the Premier is endeavouring to answer it. We do not need any
interjections.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : The valuation was $95 million. The
assessment from a building and construction point of view—not a formal
one, because no-one knows until they start digging—is that to remediate
that site it will be at least $30 million.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Was that a written assessment?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; no-one knows, because no-one has done
the excavation work yet.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : I would have thought if you are applying a
$30 million discount, you'd get something written!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Once again we can see why the Labor Party
could never ever do a deal. They could not trust themselves! That is why they
lost Inpex Corporation and why they are disregarded around this nation and
internationally. I thought at the time that the Leader of the Opposition
actually —
Point of Order
Mr B.S. WYATT : My supplementary question was very specific
about whether the Premier would table any written valuations or written costs
that he may have received regarding the sale of a significant asset. Mr Speaker,
I ask you to draw the Premier back to that question.
The SPEAKER : My response to you, member for Victoria Park, is this: I gave you a
supplementary question and I believe the Premier answered that supplementary
question. There were further interjections to which the Premier responded. He
might wish to desist from responding to those interjections, but as far as I
can discern you have had your supplementary question answered.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
To conclude: I have been absolutely open on the valuation—$95 million;
I wonder whether the opposition would have done that in government.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : You
just won't table it, that's your problem!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
No; I have been absolutely open in that.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : No,
you haven't—you haven't tabled it!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I have said that the assessment is that remediation of a
contaminated site —
Mr B.S. Wyatt : But
whose assessment?
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Ask another question another day!
But it is expected to be at least
$30 million, and on that basis there was a commercial negotiation over the
transfer of a piece of land to which Burswood had a legal entitlement under the
agreement act of 1985, and so we agreed on a price of $60 million. I happen to
think that is a good result for the state of Western Australia. A whole new
high school can be built for $60 million.
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I am dismayed that on the day, the Leader of the Opposition,
for a fleeting moment of credibility, said he actually supported the
development, but clearly, now, he does not!
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Oh,
you idiot!
Withdrawal of Remark
The
SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, I am going to ask you to —
Mr B.S. WYATT : I
withdraw, Mr Speaker.
The SPEAKER : The
member for Wanneroo has the call.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you, members! Member for Victoria Park, I do not need to hear any further words
from you at this point; I will formally call you to order for the first time
today.
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