❓ Mr. Johnston questions the Treasurer regarding the proposed sale of Western Power and the existence of a 'Plan B'. The Treasurer confirms the plan but avoids directly answering about alternatives, instead highlighting the benefits of asset sales for capital investment and comparing it to actions in Victoria.
AnsweredQoN 804Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ASSET SALES — WESTERN POWER
804. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON to the Treasurer:
(1) Does the
Treasurer remember delivering the budget speech this year and saying, ''I
am announcing today that the government proposes the sale of Western Power''?
(2) Following the
budget speech, does the Treasurer remember saying in regard to the question of
the sale of Western Power that ''there is no plan B''?
(3) What is the
plan B?
804. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON to the Treasurer:
(1) Does the
Treasurer remember delivering the budget speech this year and saying, ''I
am announcing today that the government proposes the sale of Western Power''?
(2) Following the
budget speech, does the Treasurer remember saying in regard to the question of
the sale of Western Power that ''there is no plan B''?
(3) What is the
plan B?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) Yes, he can read!
That is a big accomplishment for him, but let me go to the issue.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Through the Chair; a quick answer through the Chair.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : In the budget we proposed —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : That is enough!
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : In the budget we proposed to pursue the sale of a number of
assets, including Western Power. We did not include the proceeds of those sales
in the budget. We committed at that time to pursue them and that is what we are
doing. Some we pursue through legislation and for some, including Western Power,
we said right at the start that if we chose to do it, we would take it to the
election, and that is called democracy. Members opposite can be against it;
that is their choice, but they have no choice because the people above them are
making their choices. They are not in charge of their own domain here; they are
not in control of their own domain.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Thank you! Through the Chair.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : What I can say is that going forward this great state of ours,
which has huge opportunities, needs substantial capital investment, and it
needs to undertake that investment without heavy recourse to debt financing.
People have asked me, and we have said that we are going to sell some of those
assets and use the proceeds to invest in the capital needs of the state's
future.
Ms
R. Saffioti interjected.
The
SPEAKER : That is enough!
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : That is what we promised to do. It is not odd; the opposition's
mates over in Victoria did that with the Port of Melbourne just a few weeks
ago.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for West Swan, I call you to order for the first time.
Member for Butler, I do not want to hear you.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : We are doing nothing more than what the left-wing Labor
government in Victoria has done—that is, sell an asset. The Victorian
government sold the Port of Melbourne. It brought that to the election. It sold
the Port of Melbourne, and now it is using the proceeds to invest in the future
of Melbourne. By the way, it is creating thousands and thousands and thousands
of jobs—not on paper, but in reality. The proposal is to sell some
assets and use those proceeds to invest in the capital needs of the future.
People have asked me, ''What's the alternative?'' Well,
what is theirs? They have none. They do not have an option to that.
That is a big accomplishment for him, but let me go to the issue.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Through the Chair; a quick answer through the Chair.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : In the budget we proposed —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : That is enough!
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : In the budget we proposed to pursue the sale of a number of
assets, including Western Power. We did not include the proceeds of those sales
in the budget. We committed at that time to pursue them and that is what we are
doing. Some we pursue through legislation and for some, including Western Power,
we said right at the start that if we chose to do it, we would take it to the
election, and that is called democracy. Members opposite can be against it;
that is their choice, but they have no choice because the people above them are
making their choices. They are not in charge of their own domain here; they are
not in control of their own domain.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Thank you! Through the Chair.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : What I can say is that going forward this great state of ours,
which has huge opportunities, needs substantial capital investment, and it
needs to undertake that investment without heavy recourse to debt financing.
People have asked me, and we have said that we are going to sell some of those
assets and use the proceeds to invest in the capital needs of the state's
future.
Ms
R. Saffioti interjected.
The
SPEAKER : That is enough!
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : That is what we promised to do. It is not odd; the opposition's
mates over in Victoria did that with the Port of Melbourne just a few weeks
ago.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for West Swan, I call you to order for the first time.
Member for Butler, I do not want to hear you.
Dr
M.D. NAHAN : We are doing nothing more than what the left-wing Labor
government in Victoria has done—that is, sell an asset. The Victorian
government sold the Port of Melbourne. It brought that to the election. It sold
the Port of Melbourne, and now it is using the proceeds to invest in the future
of Melbourne. By the way, it is creating thousands and thousands and thousands
of jobs—not on paper, but in reality. The proposal is to sell some
assets and use those proceeds to invest in the capital needs of the future.
People have asked me, ''What's the alternative?'' Well,
what is theirs? They have none. They do not have an option to that.
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