❓ The Treasurer highlights collaboration between state and federal Labor governments on infrastructure and cost-of-living support, while criticising the opposition's stance on these issues and the GST deal.
AnsweredQoN 324Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STATE ECONOMY — DIVERSIFICATION
324. Ms J.J. SHAW to the Treasurer:
I refer to the Cook Labor
government's successful management of Western Australia's
economy.
(1) Can the
Treasurer advise the house how the state and federal Labor governments are
working together to diversify, strengthen and grow WA's economy?
(2) Can the Treasurer advise the house whether she is
aware of any threats to WA's future success and growth?
324. Ms J.J. SHAW to the Treasurer:
I refer to the Cook Labor
government's successful management of Western Australia's
economy.
(1) Can the
Treasurer advise the house how the state and federal Labor governments are
working together to diversify, strengthen and grow WA's economy?
(2) Can the Treasurer advise the house whether she is
aware of any threats to WA's future success and growth?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question.
(1)–(2)
All those who were lucky enough to be in the chamber before two o'clock
would have heard that the biggest threat to Western Australia's economy
and finances is the Leader of the Opposition. In his budget response, he said that he does not believe in
providing operating subsidies for public transport. The member for Cottesloe does not believe that all Western Australians
deserve support through our household electricity credit. The Liberal
Party and Nationals WA oppose cost-of-living support to 1.1 million households.
It is extraordinary. They are attacking the provision of a $400 energy credit
to Western Australians and attacking the fact that the federal government will
work with Western Australia to deliver $700 in energy credits to 1.1 million
households and over 90 000 small businesses in Western Australia. We know that
wherever people live throughout Western Australia, they are feeling the
cost-of-living pressures, and that $700 energy credit will support them.
Some significant commitments were
made last night in the federal budget. The federal government continues our
partnership to deliver major infrastructure projects, whether it is projects
like Metronet or our regional road safety
programs. The federal government is coming on board and supporting our regional road safety program. The federal government is partnering with us in building
and planning a new container port in Westport. The federal government is
partnering with Western Australia on a lot of other new projects such as the Brooking Channel Bridge in the Kimberley to
improve the resilience of our state's transport network and
providing more expenditure on the Great Northern Highway. Some other really
good projects include a $240 million package to improve the resilience of the
east–west train line. WA is always at the end of any problem with our
east–west rail line, in particular with flooding and other natural
disasters. That $240 million will help improve the resilience of that network.
We are investing in more shipping availability. Remember that when we went
through the closure of that rail line, we were trying to get access to ships to
transport products from over east to Perth, and that was difficult. We will now
work with the commonwealth government to have access to ships to support the
resilience of the network. We are improving our resilience and supporting
regional growth.
As the Premier outlined, the
federal Liberal Party is opposing one of the biggest initiatives, I think, in
this federal budget, which is the production tax credit for businesses in WA.
In fact, Senator Jane Hume went on radio this morning and said we should not be
providing a tax incentive to support the processing of critical minerals. Let
us get this straight—the Liberal and National Parties are opposing
supporting more processing of our minerals in Western Australia. They have
become the anti-resources industry parties of Western Australia. The Liberal
and National Parties are opposed to the resources industry in WA. They say they
do not want to support billionaires and a handful of businesses in relation to
the production tax credit. Does the Leader of the Opposition agree with his
federal counterparts that there should not be support for minerals processing?
Several members interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Where are the Liberal and National
Parties? Have they been on the phone to their federal colleagues to tell them
that this is a good initiative for Western Australia? Are they standing up for
WA? It does not seem so. One federal leader
out there has not committed to the GST deal for WA. Who is that? It is Peter
Dutton . He has not committed to the GST deal. The fact that the federal
Liberal Party wants to unwind the production tax credit for Western Australian
business means it will unwind the GST deal for Western Australia too.
(1)–(2)
All those who were lucky enough to be in the chamber before two o'clock
would have heard that the biggest threat to Western Australia's economy
and finances is the Leader of the Opposition. In his budget response, he said that he does not believe in
providing operating subsidies for public transport. The member for Cottesloe does not believe that all Western Australians
deserve support through our household electricity credit. The Liberal
Party and Nationals WA oppose cost-of-living support to 1.1 million households.
It is extraordinary. They are attacking the provision of a $400 energy credit
to Western Australians and attacking the fact that the federal government will
work with Western Australia to deliver $700 in energy credits to 1.1 million
households and over 90 000 small businesses in Western Australia. We know that
wherever people live throughout Western Australia, they are feeling the
cost-of-living pressures, and that $700 energy credit will support them.
Some significant commitments were
made last night in the federal budget. The federal government continues our
partnership to deliver major infrastructure projects, whether it is projects
like Metronet or our regional road safety
programs. The federal government is coming on board and supporting our regional road safety program. The federal government is partnering with us in building
and planning a new container port in Westport. The federal government is
partnering with Western Australia on a lot of other new projects such as the Brooking Channel Bridge in the Kimberley to
improve the resilience of our state's transport network and
providing more expenditure on the Great Northern Highway. Some other really
good projects include a $240 million package to improve the resilience of the
east–west train line. WA is always at the end of any problem with our
east–west rail line, in particular with flooding and other natural
disasters. That $240 million will help improve the resilience of that network.
We are investing in more shipping availability. Remember that when we went
through the closure of that rail line, we were trying to get access to ships to
transport products from over east to Perth, and that was difficult. We will now
work with the commonwealth government to have access to ships to support the
resilience of the network. We are improving our resilience and supporting
regional growth.
As the Premier outlined, the
federal Liberal Party is opposing one of the biggest initiatives, I think, in
this federal budget, which is the production tax credit for businesses in WA.
In fact, Senator Jane Hume went on radio this morning and said we should not be
providing a tax incentive to support the processing of critical minerals. Let
us get this straight—the Liberal and National Parties are opposing
supporting more processing of our minerals in Western Australia. They have
become the anti-resources industry parties of Western Australia. The Liberal
and National Parties are opposed to the resources industry in WA. They say they
do not want to support billionaires and a handful of businesses in relation to
the production tax credit. Does the Leader of the Opposition agree with his
federal counterparts that there should not be support for minerals processing?
Several members interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Where are the Liberal and National
Parties? Have they been on the phone to their federal colleagues to tell them
that this is a good initiative for Western Australia? Are they standing up for
WA? It does not seem so. One federal leader
out there has not committed to the GST deal for WA. Who is that? It is Peter
Dutton . He has not committed to the GST deal. The fact that the federal
Liberal Party wants to unwind the production tax credit for Western Australian
business means it will unwind the GST deal for Western Australia too.
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