❓ Mr. Johnston questions the Treasurer about the cost and agency responsible for the public information campaign regarding the proposed sale of Western Power. The Treasurer avoids providing specific figures, stating it's part of his job and the government's duty to communicate policy.
AnsweredQoN 328Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ASSET SALES — WESTERN POWER —
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
328. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON to the Treasurer:
I refer to the Treasurer's statement on Tuesday that he will be
putting a firm proposal to the public for the sale of Western Power, that it
will take a long time and that he will be communicating it to the public.
(1) How much will be spent communicating the Treasurer's
Western Power proposal to the public?
(2) Which agency or department will pay for
the information campaign to counter the community's opposition to the
sale of Western Power?
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT
328. Mr W.J. JOHNSTON to the Treasurer:
I refer to the Treasurer's statement on Tuesday that he will be
putting a firm proposal to the public for the sale of Western Power, that it
will take a long time and that he will be communicating it to the public.
(1) How much will be spent communicating the Treasurer's
Western Power proposal to the public?
(2) Which agency or department will pay for
the information campaign to counter the community's opposition to the
sale of Western Power?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I will be spending a lot of
time on this. I get paid to do this in my ministerial position and as the
member for Riverton—and I will continue to do so. I know a bit about
the issues myself, and we will, of course, get assistance in this. This is what
you do in government: you go out and develop a policy and communicate it to the
public over a long period of time. This is an essential level of activity.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Dr M.D. NAHAN : This is an essential level of activity and
it is essential for the state. The focus will be communicating the proposal to
the public, as we do on almost all major reforms. For instance, take the taxi
reform, which is a major reform; we went through a green paper and had
extensive discussion with the public. Members opposite, of course, are against
it, but they are against everything we do!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for West Swan, I call you to order for the second time—member
for Wanneroo, for the first time.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : The government sets up policies and
develops the detail. We go back to talk to the community, and we use the
functions of government to do that. That is why we are elected. To counter the
member's claim that the public is resistant to this, the public is
being consistently misinformed. The Leader of the Opposition in one of the
worst budget responses I have ever heard took a bunch of data from some
research put out by the Electrical Trades Union that is propaganda. We have to
counter the propaganda being put forward by the Labor movement. This is a firm
and important policy of this government, and we are making the case, developing
the case, and communicating it to the public. We are not resiling from that.
time on this. I get paid to do this in my ministerial position and as the
member for Riverton—and I will continue to do so. I know a bit about
the issues myself, and we will, of course, get assistance in this. This is what
you do in government: you go out and develop a policy and communicate it to the
public over a long period of time. This is an essential level of activity.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Dr M.D. NAHAN : This is an essential level of activity and
it is essential for the state. The focus will be communicating the proposal to
the public, as we do on almost all major reforms. For instance, take the taxi
reform, which is a major reform; we went through a green paper and had
extensive discussion with the public. Members opposite, of course, are against
it, but they are against everything we do!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for West Swan, I call you to order for the second time—member
for Wanneroo, for the first time.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : The government sets up policies and
develops the detail. We go back to talk to the community, and we use the
functions of government to do that. That is why we are elected. To counter the
member's claim that the public is resistant to this, the public is
being consistently misinformed. The Leader of the Opposition in one of the
worst budget responses I have ever heard took a bunch of data from some
research put out by the Electrical Trades Union that is propaganda. We have to
counter the propaganda being put forward by the Labor movement. This is a firm
and important policy of this government, and we are making the case, developing
the case, and communicating it to the public. We are not resiling from that.
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