❓ Dr. Honey questions the necessity of 42 Department of Finance staff to administer the $500 power rebate, suggesting the funds could be better allocated. The Minister's response is defensive, questioning Dr. Honey's motives and requesting a clearer question.
AnsweredQoN 83Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS — POWER
REBATE
83. Dr D.J. HONEY to the Minister for Finance:
I have a supplementary question.
Why is it taking 42 Department of Finance bureaucrats to administer this $500
power rebate, especially given that it will largely be managed by Synergy and
Horizon Power; could the money not be better spent elsewhere?
REBATE
83. Dr D.J. HONEY to the Minister for Finance:
I have a supplementary question.
Why is it taking 42 Department of Finance bureaucrats to administer this $500
power rebate, especially given that it will largely be managed by Synergy and
Horizon Power; could the money not be better spent elsewhere?
AnswerView source ↗
Sorry, the member's
question was whether this money would be —
Dr D.J. HONEY : If I may,
Madam Speaker?
The SPEAKER : Clarify it—yes.
Dr D.J. HONEY : That 42
staff, out of the minister's own government's papers, are being
taken on to administer the $500 rebate in the Department of Finance.
Dr A.D. BUTI : This is
interesting. One minute the member was asking why we are delaying it and now he
is complaining that we are putting in extra resources to manage it. What does
the member for Cottesloe want? Should we just stay with the existing staff and
the grants program will start next year or does the member want us to take on
extra staff so we can try to process it as quickly as possible?
Dr D.J. Honey interjected.
Dr A.D. BUTI : What do you
want, member? Give me an answer! What would you prefer?
Several members interjected.
Dr A.D. BUTI : You want the
grants to be delivered now, but you do not want us to put on extra staff to try
to speed up the process. What do you want, member?
Dr D.J. Honey : You're not delivering it until
June and Synergy and Horizon are going to be administering it.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : No, sorry;
member for Cottesloe, you have made your point. Can we have a response from
just the minister?
Dr A.D. BUTI : Member, come back
to me tomorrow with maybe a more defined question about what you actually want
so I might be able to answer your question.
question was whether this money would be —
Dr D.J. HONEY : If I may,
Madam Speaker?
The SPEAKER : Clarify it—yes.
Dr D.J. HONEY : That 42
staff, out of the minister's own government's papers, are being
taken on to administer the $500 rebate in the Department of Finance.
Dr A.D. BUTI : This is
interesting. One minute the member was asking why we are delaying it and now he
is complaining that we are putting in extra resources to manage it. What does
the member for Cottesloe want? Should we just stay with the existing staff and
the grants program will start next year or does the member want us to take on
extra staff so we can try to process it as quickly as possible?
Dr D.J. Honey interjected.
Dr A.D. BUTI : What do you
want, member? Give me an answer! What would you prefer?
Several members interjected.
Dr A.D. BUTI : You want the
grants to be delivered now, but you do not want us to put on extra staff to try
to speed up the process. What do you want, member?
Dr D.J. Honey : You're not delivering it until
June and Synergy and Horizon are going to be administering it.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : No, sorry;
member for Cottesloe, you have made your point. Can we have a response from
just the minister?
Dr A.D. BUTI : Member, come back
to me tomorrow with maybe a more defined question about what you actually want
so I might be able to answer your question.
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