❓ Dr. Nahan questions Treasurer Wyatt on a perceived broken commitment regarding a parliamentary budget office. Wyatt deflects, citing past statements and current financial constraints.
AnsweredQoN 841Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PARLIAMENTARY BUDGET OFFICER BILL 2018
841. Dr M.D. NAHAN to the Treasurer:
I have a supplementary question. Why
is the Treasurer breaking a clear commitment that he repeatedly made to the
people of Western Australia; and, can he explain to us, if we cannot trust his
word on a parliamentary budget office, what can we trust him on?
841. Dr M.D. NAHAN to the Treasurer:
I have a supplementary question. Why
is the Treasurer breaking a clear commitment that he repeatedly made to the
people of Western Australia; and, can he explain to us, if we cannot trust his
word on a parliamentary budget office, what can we trust him on?
AnswerView source ↗
The Leader of the Opposition likes
to make things up as though they were commitments of the Labor Party when in
opposition.
Dr M.D. Nahan : Oh, you didn't
make it?
Mr B.S. WYATT : I have got the
transcript. Let me quote exactly what I said —
Well, like the Treasurer, —
Referring to the now Leader of the
Opposition —
it's something I want to
introduce and it's something that in the event that we form government
on the 11 th of March, as treasurer I'll look to as well.
And I am looking at it.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition!
Dr M.D. Nahan : Selective
quotes.
Mr B.S. WYATT : I am not sure
what else I can quote. But I will quote one bit from today's interview
with the Leader of the Opposition.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr B.S. WYATT : He made the
point on Gareth Parker's show that they are of great value because in
opposition, members say all sorts of things, apparently, and make all sorts of
commitments. Out of all of that, the one example that the Leader of the
Opposition gave was MAX light rail!
Several government members
interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, I am
sure you want to hear your Treasurer talk.
Mr
B.S. WYATT : I remind the Leader
of the Opposition that when the Liberal Party committed to MAX light rail, it had been in government, not opposition, for four years.
Ms J.M. Freeman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Mirrabooka, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr B.S. WYATT : This is what
the Leader of the Opposition said —
I can remember the ... a number of
them ... MAX Light Rail, for instance, rushed out, by ... my government ... in
the run-up to an election and it wasn't well thought out.
He then worked out that his party
was in government at the time. There it is, and Parker is all over him!
Correct. Ultimately, these are things that —
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr B.S. WYATT : These are
things that we are interested in. But I do note before I sit down that when the
former government was running multibillion-dollar surpluses, did it consider this?
I find it interesting that now that we are running multibillion-dollar
deficits, one of the first things that the Liberal Party wants to do is
increase its own resources. We will look at these things, as we do with every
other thing, in the context of the finances of the state. I think overall it is
probably a good idea, but I have to be honest: I am trying to deal with other
priorities of the people of Western Australia at this time.
to make things up as though they were commitments of the Labor Party when in
opposition.
Dr M.D. Nahan : Oh, you didn't
make it?
Mr B.S. WYATT : I have got the
transcript. Let me quote exactly what I said —
Well, like the Treasurer, —
Referring to the now Leader of the
Opposition —
it's something I want to
introduce and it's something that in the event that we form government
on the 11 th of March, as treasurer I'll look to as well.
And I am looking at it.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition!
Dr M.D. Nahan : Selective
quotes.
Mr B.S. WYATT : I am not sure
what else I can quote. But I will quote one bit from today's interview
with the Leader of the Opposition.
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr B.S. WYATT : He made the
point on Gareth Parker's show that they are of great value because in
opposition, members say all sorts of things, apparently, and make all sorts of
commitments. Out of all of that, the one example that the Leader of the
Opposition gave was MAX light rail!
Several government members
interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, I am
sure you want to hear your Treasurer talk.
Mr
B.S. WYATT : I remind the Leader
of the Opposition that when the Liberal Party committed to MAX light rail, it had been in government, not opposition, for four years.
Ms J.M. Freeman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Mirrabooka, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr B.S. WYATT : This is what
the Leader of the Opposition said —
I can remember the ... a number of
them ... MAX Light Rail, for instance, rushed out, by ... my government ... in
the run-up to an election and it wasn't well thought out.
He then worked out that his party
was in government at the time. There it is, and Parker is all over him!
Correct. Ultimately, these are things that —
Dr M.D. Nahan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr B.S. WYATT : These are
things that we are interested in. But I do note before I sit down that when the
former government was running multibillion-dollar surpluses, did it consider this?
I find it interesting that now that we are running multibillion-dollar
deficits, one of the first things that the Liberal Party wants to do is
increase its own resources. We will look at these things, as we do with every
other thing, in the context of the finances of the state. I think overall it is
probably a good idea, but I have to be honest: I am trying to deal with other
priorities of the people of Western Australia at this time.
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