❓ Opposition Leader Harvey questions Premier McGowan about potential compromise of WA's chances of securing the full-cycle docking maintenance program for Collins-class submarines due to government inaction. Premier defends his government's efforts and accuses the previous government of negligence.
AnsweredQoN 1084Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
COLLINS-CLASS SUBMARINE
MAINTENANCE PROGRAM
1084. Mrs L.M. HARVEY to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mrs L.M. HARVEY : Has the
Premier's do-nothing government compromised Western Australia's
—
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Members to my right, I want to hear it.
Mr M.P. Murray : I am sure
that was a Christmas joke!
The SPEAKER : Yes, you might
be 70 years of age, but I call you to order for the first time, Minister for
Sport and Recreation.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY : Has the
Premier's do-nothing government compromised Western Australia's
chances of getting the entire full-cycle docking maintenance program through
its complete inaction, just as when it lost —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! When
you ask questions in question time, they are heard in silence. Start again,
Leader of the Opposition.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY : Thank you,
Mr Speaker. What an extraordinary display.
Has
the Premier's do-nothing government compromised Western Australia's
chances of getting the entire full-cycle docking maintenance program
because of its inaction —
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Girrawheen!
Mrs L.M. HARVEY : —
just like it lost the space agency?
MAINTENANCE PROGRAM
1084. Mrs L.M. HARVEY to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mrs L.M. HARVEY : Has the
Premier's do-nothing government compromised Western Australia's
—
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Members to my right, I want to hear it.
Mr M.P. Murray : I am sure
that was a Christmas joke!
The SPEAKER : Yes, you might
be 70 years of age, but I call you to order for the first time, Minister for
Sport and Recreation.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY : Has the
Premier's do-nothing government compromised Western Australia's
chances of getting the entire full-cycle docking maintenance program through
its complete inaction, just as when it lost —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! When
you ask questions in question time, they are heard in silence. Start again,
Leader of the Opposition.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY : Thank you,
Mr Speaker. What an extraordinary display.
Has
the Premier's do-nothing government compromised Western Australia's
chances of getting the entire full-cycle docking maintenance program
because of its inaction —
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Girrawheen!
Mrs L.M. HARVEY : —
just like it lost the space agency?
AnswerView source ↗
Mr Speaker —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, your
Premier is on his feet.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, your
Premier is on his feet. You might think you are funny, but you are not.
Mr M. McGOWAN : This
government has done more to secure defence work than any government in recent Western Australian history—probably any
government in Western Australian history. When all the major contracts were
being handed out for the submarine builds—for 12 Barracuda-class
submarines and nine new Hunter-class frigates—they were going to
South Australia, and the former Liberal–National government did
nothing. It did not establish Defence West, as we have done, and it did not
organise the Defence Advocate. It just let South Australia run riot. That is
what the former government did when it was in office. It was sloth-like, it was
indolent and it was amateurish. It was absolutely and completely useless. We
have established Defence West and we have created a Minister for Defence
Issues.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : We have
appointed a former naval officer ship captain to head up the issue as a minister
in the government, which is something that no-one in the opposition is even
capable of. For us then to be accused of doing nothing—I suppose the
Leader of the Opposition sometimes does things. For instance, last Friday, she
went to the Flashpoint program, when
she was not even on it. I am sure they were thrilled to see her there. When she
was not even scheduled to go on, she showed up raring to go!
Point of Order
Mr Z.R.F.
KIRKUP : Point of order, Mr Speaker.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : I do not know
whether you will ever get on to Q&A , member for Armadale, but I will
call you to order for the first time. Members, I will hear points of order in
order. Anyone who interjects, I will call to order.
Mr Z.R.F. KIRKUP : Aside from
the Premier's continual attacks on the Leader of the Opposition, I question
the relevancy of what he is doing and trying to achieve here.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : So you are all
experts on points of order, are you? I agree with the point of order. I am sure
the Premier will get back to the original question.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr
M. McGOWAN : Just so members
opposite understand, we presented a full business case to the federal Minister for Defence.
Mrs L.M. Harvey interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition!
Mr M. McGOWAN : The Leader of
the Opposition should table the report that Mr Whyte stopped. Why does she not
table that?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : What is the
Leader of the Opposition trying to hide? I think it is very interesting that
the Liberal Party has not asked me any questions about that matter. Why do they
not ask me some questions? Maybe the Liberal
Party has something to hide. Maybe the National Party has something to hide.
For eight and a half years alleged corruption was allowed to flourish
under the Liberals and the Nationals, and they do not come in here and ask me a
single question about it. Please do. Bring on the submarine matter of public
importance! Bring on questions about Mr Whyte, because we have a few things to
say about members opposite in relation to that matter.
Ms M.J. Davies interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Nationals!
Mr
M. McGOWAN : I urge the Liberal
Party to understand that we put in a full business case to the commonwealth . We got various reports, in particular one
done by PricewaterhouseCoopers, to work out the case for Western Australia to secure the full-cycle docking work here in Western Australia. All I ask the
state opposition to do is join us in trying to secure this work for Western Australia
rather than coming up with these ridiculous criticisms that only give
encouragement to the federal government to give the work to South Australia,
which does not deserve it.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, your
Premier is on his feet.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Mr Speaker —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, your
Premier is on his feet. You might think you are funny, but you are not.
Mr M. McGOWAN : This
government has done more to secure defence work than any government in recent Western Australian history—probably any
government in Western Australian history. When all the major contracts were
being handed out for the submarine builds—for 12 Barracuda-class
submarines and nine new Hunter-class frigates—they were going to
South Australia, and the former Liberal–National government did
nothing. It did not establish Defence West, as we have done, and it did not
organise the Defence Advocate. It just let South Australia run riot. That is
what the former government did when it was in office. It was sloth-like, it was
indolent and it was amateurish. It was absolutely and completely useless. We
have established Defence West and we have created a Minister for Defence
Issues.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : We have
appointed a former naval officer ship captain to head up the issue as a minister
in the government, which is something that no-one in the opposition is even
capable of. For us then to be accused of doing nothing—I suppose the
Leader of the Opposition sometimes does things. For instance, last Friday, she
went to the Flashpoint program, when
she was not even on it. I am sure they were thrilled to see her there. When she
was not even scheduled to go on, she showed up raring to go!
Point of Order
Mr Z.R.F.
KIRKUP : Point of order, Mr Speaker.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : I do not know
whether you will ever get on to Q&A , member for Armadale, but I will
call you to order for the first time. Members, I will hear points of order in
order. Anyone who interjects, I will call to order.
Mr Z.R.F. KIRKUP : Aside from
the Premier's continual attacks on the Leader of the Opposition, I question
the relevancy of what he is doing and trying to achieve here.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : So you are all
experts on points of order, are you? I agree with the point of order. I am sure
the Premier will get back to the original question.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr
M. McGOWAN : Just so members
opposite understand, we presented a full business case to the federal Minister for Defence.
Mrs L.M. Harvey interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition!
Mr M. McGOWAN : The Leader of
the Opposition should table the report that Mr Whyte stopped. Why does she not
table that?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : What is the
Leader of the Opposition trying to hide? I think it is very interesting that
the Liberal Party has not asked me any questions about that matter. Why do they
not ask me some questions? Maybe the Liberal
Party has something to hide. Maybe the National Party has something to hide.
For eight and a half years alleged corruption was allowed to flourish
under the Liberals and the Nationals, and they do not come in here and ask me a
single question about it. Please do. Bring on the submarine matter of public
importance! Bring on questions about Mr Whyte, because we have a few things to
say about members opposite in relation to that matter.
Ms M.J. Davies interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Nationals!
Mr
M. McGOWAN : I urge the Liberal
Party to understand that we put in a full business case to the commonwealth . We got various reports, in particular one
done by PricewaterhouseCoopers, to work out the case for Western Australia to secure the full-cycle docking work here in Western Australia. All I ask the
state opposition to do is join us in trying to secure this work for Western Australia
rather than coming up with these ridiculous criticisms that only give
encouragement to the federal government to give the work to South Australia,
which does not deserve it.
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