❓ Ms Sandra Brewer (Liberal) questions the Treasurer about the federal government's tax changes, specifically capital gains tax and discretionary trust changes, and their impact on WA businesses. She asks if the Treasurer has raised these concerns with the federal Treasurer and if the state will provide transfer duty relief. The Treasurer, Ms Rita Saffioti, largely avoids directly answering the questions, instead quoting the federal Shadow Treasurer's positive remarks about the federal budget and
AnsweredQoN 344Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Federal budget—Tax changes
344. Ms Sandra Brewer to
the Treasurer:
I refer to the
federal government's broken promises on capital gains tax and discretionary
trust changes, which have created widespread uncertainty for Western Australian
businesses that are trying to plan for the future.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Point of order
Dr Tony Buti: Under standing order 77(2), footnote 42,
matters that deal with other governments' responsibilities are not to be
allowed in this chamber.
The Speaker: The Premier can be questioned on a wide
range of things.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: It is to the Treasurer? Sorry. Let me
just get some clarification on this one.
Please finish the
question, member.
Questions without notice resumed
Ms Sandra Brewer: Thank you.
(1) Has the Treasurer raised the
disastrous impacts of these changes on Western Australian businesses directly
with federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers?
(2) Will the Treasurer commit to
providing targeted transfer duty relief to businesses forced to restructure to
ease the burden imposed by these tax changes?
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! You have asked the question.
344. Ms Sandra Brewer to
the Treasurer:
I refer to the
federal government's broken promises on capital gains tax and discretionary
trust changes, which have created widespread uncertainty for Western Australian
businesses that are trying to plan for the future.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Point of order
Dr Tony Buti: Under standing order 77(2), footnote 42,
matters that deal with other governments' responsibilities are not to be
allowed in this chamber.
The Speaker: The Premier can be questioned on a wide
range of things.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: It is to the Treasurer? Sorry. Let me
just get some clarification on this one.
Please finish the
question, member.
Questions without notice resumed
Ms Sandra Brewer: Thank you.
(1) Has the Treasurer raised the
disastrous impacts of these changes on Western Australian businesses directly
with federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers?
(2) Will the Treasurer commit to
providing targeted transfer duty relief to businesses forced to restructure to
ease the burden imposed by these tax changes?
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! You have asked the question.
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I am going to quote the shadow Treasurer
on the federal budget.
Mr Adam Hort: What are you going to do? That's
the question.
The Speaker: Members!
Ms Rita Saffioti: I am going to go to the Kalamunda
markets with the One Nation sign showing their leader and Pauline Hanson—that
is what I am going to do! I think everyone at the community markets in the
middle of Kalamunda should know just how close the Liberals are to One Nation. That
is what I will do.
Back to the
question, on the federal budget, the shadow Treasurer said:
This will be a reforming budget,
dealing with rising debt, intergenerational inequity and productivity.
This is the killer
point:
Regardless of how effectively the
Commonwealth may deliver on these issues—
Ms Sandra Brewer: Which they didn't; they were
hopeless.
The Speaker: Member for Cottesloe!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Member for Cottesloe, I am going
to call you for the first time. Please do not interject like that.
Ms Rita Saffioti: The shadow Treasurer used the words
"regardless of how effectively", so she covered that part of it, too—if
it was going to target and even if it was not going to target. That is the
interpretation of what the shadow Treasurer said. She said:
Regardless of how effectively the
Commonwealth may deliver on these issues, the intent is clear, visionary and
responsive to our nation's problems.
That is what the
shadow Treasurer said.
Ms Sandra Brewer interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Cottesloe, you still have a
supplementary to come.
Ms Rita Saffioti: I will say this: the budget has not
even passed the Parliament of Western Australia and the Liberals have nothing
to ask us. The shadow Treasurer should go to Canberra. She will be very
effective over there. She said that I am not reforming enough. In her desperate
attack on the state government, she stood up and started by saying that it was
a sunny 17 degrees in Canberra and the wind was blowing and the autumnal leaves
were falling. That is what she said. Maybe she picked up some key lines from
the baroness, but I do not know. It was the most extraordinary response that I
have ever heard to a state budget. She stood up and started by talking about
the cool change in Canberra and a visionary federal government. Why did she do
that? It was because she said we were not visionary or reforming. What she was
saying was that we should abolish stamp duty and have an annual land tax fee. We
said no; we are not going to have an annual land tax fee for private
residential properties. That is what the shadow Treasurer is advocating. I am
happy to debate budgets until the cows come home, but do members know what?
Ms Libby Mettam: Do you support the federal
changes?
The Speaker: Member for Vasse, it is not your question.
Ms Libby Mettam interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Vasse, please do not interject.
Ms Rita Saffioti: Does the member for Vasse support
the shadow Treasurer, who said it was visionary? She is embarrassed! Honestly! She
did not ask the question. Stand up and ask a question, member for Vasse, like
you never used to do before.
Point of order
Ms Libby Mettam: The shadow Treasurer has asked the
Treasurer a very specific question.
The Speaker: Thank you, member. There is no point of
order. The Treasurer can respond how she chooses to.
Questions without notice resumed
Ms Rita Saffioti: As I said, I am very proud of our
state budget. I am very proud of our state economy—an economy that has grown by
27% over the past five years, with state final demand of 3.2% and unemployment
at 4.1%. The shadow Treasurer stood up and said that our state budget was an
inflationary budget. The inflation rate that has come out since has shown that our
inflation is less than that in other states and federally. The shadow Treasurer
cannot be consistent from one day to the next. What we have always done and
continue to do is manage our economy and manage the state finances to deliver
growth. That is our record and that is what we will continue to do.
on the federal budget.
Mr Adam Hort: What are you going to do? That's
the question.
The Speaker: Members!
Ms Rita Saffioti: I am going to go to the Kalamunda
markets with the One Nation sign showing their leader and Pauline Hanson—that
is what I am going to do! I think everyone at the community markets in the
middle of Kalamunda should know just how close the Liberals are to One Nation. That
is what I will do.
Back to the
question, on the federal budget, the shadow Treasurer said:
This will be a reforming budget,
dealing with rising debt, intergenerational inequity and productivity.
This is the killer
point:
Regardless of how effectively the
Commonwealth may deliver on these issues—
Ms Sandra Brewer: Which they didn't; they were
hopeless.
The Speaker: Member for Cottesloe!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Member for Cottesloe, I am going
to call you for the first time. Please do not interject like that.
Ms Rita Saffioti: The shadow Treasurer used the words
"regardless of how effectively", so she covered that part of it, too—if
it was going to target and even if it was not going to target. That is the
interpretation of what the shadow Treasurer said. She said:
Regardless of how effectively the
Commonwealth may deliver on these issues, the intent is clear, visionary and
responsive to our nation's problems.
That is what the
shadow Treasurer said.
Ms Sandra Brewer interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Cottesloe, you still have a
supplementary to come.
Ms Rita Saffioti: I will say this: the budget has not
even passed the Parliament of Western Australia and the Liberals have nothing
to ask us. The shadow Treasurer should go to Canberra. She will be very
effective over there. She said that I am not reforming enough. In her desperate
attack on the state government, she stood up and started by saying that it was
a sunny 17 degrees in Canberra and the wind was blowing and the autumnal leaves
were falling. That is what she said. Maybe she picked up some key lines from
the baroness, but I do not know. It was the most extraordinary response that I
have ever heard to a state budget. She stood up and started by talking about
the cool change in Canberra and a visionary federal government. Why did she do
that? It was because she said we were not visionary or reforming. What she was
saying was that we should abolish stamp duty and have an annual land tax fee. We
said no; we are not going to have an annual land tax fee for private
residential properties. That is what the shadow Treasurer is advocating. I am
happy to debate budgets until the cows come home, but do members know what?
Ms Libby Mettam: Do you support the federal
changes?
The Speaker: Member for Vasse, it is not your question.
Ms Libby Mettam interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Vasse, please do not interject.
Ms Rita Saffioti: Does the member for Vasse support
the shadow Treasurer, who said it was visionary? She is embarrassed! Honestly! She
did not ask the question. Stand up and ask a question, member for Vasse, like
you never used to do before.
Point of order
Ms Libby Mettam: The shadow Treasurer has asked the
Treasurer a very specific question.
The Speaker: Thank you, member. There is no point of
order. The Treasurer can respond how she chooses to.
Questions without notice resumed
Ms Rita Saffioti: As I said, I am very proud of our
state budget. I am very proud of our state economy—an economy that has grown by
27% over the past five years, with state final demand of 3.2% and unemployment
at 4.1%. The shadow Treasurer stood up and said that our state budget was an
inflationary budget. The inflation rate that has come out since has shown that our
inflation is less than that in other states and federally. The shadow Treasurer
cannot be consistent from one day to the next. What we have always done and
continue to do is manage our economy and manage the state finances to deliver
growth. That is our record and that is what we will continue to do.
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