❓ A parliamentary question regarding responsibility for the state budget process in Western Australia. The Treasurer defends his role and deflects by questioning the opposition's economic policy.
AnsweredQoN 342Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STATE BUDGET — FORWARD ESTIMATES, AND DEFICIT
I have a supplementary question. Who is in charge of the budget process—the Treasurer or the Premier? Mr T.R. BUSWELL
I have a supplementary question. Who is in charge of the budget process—the Treasurer or the Premier? Mr T.R. BUSWELL
AnswerView source ↗
The member is flaying me to the bone! Who is in charge of the budget process? I am the Treasurer, and I do the work on the budget. The Premier is on the cabinet expenditure review committee, along with the Leader of the National Party and the Leader of the House in the upper house. We have been working hard, and we have had to work hard. We have made some tough decisions, and guess what? I am responsible, because I am not very popular in cabinet. I am not very popular in a lot of places, but I am particularly not very popular in cabinet! It is difficult, but I take responsibility. The Premier, I am sure, supports me; he told me he did this morning. However, let us go to the other side of politics in Western Australia. Who on the opposition side is responsible for economic policy? Is it Mr “No Debt” or Mr “Lots of Debt”? I can tell the opposition that next week we will be in more debt. The Leader of the Opposition does not like debt; he keeps telling the government that debt is bad and that it should not borrow money because borrowing money is not good for Western Australians, regardless of where they live, because they have to pay it off. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : What is the position of Mr “No Debt”? He wants the government to borrow more money. Mr E.S. Ripper : You know what my position is. Don’t misrepresent it. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I do; I will read it to the Leader of the Opposition. According to my notes, he has stated that we need to increase borrowings to prop up the Western Australian economy rather than wait another three or four years. I am running the financial affairs of the government. Who is in charge on that side? Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Mr T.R. BUSWELL replied: The member is flaying me to the bone! Who is in charge of the budget process? I am the Treasurer, and I do the work on the budget. The Premier is on the cabinet expenditure review committee, along with the Leader of the National Party and the Leader of the House in the upper house. We have been working hard, and we have had to work hard. We have made some tough decisions, and guess what? I am responsible, because I am not very popular in cabinet. I am not very popular in a lot of places, but I am particularly not very popular in cabinet! It is difficult, but I take responsibility. The Premier, I am sure, supports me; he told me he did this morning. However, let us go to the other side of politics in Western Australia. Who on the opposition side is responsible for economic policy? Is it Mr “No Debt” or Mr “Lots of Debt”? I can tell the opposition that next week we will be in more debt. The Leader of the Opposition does not like debt; he keeps telling the government that debt is bad and that it should not borrow money because borrowing money is not good for Western Australians, regardless of where they live, because they have to pay it off. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : What is the position of Mr “No Debt”? He wants the government to borrow more money. Mr E.S. Ripper : You know what my position is. Don’t misrepresent it. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I do; I will read it to the Leader of the Opposition. According to my notes, he has stated that we need to increase borrowings to prop up the Western Australian economy rather than wait another three or four years. I am running the financial affairs of the government. Who is in charge on that side? Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
The member is flaying me to the bone! Who is in charge of the budget process? I am the Treasurer, and I do the work on the budget. The Premier is on the cabinet expenditure review committee, along with the Leader of the National Party and the Leader of the House in the upper house. We have been working hard, and we have had to work hard. We have made some tough decisions, and guess what? I am responsible, because I am not very popular in cabinet. I am not very popular in a lot of places, but I am particularly not very popular in cabinet! It is difficult, but I take responsibility. The Premier, I am sure, supports me; he told me he did this morning. However, let us go to the other side of politics in Western Australia. Who on the opposition side is responsible for economic policy? Is it Mr “No Debt” or Mr “Lots of Debt”? I can tell the opposition that next week we will be in more debt. The Leader of the Opposition does not like debt; he keeps telling the government that debt is bad and that it should not borrow money because borrowing money is not good for Western Australians, regardless of where they live, because they have to pay it off. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : What is the position of Mr “No Debt”? He wants the government to borrow more money. Mr E.S. Ripper : You know what my position is. Don’t misrepresent it. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I do; I will read it to the Leader of the Opposition. According to my notes, he has stated that we need to increase borrowings to prop up the Western Australian economy rather than wait another three or four years. I am running the financial affairs of the government. Who is in charge on that side? Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : What is the position of Mr “No Debt”? He wants the government to borrow more money. Mr E.S. Ripper : You know what my position is. Don’t misrepresent it. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I do; I will read it to the Leader of the Opposition. According to my notes, he has stated that we need to increase borrowings to prop up the Western Australian economy rather than wait another three or four years. I am running the financial affairs of the government. Who is in charge on that side? Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : What is the position of Mr “No Debt”? He wants the government to borrow more money. Mr E.S. Ripper : You know what my position is. Don’t misrepresent it. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I do; I will read it to the Leader of the Opposition. According to my notes, he has stated that we need to increase borrowings to prop up the Western Australian economy rather than wait another three or four years. I am running the financial affairs of the government. Who is in charge on that side? Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : What is the position of Mr “No Debt”? He wants the government to borrow more money. Mr E.S. Ripper : You know what my position is. Don’t misrepresent it. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I do; I will read it to the Leader of the Opposition. According to my notes, he has stated that we need to increase borrowings to prop up the Western Australian economy rather than wait another three or four years. I am running the financial affairs of the government. Who is in charge on that side? Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Mr E.S. Ripper : You know what my position is. Don’t misrepresent it. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I do; I will read it to the Leader of the Opposition. According to my notes, he has stated that we need to increase borrowings to prop up the Western Australian economy rather than wait another three or four years. I am running the financial affairs of the government. Who is in charge on that side? Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I do; I will read it to the Leader of the Opposition. According to my notes, he has stated that we need to increase borrowings to prop up the Western Australian economy rather than wait another three or four years. I am running the financial affairs of the government. Who is in charge on that side? Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
I am running the financial affairs of the government. Who is in charge on that side? Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Mr T.R. BUSWELL replied: The member is flaying me to the bone! Who is in charge of the budget process? I am the Treasurer, and I do the work on the budget. The Premier is on the cabinet expenditure review committee, along with the Leader of the National Party and the Leader of the House in the upper house. We have been working hard, and we have had to work hard. We have made some tough decisions, and guess what? I am responsible, because I am not very popular in cabinet. I am not very popular in a lot of places, but I am particularly not very popular in cabinet! It is difficult, but I take responsibility. The Premier, I am sure, supports me; he told me he did this morning. However, let us go to the other side of politics in Western Australia. Who on the opposition side is responsible for economic policy? Is it Mr “No Debt” or Mr “Lots of Debt”? I can tell the opposition that next week we will be in more debt. The Leader of the Opposition does not like debt; he keeps telling the government that debt is bad and that it should not borrow money because borrowing money is not good for Western Australians, regardless of where they live, because they have to pay it off. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : What is the position of Mr “No Debt”? He wants the government to borrow more money. Mr E.S. Ripper : You know what my position is. Don’t misrepresent it. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I do; I will read it to the Leader of the Opposition. According to my notes, he has stated that we need to increase borrowings to prop up the Western Australian economy rather than wait another three or four years. I am running the financial affairs of the government. Who is in charge on that side? Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
The member is flaying me to the bone! Who is in charge of the budget process? I am the Treasurer, and I do the work on the budget. The Premier is on the cabinet expenditure review committee, along with the Leader of the National Party and the Leader of the House in the upper house. We have been working hard, and we have had to work hard. We have made some tough decisions, and guess what? I am responsible, because I am not very popular in cabinet. I am not very popular in a lot of places, but I am particularly not very popular in cabinet! It is difficult, but I take responsibility. The Premier, I am sure, supports me; he told me he did this morning. However, let us go to the other side of politics in Western Australia. Who on the opposition side is responsible for economic policy? Is it Mr “No Debt” or Mr “Lots of Debt”? I can tell the opposition that next week we will be in more debt. The Leader of the Opposition does not like debt; he keeps telling the government that debt is bad and that it should not borrow money because borrowing money is not good for Western Australians, regardless of where they live, because they have to pay it off. Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : What is the position of Mr “No Debt”? He wants the government to borrow more money. Mr E.S. Ripper : You know what my position is. Don’t misrepresent it. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I do; I will read it to the Leader of the Opposition. According to my notes, he has stated that we need to increase borrowings to prop up the Western Australian economy rather than wait another three or four years. I am running the financial affairs of the government. Who is in charge on that side? Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Mr P. Papalia interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : What is the position of Mr “No Debt”? He wants the government to borrow more money. Mr E.S. Ripper : You know what my position is. Don’t misrepresent it. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I do; I will read it to the Leader of the Opposition. According to my notes, he has stated that we need to increase borrowings to prop up the Western Australian economy rather than wait another three or four years. I am running the financial affairs of the government. Who is in charge on that side? Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
The SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro! Mr T.R. BUSWELL : What is the position of Mr “No Debt”? He wants the government to borrow more money. Mr E.S. Ripper : You know what my position is. Don’t misrepresent it. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I do; I will read it to the Leader of the Opposition. According to my notes, he has stated that we need to increase borrowings to prop up the Western Australian economy rather than wait another three or four years. I am running the financial affairs of the government. Who is in charge on that side? Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : What is the position of Mr “No Debt”? He wants the government to borrow more money. Mr E.S. Ripper : You know what my position is. Don’t misrepresent it. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I do; I will read it to the Leader of the Opposition. According to my notes, he has stated that we need to increase borrowings to prop up the Western Australian economy rather than wait another three or four years. I am running the financial affairs of the government. Who is in charge on that side? Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Mr E.S. Ripper : You know what my position is. Don’t misrepresent it. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I do; I will read it to the Leader of the Opposition. According to my notes, he has stated that we need to increase borrowings to prop up the Western Australian economy rather than wait another three or four years. I am running the financial affairs of the government. Who is in charge on that side? Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I do; I will read it to the Leader of the Opposition. According to my notes, he has stated that we need to increase borrowings to prop up the Western Australian economy rather than wait another three or four years. I am running the financial affairs of the government. Who is in charge on that side? Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
I am running the financial affairs of the government. Who is in charge on that side? Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park!
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