❓ McGowan questions Barnett on a perceived broken promise regarding stamp duty deferral, citing previous government circulars and laws. Barnett defends the policy change due to the state's financial situation, arguing it wasn't an election issue.
AnsweredQoN 143Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STAMP DUTY DEFERRAL
143. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. If it is not a broken
promise, how does the Premier explain these circulars he issued during the last
term of government and the laws that he passed confirming that these tax cuts
would be put in place on 1 July this year?
143. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. If it is not a broken
promise, how does the Premier explain these circulars he issued during the last
term of government and the laws that he passed confirming that these tax cuts
would be put in place on 1 July this year?
AnswerView source ↗
When people talk of broken promises, Mr Speaker —
Ms M.M. Quirk :
Answer the question, Premier!
The SPEAKER :
Member for Girrawheen!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
will not refer to the member for Girrawheen because I will get into trouble
again! I am very wary of the member for Girrawheen. We are good friends but I
am being very careful.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mr M. McGowan :
Answer the question.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The member for Girrawheen interjected as I started; however, we are good mates,
so that is okay.
Mr Speaker, what was the question again? It was a tedious
question. Broken promises; okay.
Well prior to the election we did intend to remove that tax.
It was not an issue that arose at any stage during the election. It was not an
issue in my mind or in the mind of the Treasurer or anyone else. But when we
faced the financial situation that this state faces, we made the decision that
we would not remove that tax on 1 July. I hope in the future we may be able to
do so, but that is not the case at the moment. There is therefore no broken
promise. Members opposite will probably laugh at this: it is a change in
policy, if they like, but at no stage was it an election issue and at no stage
did I or the Treasurer make any comment or respond to any question on this
issue.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
We did not.
Mr M. McGowan : So
you promised it all last term. It didn't come up at the last moment.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
When people talk about broken promises, they put it in the context of an
election campaign. If members opposite want to talk about broken promises, they
should talk about that.
This is a government that will govern well. I do not run
around and claim a mandate for this policy or for that policy or for how people
voted generally in individual seats. But the one thing I will claim is an
election result that gave the highest vote for a government in 100 years. The
corollary of that is the worst vote for Labor in 100 years, and out of that I
will claim a mandate of trust.
Ms M.M. Quirk :
Answer the question, Premier!
The SPEAKER :
Member for Girrawheen!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
will not refer to the member for Girrawheen because I will get into trouble
again! I am very wary of the member for Girrawheen. We are good friends but I
am being very careful.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mr M. McGowan :
Answer the question.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The member for Girrawheen interjected as I started; however, we are good mates,
so that is okay.
Mr Speaker, what was the question again? It was a tedious
question. Broken promises; okay.
Well prior to the election we did intend to remove that tax.
It was not an issue that arose at any stage during the election. It was not an
issue in my mind or in the mind of the Treasurer or anyone else. But when we
faced the financial situation that this state faces, we made the decision that
we would not remove that tax on 1 July. I hope in the future we may be able to
do so, but that is not the case at the moment. There is therefore no broken
promise. Members opposite will probably laugh at this: it is a change in
policy, if they like, but at no stage was it an election issue and at no stage
did I or the Treasurer make any comment or respond to any question on this
issue.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
We did not.
Mr M. McGowan : So
you promised it all last term. It didn't come up at the last moment.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
When people talk about broken promises, they put it in the context of an
election campaign. If members opposite want to talk about broken promises, they
should talk about that.
This is a government that will govern well. I do not run
around and claim a mandate for this policy or for that policy or for how people
voted generally in individual seats. But the one thing I will claim is an
election result that gave the highest vote for a government in 100 years. The
corollary of that is the worst vote for Labor in 100 years, and out of that I
will claim a mandate of trust.
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