❓ Opposition questions the Premier about budget surplus and COVID-19 support for households/small businesses. Premier defends government's financial management and recovery plan.
AnsweredQoN 661Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS — BUDGET SURPLUS
661. Mr D.C. NALDER to the Premier:
Can
the Premier confirm that the government ran a budget surplus for the last
financial year; and, if so, why did he not do more to support struggling
households and small businesses impacted by COVID-19, including overturning his
mean-spirited refusal to provide grants of up to $10 000 for struggling small
businesses?
Mr B.S. Wyatt : At the end of
the month you'll find out.
Mr D.C. Nalder : You've
signed off on it?
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Yeah, I have.
You'll find out at the end of the month.
The SPEAKER : Who is in charge
here?
Mr Z.R.F. Kirkup : Sometimes
Ben likes to take them!
The SPEAKER : Sorry,
Treasurer; I thought it was the Premier!
661. Mr D.C. NALDER to the Premier:
Can
the Premier confirm that the government ran a budget surplus for the last
financial year; and, if so, why did he not do more to support struggling
households and small businesses impacted by COVID-19, including overturning his
mean-spirited refusal to provide grants of up to $10 000 for struggling small
businesses?
Mr B.S. Wyatt : At the end of
the month you'll find out.
Mr D.C. Nalder : You've
signed off on it?
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Yeah, I have.
You'll find out at the end of the month.
The SPEAKER : Who is in charge
here?
Mr Z.R.F. Kirkup : Sometimes
Ben likes to take them!
The SPEAKER : Sorry,
Treasurer; I thought it was the Premier!
AnswerView source ↗
I
just gave an answer to a question in which I outlined how well Western Australia's
economy is doing compared with other states of Australia. On virtually every
indicator, our economy is doing better than other parts of Australia. Although
we cannot currently go to New South Wales, Brisbane or Victoria, if someone
were to go to those places, they would see the economies of those states versus
that of Western Australia and they would note that our economy is doing better.
If members were to ask retail, hospitality and tourism businesses across the
state—this is my experience—inevitably, they would find that
they are so grateful that there are far fewer restrictions within our state than
there are in other states.
The other point I want to make is
this. Fortunately, over the first three years of this government, we managed
the finances better than the prior government in its two terms, and better than
any other government in Australia. That is a credit to the Treasurer and the
cabinet. That financial management means that we are now able to invest in our Western
Australian recovery plan—a $5.5 billion plan. We were the first state
in Australia to launch a recovery plan; I think most of them have not even
launched one. Most of them are sort of muddling along in the COVID environment,
whereas we launched a recovery plan six or eight weeks or so ago, through which
there will be major investments across the board for our state, to ensure that
we get economic activity back as strongly as possible.
Only
the other week, SEEK said it was back to 99 per cent of the job advertisements
it was running prior to COVID . I launched a policy this morning with the
Treasurer for expanding the building bonus grants, and the land sales industry
is selling 500 blocks a week; that is multiples of what it was selling before.
Our building industry is going very strongly as a consequence—so much
so that we have to put extra money into the program to support it. Good
financial management, which the opposition obviously does not understand, has
its rewards, because it allows us to invest in things like the recovery plan,
the building bonus scheme and multiple initiatives across the state.
Members opposite perpetuate a particular
line about small business. I quote the member for Darling Range from ABC radio,
on 13 May 2020 —
Every
other state around the country has been putting that $10,000 cash grant to
their small business operators , no questions asked.
That is not true. We have provided —
Withdrawal of Remark
Mr Z.R.F.
KIRKUP : The member for Burns Beach just accused the member for
Darling Range of being a liar. I ask him to withdraw.
The SPEAKER : I did not hear
it. Did you say that, member for Burns Beach?
Mr M.J. Folkard : I withdraw.
The SPEAKER : Stand up, thank
you.
Mr M.J.
FOLKARD : I withdraw.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr M. McGOWAN : We have been
very, very sympathetic and supportive of small businesses, and we have provided
payroll tax relief; grants of up to $17 500 for small businesses, subject to
payroll tax; waived payroll tax for small to medium-sized businesses for three
months; lifted the threshold permanently; reduced electricity bills for small businesses and charities by $2 500;
provided rent relief for tenants and land tax relief for landlords; waived fees and licenses on leases for small business operators who are tenants of the
government; provided the tourism support package, with grants of up to $100 000
available; and the list goes on, in support of small business.
I
tell the opposition what: the main thing we can do is to have an economy that
is up and functioning. That is the main thing we can do. If members
opposite think the solution to everything is the government borrowing more
money and continuing to do so forever, which
seems to be their solution for everything, they are wrong. The main thing we can do—and again, I think Western Australians
understand this—is to have a functional, operating, well-performing economy, and that is exactly our focus.
just gave an answer to a question in which I outlined how well Western Australia's
economy is doing compared with other states of Australia. On virtually every
indicator, our economy is doing better than other parts of Australia. Although
we cannot currently go to New South Wales, Brisbane or Victoria, if someone
were to go to those places, they would see the economies of those states versus
that of Western Australia and they would note that our economy is doing better.
If members were to ask retail, hospitality and tourism businesses across the
state—this is my experience—inevitably, they would find that
they are so grateful that there are far fewer restrictions within our state than
there are in other states.
The other point I want to make is
this. Fortunately, over the first three years of this government, we managed
the finances better than the prior government in its two terms, and better than
any other government in Australia. That is a credit to the Treasurer and the
cabinet. That financial management means that we are now able to invest in our Western
Australian recovery plan—a $5.5 billion plan. We were the first state
in Australia to launch a recovery plan; I think most of them have not even
launched one. Most of them are sort of muddling along in the COVID environment,
whereas we launched a recovery plan six or eight weeks or so ago, through which
there will be major investments across the board for our state, to ensure that
we get economic activity back as strongly as possible.
Only
the other week, SEEK said it was back to 99 per cent of the job advertisements
it was running prior to COVID . I launched a policy this morning with the
Treasurer for expanding the building bonus grants, and the land sales industry
is selling 500 blocks a week; that is multiples of what it was selling before.
Our building industry is going very strongly as a consequence—so much
so that we have to put extra money into the program to support it. Good
financial management, which the opposition obviously does not understand, has
its rewards, because it allows us to invest in things like the recovery plan,
the building bonus scheme and multiple initiatives across the state.
Members opposite perpetuate a particular
line about small business. I quote the member for Darling Range from ABC radio,
on 13 May 2020 —
Every
other state around the country has been putting that $10,000 cash grant to
their small business operators , no questions asked.
That is not true. We have provided —
Withdrawal of Remark
Mr Z.R.F.
KIRKUP : The member for Burns Beach just accused the member for
Darling Range of being a liar. I ask him to withdraw.
The SPEAKER : I did not hear
it. Did you say that, member for Burns Beach?
Mr M.J. Folkard : I withdraw.
The SPEAKER : Stand up, thank
you.
Mr M.J.
FOLKARD : I withdraw.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr M. McGOWAN : We have been
very, very sympathetic and supportive of small businesses, and we have provided
payroll tax relief; grants of up to $17 500 for small businesses, subject to
payroll tax; waived payroll tax for small to medium-sized businesses for three
months; lifted the threshold permanently; reduced electricity bills for small businesses and charities by $2 500;
provided rent relief for tenants and land tax relief for landlords; waived fees and licenses on leases for small business operators who are tenants of the
government; provided the tourism support package, with grants of up to $100 000
available; and the list goes on, in support of small business.
I
tell the opposition what: the main thing we can do is to have an economy that
is up and functioning. That is the main thing we can do. If members
opposite think the solution to everything is the government borrowing more
money and continuing to do so forever, which
seems to be their solution for everything, they are wrong. The main thing we can do—and again, I think Western Australians
understand this—is to have a functional, operating, well-performing economy, and that is exactly our focus.
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