❓ Premier Gallop expresses disappointment and distrust regarding the Prime Minister's decision to tie competition policy payments to the national water fund, claiming it will cost WA $74 million and breaches a prior agreement.
AnsweredQoN 544Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Will the Premier detail the implications of the Prime Minister’s recently announced national water fund? Dr G.I. GALLOP
AnswerView source ↗
I am very disappointed that the Prime Minister has tied future competition policy payments to his electoral commitment for a national water fund. I point out to members that, as a result of decisions that have already been made in Western Australia and have gone through our Parliament, we are due to receive payments from the Commonwealth Government in recognition of what has been done. As a result of the decision announced by John Howard as part of the election campaign, $74 million will be robbed from Western Australians. That money is due to us as a result of decisions that have been made. Of course, still more money would come as a result of decisions that we intend to make about electricity reform and trading hours reform. Let me move on. I was very suspicious of the Prime Minister’s attitude on this issue at the Council of Australian Governments meeting in 2003. I was very suspicious that Canberra would use money from the national competition policy to fund water initiatives. I raised the matter at the COAG meeting. The Prime Minister said that they would stick with the COAG agreement, but I do not trust what comes out of Canberra. As a good Western Australian, I can never trust what comes out of Canberra. I wrote to the Prime Minister asking for clarification of this matter. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! I call to order the member for Kalgoorlie and the member for Merredin. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I wrote this letter on 23 September 2003. I sought confirmation that competition policy payments would be ongoing and continue beyond 2005-06. I also sought an assurance that the commonwealth government funding to implement any national water initiative payments would not come from national competition policy payments. I was alert to what was going on within the Commonwealth Government on this issue and I wrote to the Prime Minister. The letter from which I will quote is from the Prime Minister of Australia to the Premier of Western Australia. The Prime Minister wrote about issues regarding competition and then said - The Australian Government - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I ask the Premier to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Merredin and Kalgoorlie, and the Leader of the National Party. Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Prime Minister wrote - The Australian Government will consult the states and territories on these issues at the appropriate time. In other words, there would be no change to the national competition payments without consultation between the federal Government and the States. That is what the Prime Minister of Australia wrote in correspondence to the Premier of Western Australia. We cannot trust John Howard. It is as simple as that. That is the way he is governing the federation. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: He has robbed the States of the money and he has offered it back to them through a national water initiative. He has done that despite a written commitment that he would not make any changes to the policy without consultation. That sort of Prime Minister cannot be trusted.
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: I am very disappointed that the Prime Minister has tied future competition policy payments to his electoral commitment for a national water fund. I point out to members that, as a result of decisions that have already been made in Western Australia and have gone through our Parliament, we are due to receive payments from the Commonwealth Government in recognition of what has been done. As a result of the decision announced by John Howard as part of the election campaign, $74 million will be robbed from Western Australians. That money is due to us as a result of decisions that have been made. Of course, still more money would come as a result of decisions that we intend to make about electricity reform and trading hours reform. Let me move on. I was very suspicious of the Prime Minister’s attitude on this issue at the Council of Australian Governments meeting in 2003. I was very suspicious that Canberra would use money from the national competition policy to fund water initiatives. I raised the matter at the COAG meeting. The Prime Minister said that they would stick with the COAG agreement, but I do not trust what comes out of Canberra. As a good Western Australian, I can never trust what comes out of Canberra. I wrote to the Prime Minister asking for clarification of this matter. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! I call to order the member for Kalgoorlie and the member for Merredin. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I wrote this letter on 23 September 2003. I sought confirmation that competition policy payments would be ongoing and continue beyond 2005-06. I also sought an assurance that the commonwealth government funding to implement any national water initiative payments would not come from national competition policy payments. I was alert to what was going on within the Commonwealth Government on this issue and I wrote to the Prime Minister. The letter from which I will quote is from the Prime Minister of Australia to the Premier of Western Australia. The Prime Minister wrote about issues regarding competition and then said - The Australian Government - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I ask the Premier to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Merredin and Kalgoorlie, and the Leader of the National Party. Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Prime Minister wrote - The Australian Government will consult the states and territories on these issues at the appropriate time. In other words, there would be no change to the national competition payments without consultation between the federal Government and the States. That is what the Prime Minister of Australia wrote in correspondence to the Premier of Western Australia. We cannot trust John Howard. It is as simple as that. That is the way he is governing the federation. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: He has robbed the States of the money and he has offered it back to them through a national water initiative. He has done that despite a written commitment that he would not make any changes to the policy without consultation. That sort of Prime Minister cannot be trusted.
I am very disappointed that the Prime Minister has tied future competition policy payments to his electoral commitment for a national water fund. I point out to members that, as a result of decisions that have already been made in Western Australia and have gone through our Parliament, we are due to receive payments from the Commonwealth Government in recognition of what has been done. As a result of the decision announced by John Howard as part of the election campaign, $74 million will be robbed from Western Australians. That money is due to us as a result of decisions that have been made. Of course, still more money would come as a result of decisions that we intend to make about electricity reform and trading hours reform. Let me move on. I was very suspicious of the Prime Minister’s attitude on this issue at the Council of Australian Governments meeting in 2003. I was very suspicious that Canberra would use money from the national competition policy to fund water initiatives. I raised the matter at the COAG meeting. The Prime Minister said that they would stick with the COAG agreement, but I do not trust what comes out of Canberra. As a good Western Australian, I can never trust what comes out of Canberra. I wrote to the Prime Minister asking for clarification of this matter. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! I call to order the member for Kalgoorlie and the member for Merredin. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I wrote this letter on 23 September 2003. I sought confirmation that competition policy payments would be ongoing and continue beyond 2005-06. I also sought an assurance that the commonwealth government funding to implement any national water initiative payments would not come from national competition policy payments. I was alert to what was going on within the Commonwealth Government on this issue and I wrote to the Prime Minister. The letter from which I will quote is from the Prime Minister of Australia to the Premier of Western Australia. The Prime Minister wrote about issues regarding competition and then said - The Australian Government - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I ask the Premier to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Merredin and Kalgoorlie, and the Leader of the National Party. Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Prime Minister wrote - The Australian Government will consult the states and territories on these issues at the appropriate time. In other words, there would be no change to the national competition payments without consultation between the federal Government and the States. That is what the Prime Minister of Australia wrote in correspondence to the Premier of Western Australia. We cannot trust John Howard. It is as simple as that. That is the way he is governing the federation. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: He has robbed the States of the money and he has offered it back to them through a national water initiative. He has done that despite a written commitment that he would not make any changes to the policy without consultation. That sort of Prime Minister cannot be trusted.
Let me move on. I was very suspicious of the Prime Minister’s attitude on this issue at the Council of Australian Governments meeting in 2003. I was very suspicious that Canberra would use money from the national competition policy to fund water initiatives. I raised the matter at the COAG meeting. The Prime Minister said that they would stick with the COAG agreement, but I do not trust what comes out of Canberra. As a good Western Australian, I can never trust what comes out of Canberra. I wrote to the Prime Minister asking for clarification of this matter. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! I call to order the member for Kalgoorlie and the member for Merredin. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I wrote this letter on 23 September 2003. I sought confirmation that competition policy payments would be ongoing and continue beyond 2005-06. I also sought an assurance that the commonwealth government funding to implement any national water initiative payments would not come from national competition policy payments. I was alert to what was going on within the Commonwealth Government on this issue and I wrote to the Prime Minister. The letter from which I will quote is from the Prime Minister of Australia to the Premier of Western Australia. The Prime Minister wrote about issues regarding competition and then said - The Australian Government - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I ask the Premier to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Merredin and Kalgoorlie, and the Leader of the National Party. Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Prime Minister wrote - The Australian Government will consult the states and territories on these issues at the appropriate time. In other words, there would be no change to the national competition payments without consultation between the federal Government and the States. That is what the Prime Minister of Australia wrote in correspondence to the Premier of Western Australia. We cannot trust John Howard. It is as simple as that. That is the way he is governing the federation. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: He has robbed the States of the money and he has offered it back to them through a national water initiative. He has done that despite a written commitment that he would not make any changes to the policy without consultation. That sort of Prime Minister cannot be trusted.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! I call to order the member for Kalgoorlie and the member for Merredin. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I wrote this letter on 23 September 2003. I sought confirmation that competition policy payments would be ongoing and continue beyond 2005-06. I also sought an assurance that the commonwealth government funding to implement any national water initiative payments would not come from national competition policy payments. I was alert to what was going on within the Commonwealth Government on this issue and I wrote to the Prime Minister. The letter from which I will quote is from the Prime Minister of Australia to the Premier of Western Australia. The Prime Minister wrote about issues regarding competition and then said - The Australian Government - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I ask the Premier to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Merredin and Kalgoorlie, and the Leader of the National Party. Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Prime Minister wrote - The Australian Government will consult the states and territories on these issues at the appropriate time. In other words, there would be no change to the national competition payments without consultation between the federal Government and the States. That is what the Prime Minister of Australia wrote in correspondence to the Premier of Western Australia. We cannot trust John Howard. It is as simple as that. That is the way he is governing the federation. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: He has robbed the States of the money and he has offered it back to them through a national water initiative. He has done that despite a written commitment that he would not make any changes to the policy without consultation. That sort of Prime Minister cannot be trusted.
The SPEAKER: Order! I call to order the member for Kalgoorlie and the member for Merredin. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I wrote this letter on 23 September 2003. I sought confirmation that competition policy payments would be ongoing and continue beyond 2005-06. I also sought an assurance that the commonwealth government funding to implement any national water initiative payments would not come from national competition policy payments. I was alert to what was going on within the Commonwealth Government on this issue and I wrote to the Prime Minister. The letter from which I will quote is from the Prime Minister of Australia to the Premier of Western Australia. The Prime Minister wrote about issues regarding competition and then said - The Australian Government - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I ask the Premier to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Merredin and Kalgoorlie, and the Leader of the National Party. Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Prime Minister wrote - The Australian Government will consult the states and territories on these issues at the appropriate time. In other words, there would be no change to the national competition payments without consultation between the federal Government and the States. That is what the Prime Minister of Australia wrote in correspondence to the Premier of Western Australia. We cannot trust John Howard. It is as simple as that. That is the way he is governing the federation. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: He has robbed the States of the money and he has offered it back to them through a national water initiative. He has done that despite a written commitment that he would not make any changes to the policy without consultation. That sort of Prime Minister cannot be trusted.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: I wrote this letter on 23 September 2003. I sought confirmation that competition policy payments would be ongoing and continue beyond 2005-06. I also sought an assurance that the commonwealth government funding to implement any national water initiative payments would not come from national competition policy payments. I was alert to what was going on within the Commonwealth Government on this issue and I wrote to the Prime Minister. The letter from which I will quote is from the Prime Minister of Australia to the Premier of Western Australia. The Prime Minister wrote about issues regarding competition and then said - The Australian Government - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I ask the Premier to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Merredin and Kalgoorlie, and the Leader of the National Party. Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Prime Minister wrote - The Australian Government will consult the states and territories on these issues at the appropriate time. In other words, there would be no change to the national competition payments without consultation between the federal Government and the States. That is what the Prime Minister of Australia wrote in correspondence to the Premier of Western Australia. We cannot trust John Howard. It is as simple as that. That is the way he is governing the federation. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: He has robbed the States of the money and he has offered it back to them through a national water initiative. He has done that despite a written commitment that he would not make any changes to the policy without consultation. That sort of Prime Minister cannot be trusted.
The SPEAKER: I ask the Premier to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Merredin and Kalgoorlie, and the Leader of the National Party. Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Prime Minister wrote - The Australian Government will consult the states and territories on these issues at the appropriate time. In other words, there would be no change to the national competition payments without consultation between the federal Government and the States. That is what the Prime Minister of Australia wrote in correspondence to the Premier of Western Australia. We cannot trust John Howard. It is as simple as that. That is the way he is governing the federation. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: He has robbed the States of the money and he has offered it back to them through a national water initiative. He has done that despite a written commitment that he would not make any changes to the policy without consultation. That sort of Prime Minister cannot be trusted.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Prime Minister wrote - The Australian Government will consult the states and territories on these issues at the appropriate time. In other words, there would be no change to the national competition payments without consultation between the federal Government and the States. That is what the Prime Minister of Australia wrote in correspondence to the Premier of Western Australia. We cannot trust John Howard. It is as simple as that. That is the way he is governing the federation. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: He has robbed the States of the money and he has offered it back to them through a national water initiative. He has done that despite a written commitment that he would not make any changes to the policy without consultation. That sort of Prime Minister cannot be trusted.
Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: He has robbed the States of the money and he has offered it back to them through a national water initiative. He has done that despite a written commitment that he would not make any changes to the policy without consultation. That sort of Prime Minister cannot be trusted.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: He has robbed the States of the money and he has offered it back to them through a national water initiative. He has done that despite a written commitment that he would not make any changes to the policy without consultation. That sort of Prime Minister cannot be trusted.
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: I am very disappointed that the Prime Minister has tied future competition policy payments to his electoral commitment for a national water fund. I point out to members that, as a result of decisions that have already been made in Western Australia and have gone through our Parliament, we are due to receive payments from the Commonwealth Government in recognition of what has been done. As a result of the decision announced by John Howard as part of the election campaign, $74 million will be robbed from Western Australians. That money is due to us as a result of decisions that have been made. Of course, still more money would come as a result of decisions that we intend to make about electricity reform and trading hours reform. Let me move on. I was very suspicious of the Prime Minister’s attitude on this issue at the Council of Australian Governments meeting in 2003. I was very suspicious that Canberra would use money from the national competition policy to fund water initiatives. I raised the matter at the COAG meeting. The Prime Minister said that they would stick with the COAG agreement, but I do not trust what comes out of Canberra. As a good Western Australian, I can never trust what comes out of Canberra. I wrote to the Prime Minister asking for clarification of this matter. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! I call to order the member for Kalgoorlie and the member for Merredin. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I wrote this letter on 23 September 2003. I sought confirmation that competition policy payments would be ongoing and continue beyond 2005-06. I also sought an assurance that the commonwealth government funding to implement any national water initiative payments would not come from national competition policy payments. I was alert to what was going on within the Commonwealth Government on this issue and I wrote to the Prime Minister. The letter from which I will quote is from the Prime Minister of Australia to the Premier of Western Australia. The Prime Minister wrote about issues regarding competition and then said - The Australian Government - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I ask the Premier to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Merredin and Kalgoorlie, and the Leader of the National Party. Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Prime Minister wrote - The Australian Government will consult the states and territories on these issues at the appropriate time. In other words, there would be no change to the national competition payments without consultation between the federal Government and the States. That is what the Prime Minister of Australia wrote in correspondence to the Premier of Western Australia. We cannot trust John Howard. It is as simple as that. That is the way he is governing the federation. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: He has robbed the States of the money and he has offered it back to them through a national water initiative. He has done that despite a written commitment that he would not make any changes to the policy without consultation. That sort of Prime Minister cannot be trusted.
I am very disappointed that the Prime Minister has tied future competition policy payments to his electoral commitment for a national water fund. I point out to members that, as a result of decisions that have already been made in Western Australia and have gone through our Parliament, we are due to receive payments from the Commonwealth Government in recognition of what has been done. As a result of the decision announced by John Howard as part of the election campaign, $74 million will be robbed from Western Australians. That money is due to us as a result of decisions that have been made. Of course, still more money would come as a result of decisions that we intend to make about electricity reform and trading hours reform. Let me move on. I was very suspicious of the Prime Minister’s attitude on this issue at the Council of Australian Governments meeting in 2003. I was very suspicious that Canberra would use money from the national competition policy to fund water initiatives. I raised the matter at the COAG meeting. The Prime Minister said that they would stick with the COAG agreement, but I do not trust what comes out of Canberra. As a good Western Australian, I can never trust what comes out of Canberra. I wrote to the Prime Minister asking for clarification of this matter. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! I call to order the member for Kalgoorlie and the member for Merredin. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I wrote this letter on 23 September 2003. I sought confirmation that competition policy payments would be ongoing and continue beyond 2005-06. I also sought an assurance that the commonwealth government funding to implement any national water initiative payments would not come from national competition policy payments. I was alert to what was going on within the Commonwealth Government on this issue and I wrote to the Prime Minister. The letter from which I will quote is from the Prime Minister of Australia to the Premier of Western Australia. The Prime Minister wrote about issues regarding competition and then said - The Australian Government - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I ask the Premier to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Merredin and Kalgoorlie, and the Leader of the National Party. Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Prime Minister wrote - The Australian Government will consult the states and territories on these issues at the appropriate time. In other words, there would be no change to the national competition payments without consultation between the federal Government and the States. That is what the Prime Minister of Australia wrote in correspondence to the Premier of Western Australia. We cannot trust John Howard. It is as simple as that. That is the way he is governing the federation. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: He has robbed the States of the money and he has offered it back to them through a national water initiative. He has done that despite a written commitment that he would not make any changes to the policy without consultation. That sort of Prime Minister cannot be trusted.
Let me move on. I was very suspicious of the Prime Minister’s attitude on this issue at the Council of Australian Governments meeting in 2003. I was very suspicious that Canberra would use money from the national competition policy to fund water initiatives. I raised the matter at the COAG meeting. The Prime Minister said that they would stick with the COAG agreement, but I do not trust what comes out of Canberra. As a good Western Australian, I can never trust what comes out of Canberra. I wrote to the Prime Minister asking for clarification of this matter. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! I call to order the member for Kalgoorlie and the member for Merredin. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I wrote this letter on 23 September 2003. I sought confirmation that competition policy payments would be ongoing and continue beyond 2005-06. I also sought an assurance that the commonwealth government funding to implement any national water initiative payments would not come from national competition policy payments. I was alert to what was going on within the Commonwealth Government on this issue and I wrote to the Prime Minister. The letter from which I will quote is from the Prime Minister of Australia to the Premier of Western Australia. The Prime Minister wrote about issues regarding competition and then said - The Australian Government - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I ask the Premier to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Merredin and Kalgoorlie, and the Leader of the National Party. Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Prime Minister wrote - The Australian Government will consult the states and territories on these issues at the appropriate time. In other words, there would be no change to the national competition payments without consultation between the federal Government and the States. That is what the Prime Minister of Australia wrote in correspondence to the Premier of Western Australia. We cannot trust John Howard. It is as simple as that. That is the way he is governing the federation. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: He has robbed the States of the money and he has offered it back to them through a national water initiative. He has done that despite a written commitment that he would not make any changes to the policy without consultation. That sort of Prime Minister cannot be trusted.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! I call to order the member for Kalgoorlie and the member for Merredin. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I wrote this letter on 23 September 2003. I sought confirmation that competition policy payments would be ongoing and continue beyond 2005-06. I also sought an assurance that the commonwealth government funding to implement any national water initiative payments would not come from national competition policy payments. I was alert to what was going on within the Commonwealth Government on this issue and I wrote to the Prime Minister. The letter from which I will quote is from the Prime Minister of Australia to the Premier of Western Australia. The Prime Minister wrote about issues regarding competition and then said - The Australian Government - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I ask the Premier to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Merredin and Kalgoorlie, and the Leader of the National Party. Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Prime Minister wrote - The Australian Government will consult the states and territories on these issues at the appropriate time. In other words, there would be no change to the national competition payments without consultation between the federal Government and the States. That is what the Prime Minister of Australia wrote in correspondence to the Premier of Western Australia. We cannot trust John Howard. It is as simple as that. That is the way he is governing the federation. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: He has robbed the States of the money and he has offered it back to them through a national water initiative. He has done that despite a written commitment that he would not make any changes to the policy without consultation. That sort of Prime Minister cannot be trusted.
The SPEAKER: Order! I call to order the member for Kalgoorlie and the member for Merredin. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I wrote this letter on 23 September 2003. I sought confirmation that competition policy payments would be ongoing and continue beyond 2005-06. I also sought an assurance that the commonwealth government funding to implement any national water initiative payments would not come from national competition policy payments. I was alert to what was going on within the Commonwealth Government on this issue and I wrote to the Prime Minister. The letter from which I will quote is from the Prime Minister of Australia to the Premier of Western Australia. The Prime Minister wrote about issues regarding competition and then said - The Australian Government - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I ask the Premier to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Merredin and Kalgoorlie, and the Leader of the National Party. Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Prime Minister wrote - The Australian Government will consult the states and territories on these issues at the appropriate time. In other words, there would be no change to the national competition payments without consultation between the federal Government and the States. That is what the Prime Minister of Australia wrote in correspondence to the Premier of Western Australia. We cannot trust John Howard. It is as simple as that. That is the way he is governing the federation. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: He has robbed the States of the money and he has offered it back to them through a national water initiative. He has done that despite a written commitment that he would not make any changes to the policy without consultation. That sort of Prime Minister cannot be trusted.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: I wrote this letter on 23 September 2003. I sought confirmation that competition policy payments would be ongoing and continue beyond 2005-06. I also sought an assurance that the commonwealth government funding to implement any national water initiative payments would not come from national competition policy payments. I was alert to what was going on within the Commonwealth Government on this issue and I wrote to the Prime Minister. The letter from which I will quote is from the Prime Minister of Australia to the Premier of Western Australia. The Prime Minister wrote about issues regarding competition and then said - The Australian Government - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: I ask the Premier to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Merredin and Kalgoorlie, and the Leader of the National Party. Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Prime Minister wrote - The Australian Government will consult the states and territories on these issues at the appropriate time. In other words, there would be no change to the national competition payments without consultation between the federal Government and the States. That is what the Prime Minister of Australia wrote in correspondence to the Premier of Western Australia. We cannot trust John Howard. It is as simple as that. That is the way he is governing the federation. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: He has robbed the States of the money and he has offered it back to them through a national water initiative. He has done that despite a written commitment that he would not make any changes to the policy without consultation. That sort of Prime Minister cannot be trusted.
The SPEAKER: I ask the Premier to resume his seat. I call to order the members for Merredin and Kalgoorlie, and the Leader of the National Party. Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Prime Minister wrote - The Australian Government will consult the states and territories on these issues at the appropriate time. In other words, there would be no change to the national competition payments without consultation between the federal Government and the States. That is what the Prime Minister of Australia wrote in correspondence to the Premier of Western Australia. We cannot trust John Howard. It is as simple as that. That is the way he is governing the federation. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: He has robbed the States of the money and he has offered it back to them through a national water initiative. He has done that despite a written commitment that he would not make any changes to the policy without consultation. That sort of Prime Minister cannot be trusted.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: The Prime Minister wrote - The Australian Government will consult the states and territories on these issues at the appropriate time. In other words, there would be no change to the national competition payments without consultation between the federal Government and the States. That is what the Prime Minister of Australia wrote in correspondence to the Premier of Western Australia. We cannot trust John Howard. It is as simple as that. That is the way he is governing the federation. Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: He has robbed the States of the money and he has offered it back to them through a national water initiative. He has done that despite a written commitment that he would not make any changes to the policy without consultation. That sort of Prime Minister cannot be trusted.
Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP: He has robbed the States of the money and he has offered it back to them through a national water initiative. He has done that despite a written commitment that he would not make any changes to the policy without consultation. That sort of Prime Minister cannot be trusted.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: He has robbed the States of the money and he has offered it back to them through a national water initiative. He has done that despite a written commitment that he would not make any changes to the policy without consultation. That sort of Prime Minister cannot be trusted.
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