❓ Dr. Nahan (Liberal) questions Premier McGowan (Labor) about perceived policy backflips. McGowan deflects, highlighting his government's consultation and criticising the previous Liberal-National government's record.
AnsweredQoN 1Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
MCGOWAN GOVERNMENT —
POLICY CHANGES
1. Dr M.D. NAHAN to the Premier:
First, Mr Speaker, I would like to
welcome back you and all the members of this house for another fun year.
I refer to the litany of bad calls and backflips that have
characterised the Premier's first two years of government, which
includes the high-rise school at Northbridge, the gold tax, the closing of the
Schools of the Air and Moora Residential College, the
Shark-Management-Alert-in-Real-Time drum lines, the Carnegie Clean Energy wave
farm in Albany, and, most recently, the attempted nationalisation of the rock
lobster industry. Will the Premier admit that bad calls and backflips are
systemic to his government and it is only a matter of time before he or perhaps
his Minister for Fisheries or someone else in his government produces another
policy disaster?
POLICY CHANGES
1. Dr M.D. NAHAN to the Premier:
First, Mr Speaker, I would like to
welcome back you and all the members of this house for another fun year.
I refer to the litany of bad calls and backflips that have
characterised the Premier's first two years of government, which
includes the high-rise school at Northbridge, the gold tax, the closing of the
Schools of the Air and Moora Residential College, the
Shark-Management-Alert-in-Real-Time drum lines, the Carnegie Clean Energy wave
farm in Albany, and, most recently, the attempted nationalisation of the rock
lobster industry. Will the Premier admit that bad calls and backflips are
systemic to his government and it is only a matter of time before he or perhaps
his Minister for Fisheries or someone else in his government produces another
policy disaster?
AnswerView source ↗
Firstly, Mr Speaker, welcome back.
Thank you for having us in lovely Albany last week; I enjoyed it immensely. I welcome
back all members of Parliament on both sides of the chamber and, indeed, in
both houses, to, hopefully, a very productive 2019.
One thing that characterises this
government compared with the last government is that we listen, consult and
talk to people. I am very much of the view the government should listen to the
public and consult and work together with the public. I suppose if one were to
characterise this government, it could be said that we, and myself, are far
more consultative and far more prepared to listen and work with the broader
community. I must say, Mr Speaker, that I hear that everywhere. But it is true
that we have a very difficult legacy to overcome. The legacy of an economy in
domestic recession and a debt blowout to $40 billion is difficult for us to
overcome—that is, the Liberal Party's and the Nationals WA's
legacy in this state. I will freely admit that I am not perfect. I do not think
anyone in politics or anyone in the community is perfect. We will always take
steps to consult and listen to the public about important issues, and that is
what we have done.
The last government had a reputation
for arrogance, a reputation for not listening and a reputation for —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Carine, I do not know whether you had no-one to talk to over the break but you
do not have to do it here now.
Mr M. McGOWAN : It also had a reputation
for financial and economic incompetence.
Considering the Leader of the
Opposition wanted to talk about the issue of backflips, I have been doing a bit
of thinking because generally I can predict the opposition's questions.
I have been doing a bit of thinking over the past couple of days and a few
things came to mind, including forced local government amalgamations. Remember
that? I note the member for Bateman is mouthing off over there. There was also
Metro Area Express light rail! Does anyone remember Ellenbrook rail? The former
government promised it twice! It did a double backflip on that one. Does anyone
remember the former Premier and members opposite standing out there with a big
hook for shark culling? What happened to
that? Then there was the current—I emphasise ''current''—Leader
of the Opposition in relation to cutting the solar feed-in tariff. That
was announced in the former government's 2015 budget. I have a front
page of The West Australian titled ''People Power: Barnett
buckles to public backlash in solar panel backflip''. Why? I think that
was unkind; it was actually the now Leader of the Opposition.
The Deputy Leader of the Opposition
is not to be left out either. I have here an article titled ''Government
does about turn on police budget cuts''. There it is, and whose
photograph is there? The member for Scarborough's. The article was by
Jade Macmillan, who is a very good journalist. It commences —
WA's police force will be
shielded from the worst of this year's budget cuts, after the State
Government back-flipped on a hiring freeze.
The
list goes on. I have numerous others here but I think I have made the point.
Whilst this government has to clean up the mess of the last government, members
opposite do not exactly come to the issue of backflips with clean hands.
Thank you for having us in lovely Albany last week; I enjoyed it immensely. I welcome
back all members of Parliament on both sides of the chamber and, indeed, in
both houses, to, hopefully, a very productive 2019.
One thing that characterises this
government compared with the last government is that we listen, consult and
talk to people. I am very much of the view the government should listen to the
public and consult and work together with the public. I suppose if one were to
characterise this government, it could be said that we, and myself, are far
more consultative and far more prepared to listen and work with the broader
community. I must say, Mr Speaker, that I hear that everywhere. But it is true
that we have a very difficult legacy to overcome. The legacy of an economy in
domestic recession and a debt blowout to $40 billion is difficult for us to
overcome—that is, the Liberal Party's and the Nationals WA's
legacy in this state. I will freely admit that I am not perfect. I do not think
anyone in politics or anyone in the community is perfect. We will always take
steps to consult and listen to the public about important issues, and that is
what we have done.
The last government had a reputation
for arrogance, a reputation for not listening and a reputation for —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Carine, I do not know whether you had no-one to talk to over the break but you
do not have to do it here now.
Mr M. McGOWAN : It also had a reputation
for financial and economic incompetence.
Considering the Leader of the
Opposition wanted to talk about the issue of backflips, I have been doing a bit
of thinking because generally I can predict the opposition's questions.
I have been doing a bit of thinking over the past couple of days and a few
things came to mind, including forced local government amalgamations. Remember
that? I note the member for Bateman is mouthing off over there. There was also
Metro Area Express light rail! Does anyone remember Ellenbrook rail? The former
government promised it twice! It did a double backflip on that one. Does anyone
remember the former Premier and members opposite standing out there with a big
hook for shark culling? What happened to
that? Then there was the current—I emphasise ''current''—Leader
of the Opposition in relation to cutting the solar feed-in tariff. That
was announced in the former government's 2015 budget. I have a front
page of The West Australian titled ''People Power: Barnett
buckles to public backlash in solar panel backflip''. Why? I think that
was unkind; it was actually the now Leader of the Opposition.
The Deputy Leader of the Opposition
is not to be left out either. I have here an article titled ''Government
does about turn on police budget cuts''. There it is, and whose
photograph is there? The member for Scarborough's. The article was by
Jade Macmillan, who is a very good journalist. It commences —
WA's police force will be
shielded from the worst of this year's budget cuts, after the State
Government back-flipped on a hiring freeze.
The
list goes on. I have numerous others here but I think I have made the point.
Whilst this government has to clean up the mess of the last government, members
opposite do not exactly come to the issue of backflips with clean hands.
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