❓ Opposition Leader Mark McGowan questions Treasurer Mike Nahan about the government's plan to sell or lease Western Power. The Treasurer confirms the plan and criticises the opposition's financial credibility.
AnsweredQoN 509Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ASSET SALES — WESTERN POWER
509. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Treasurer:
I refer to the Treasurer's statement on 17 May this year, and I
quote —
We
will go to the next election with a plan that says, ''Sell assets; sell
Western Power �
Is that still the Treasurer's position?
509. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Treasurer:
I refer to the Treasurer's statement on 17 May this year, and I
quote —
We
will go to the next election with a plan that says, ''Sell assets; sell
Western Power �
Is that still the Treasurer's position?
AnswerView source ↗
I am glad that the Leader of the Opposition was awake enough to look at
the budget. In the budget we had a plan laid out: selling certain assets,
paying off debt and using that to fund the capital needs of this state going into
the future. That is something that the opposition does not have. The opposition
is out there promising capital spend but having no capacity to deliver it. It
is what the opposition does regularly. It is called perpetuating the mirage.
The position that we had at that time, and it holds —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, I call you to order for the first time.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : The statement at that time, ''We are
going to pursue the sale of Western Power'', was the long-term lease of
Western Power or the sale of Western Power. That is what we are doing.
Mr P. Papalia : Is that what you're doing?
Dr M.D. NAHAN : That is what we are doing. My task is to
develop not just the case for it but also how we will go about it. I will bring
it to the cabinet. Once we do that, we will choose what we are going to do and
we will bring it to the public and discuss it with the public. That is what we
are doing. What is the opposition doing? It is doing nothing. It is promising a
Metronet that it cannot afford. It is fraud. The opposition is going about
promising Metronet and it cannot afford it. It does not have the money for it,
and it never will. We are looking at constructive ways to fund the capital
needs of the future.
the budget. In the budget we had a plan laid out: selling certain assets,
paying off debt and using that to fund the capital needs of this state going into
the future. That is something that the opposition does not have. The opposition
is out there promising capital spend but having no capacity to deliver it. It
is what the opposition does regularly. It is called perpetuating the mirage.
The position that we had at that time, and it holds —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, I call you to order for the first time.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : The statement at that time, ''We are
going to pursue the sale of Western Power'', was the long-term lease of
Western Power or the sale of Western Power. That is what we are doing.
Mr P. Papalia : Is that what you're doing?
Dr M.D. NAHAN : That is what we are doing. My task is to
develop not just the case for it but also how we will go about it. I will bring
it to the cabinet. Once we do that, we will choose what we are going to do and
we will bring it to the public and discuss it with the public. That is what we
are doing. What is the opposition doing? It is doing nothing. It is promising a
Metronet that it cannot afford. It is fraud. The opposition is going about
promising Metronet and it cannot afford it. It does not have the money for it,
and it never will. We are looking at constructive ways to fund the capital
needs of the future.
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