❓ Mr. Johnson questions Rottnest Island funding cuts despite infrastructure needs. Minister Kucera deflects, denies cuts, and cites increased tourism budget, task force report, and previous government deficits.
AnsweredQoN 250Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer the minister to the 2004-05 budget for the Rottnest Island Authority. (1) Given that the Auditor General has stated that $50 million will be required to fix the problems on Rottnest, why has the island’s infrastructure and operational budget been cut by around 10 per cent? (2) Why has only $1.77 million in new funding been allocated to fix dilapidated holiday and tourism facilities on the island? (3) Is the minister aware that this token funding increase has come from the budget of the Western Australian Tourism Commission, which has already had its funding cut by around $4.3 million over the next four years? Mr R.C. KUCERA
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(3) I repeat my invitation to the member for Hillarys to go to Rottnest at some time and have a real look at the island so that he knows what is going on. I was going to ask him where he spent his last holiday, or is he still going to Blackpool Pier? When is he going to go back to Rottnest? Once again the member for Hillarys demonstrates how narrow minded he is in everything that he approaches. It is obvious that he is not terribly adaptive when it comes to putting questions to this House. The RIA - that acronym stands for the Rottnest Island Authority - has approved capital works programs for 2004-05 of $6 million. That is the normal budgetary process. I congratulate the previous Government, because it used the same formula, which needs to be changed. I remind the member for Hillarys that a task force consisting of some of the most eminent businessmen - Mr R.F. Johnson: When will they report? You told us April. Mr R.C. KUCERA: It will report in good time. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: Unlike the member for Hillarys, we do not rush into these things; nor do we have a Treasurer who delivers five deficit budgets out of eight. We manage things with discipline and we, as a Government, manage things properly. There has been no reduction in the Rottnest Island budget. In fact, this year the Treasurer provided an additional $1.4 million to make sure that the promise of $14 million we made when we came to government is honoured, and it will be honoured. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, when the eminent people who formed that task force report in the next couple of weeks as promised, we will see for the first time a Government that really believes in the tourism icons of this State. Incidentally, in terms of the ridiculous comments made by the member for Hillarys last weekend regarding the tourism budget, I point out that the tourism portfolio’s basic budget over the last three budgets has progressively increased by over $3 million to almost $35 million this year. The member for Hillarys needs to ask some sensible questions during the estimates committee hearings. I remind the member that when the Ansett collapse occurred, this Government provided almost $5 million in emergency funding into a tourism budget. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
(1) Given that the Auditor General has stated that $50 million will be required to fix the problems on Rottnest, why has the island’s infrastructure and operational budget been cut by around 10 per cent? (2) Why has only $1.77 million in new funding been allocated to fix dilapidated holiday and tourism facilities on the island? (3) Is the minister aware that this token funding increase has come from the budget of the Western Australian Tourism Commission, which has already had its funding cut by around $4.3 million over the next four years? Mr R.C. KUCERA replied: (1)-(3) I repeat my invitation to the member for Hillarys to go to Rottnest at some time and have a real look at the island so that he knows what is going on. I was going to ask him where he spent his last holiday, or is he still going to Blackpool Pier? When is he going to go back to Rottnest? Once again the member for Hillarys demonstrates how narrow minded he is in everything that he approaches. It is obvious that he is not terribly adaptive when it comes to putting questions to this House. The RIA - that acronym stands for the Rottnest Island Authority - has approved capital works programs for 2004-05 of $6 million. That is the normal budgetary process. I congratulate the previous Government, because it used the same formula, which needs to be changed. I remind the member for Hillarys that a task force consisting of some of the most eminent businessmen - Mr R.F. Johnson: When will they report? You told us April. Mr R.C. KUCERA: It will report in good time. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: Unlike the member for Hillarys, we do not rush into these things; nor do we have a Treasurer who delivers five deficit budgets out of eight. We manage things with discipline and we, as a Government, manage things properly. There has been no reduction in the Rottnest Island budget. In fact, this year the Treasurer provided an additional $1.4 million to make sure that the promise of $14 million we made when we came to government is honoured, and it will be honoured. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, when the eminent people who formed that task force report in the next couple of weeks as promised, we will see for the first time a Government that really believes in the tourism icons of this State. Incidentally, in terms of the ridiculous comments made by the member for Hillarys last weekend regarding the tourism budget, I point out that the tourism portfolio’s basic budget over the last three budgets has progressively increased by over $3 million to almost $35 million this year. The member for Hillarys needs to ask some sensible questions during the estimates committee hearings. I remind the member that when the Ansett collapse occurred, this Government provided almost $5 million in emergency funding into a tourism budget. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
(2) Why has only $1.77 million in new funding been allocated to fix dilapidated holiday and tourism facilities on the island? (3) Is the minister aware that this token funding increase has come from the budget of the Western Australian Tourism Commission, which has already had its funding cut by around $4.3 million over the next four years? Mr R.C. KUCERA replied: (1)-(3) I repeat my invitation to the member for Hillarys to go to Rottnest at some time and have a real look at the island so that he knows what is going on. I was going to ask him where he spent his last holiday, or is he still going to Blackpool Pier? When is he going to go back to Rottnest? Once again the member for Hillarys demonstrates how narrow minded he is in everything that he approaches. It is obvious that he is not terribly adaptive when it comes to putting questions to this House. The RIA - that acronym stands for the Rottnest Island Authority - has approved capital works programs for 2004-05 of $6 million. That is the normal budgetary process. I congratulate the previous Government, because it used the same formula, which needs to be changed. I remind the member for Hillarys that a task force consisting of some of the most eminent businessmen - Mr R.F. Johnson: When will they report? You told us April. Mr R.C. KUCERA: It will report in good time. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: Unlike the member for Hillarys, we do not rush into these things; nor do we have a Treasurer who delivers five deficit budgets out of eight. We manage things with discipline and we, as a Government, manage things properly. There has been no reduction in the Rottnest Island budget. In fact, this year the Treasurer provided an additional $1.4 million to make sure that the promise of $14 million we made when we came to government is honoured, and it will be honoured. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, when the eminent people who formed that task force report in the next couple of weeks as promised, we will see for the first time a Government that really believes in the tourism icons of this State. Incidentally, in terms of the ridiculous comments made by the member for Hillarys last weekend regarding the tourism budget, I point out that the tourism portfolio’s basic budget over the last three budgets has progressively increased by over $3 million to almost $35 million this year. The member for Hillarys needs to ask some sensible questions during the estimates committee hearings. I remind the member that when the Ansett collapse occurred, this Government provided almost $5 million in emergency funding into a tourism budget. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
(3) Is the minister aware that this token funding increase has come from the budget of the Western Australian Tourism Commission, which has already had its funding cut by around $4.3 million over the next four years? Mr R.C. KUCERA replied: (1)-(3) I repeat my invitation to the member for Hillarys to go to Rottnest at some time and have a real look at the island so that he knows what is going on. I was going to ask him where he spent his last holiday, or is he still going to Blackpool Pier? When is he going to go back to Rottnest? Once again the member for Hillarys demonstrates how narrow minded he is in everything that he approaches. It is obvious that he is not terribly adaptive when it comes to putting questions to this House. The RIA - that acronym stands for the Rottnest Island Authority - has approved capital works programs for 2004-05 of $6 million. That is the normal budgetary process. I congratulate the previous Government, because it used the same formula, which needs to be changed. I remind the member for Hillarys that a task force consisting of some of the most eminent businessmen - Mr R.F. Johnson: When will they report? You told us April. Mr R.C. KUCERA: It will report in good time. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: Unlike the member for Hillarys, we do not rush into these things; nor do we have a Treasurer who delivers five deficit budgets out of eight. We manage things with discipline and we, as a Government, manage things properly. There has been no reduction in the Rottnest Island budget. In fact, this year the Treasurer provided an additional $1.4 million to make sure that the promise of $14 million we made when we came to government is honoured, and it will be honoured. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, when the eminent people who formed that task force report in the next couple of weeks as promised, we will see for the first time a Government that really believes in the tourism icons of this State. Incidentally, in terms of the ridiculous comments made by the member for Hillarys last weekend regarding the tourism budget, I point out that the tourism portfolio’s basic budget over the last three budgets has progressively increased by over $3 million to almost $35 million this year. The member for Hillarys needs to ask some sensible questions during the estimates committee hearings. I remind the member that when the Ansett collapse occurred, this Government provided almost $5 million in emergency funding into a tourism budget. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
Mr R.C. KUCERA replied: (1)-(3) I repeat my invitation to the member for Hillarys to go to Rottnest at some time and have a real look at the island so that he knows what is going on. I was going to ask him where he spent his last holiday, or is he still going to Blackpool Pier? When is he going to go back to Rottnest? Once again the member for Hillarys demonstrates how narrow minded he is in everything that he approaches. It is obvious that he is not terribly adaptive when it comes to putting questions to this House. The RIA - that acronym stands for the Rottnest Island Authority - has approved capital works programs for 2004-05 of $6 million. That is the normal budgetary process. I congratulate the previous Government, because it used the same formula, which needs to be changed. I remind the member for Hillarys that a task force consisting of some of the most eminent businessmen - Mr R.F. Johnson: When will they report? You told us April. Mr R.C. KUCERA: It will report in good time. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: Unlike the member for Hillarys, we do not rush into these things; nor do we have a Treasurer who delivers five deficit budgets out of eight. We manage things with discipline and we, as a Government, manage things properly. There has been no reduction in the Rottnest Island budget. In fact, this year the Treasurer provided an additional $1.4 million to make sure that the promise of $14 million we made when we came to government is honoured, and it will be honoured. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, when the eminent people who formed that task force report in the next couple of weeks as promised, we will see for the first time a Government that really believes in the tourism icons of this State. Incidentally, in terms of the ridiculous comments made by the member for Hillarys last weekend regarding the tourism budget, I point out that the tourism portfolio’s basic budget over the last three budgets has progressively increased by over $3 million to almost $35 million this year. The member for Hillarys needs to ask some sensible questions during the estimates committee hearings. I remind the member that when the Ansett collapse occurred, this Government provided almost $5 million in emergency funding into a tourism budget. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
(1)-(3) I repeat my invitation to the member for Hillarys to go to Rottnest at some time and have a real look at the island so that he knows what is going on. I was going to ask him where he spent his last holiday, or is he still going to Blackpool Pier? When is he going to go back to Rottnest? Once again the member for Hillarys demonstrates how narrow minded he is in everything that he approaches. It is obvious that he is not terribly adaptive when it comes to putting questions to this House. The RIA - that acronym stands for the Rottnest Island Authority - has approved capital works programs for 2004-05 of $6 million. That is the normal budgetary process. I congratulate the previous Government, because it used the same formula, which needs to be changed. I remind the member for Hillarys that a task force consisting of some of the most eminent businessmen - Mr R.F. Johnson: When will they report? You told us April. Mr R.C. KUCERA: It will report in good time. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: Unlike the member for Hillarys, we do not rush into these things; nor do we have a Treasurer who delivers five deficit budgets out of eight. We manage things with discipline and we, as a Government, manage things properly. There has been no reduction in the Rottnest Island budget. In fact, this year the Treasurer provided an additional $1.4 million to make sure that the promise of $14 million we made when we came to government is honoured, and it will be honoured. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, when the eminent people who formed that task force report in the next couple of weeks as promised, we will see for the first time a Government that really believes in the tourism icons of this State. Incidentally, in terms of the ridiculous comments made by the member for Hillarys last weekend regarding the tourism budget, I point out that the tourism portfolio’s basic budget over the last three budgets has progressively increased by over $3 million to almost $35 million this year. The member for Hillarys needs to ask some sensible questions during the estimates committee hearings. I remind the member that when the Ansett collapse occurred, this Government provided almost $5 million in emergency funding into a tourism budget. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
Mr R.F. Johnson: When will they report? You told us April. Mr R.C. KUCERA: It will report in good time. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: Unlike the member for Hillarys, we do not rush into these things; nor do we have a Treasurer who delivers five deficit budgets out of eight. We manage things with discipline and we, as a Government, manage things properly. There has been no reduction in the Rottnest Island budget. In fact, this year the Treasurer provided an additional $1.4 million to make sure that the promise of $14 million we made when we came to government is honoured, and it will be honoured. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, when the eminent people who formed that task force report in the next couple of weeks as promised, we will see for the first time a Government that really believes in the tourism icons of this State. Incidentally, in terms of the ridiculous comments made by the member for Hillarys last weekend regarding the tourism budget, I point out that the tourism portfolio’s basic budget over the last three budgets has progressively increased by over $3 million to almost $35 million this year. The member for Hillarys needs to ask some sensible questions during the estimates committee hearings. I remind the member that when the Ansett collapse occurred, this Government provided almost $5 million in emergency funding into a tourism budget. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
Mr R.C. KUCERA: It will report in good time. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: Unlike the member for Hillarys, we do not rush into these things; nor do we have a Treasurer who delivers five deficit budgets out of eight. We manage things with discipline and we, as a Government, manage things properly. There has been no reduction in the Rottnest Island budget. In fact, this year the Treasurer provided an additional $1.4 million to make sure that the promise of $14 million we made when we came to government is honoured, and it will be honoured. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, when the eminent people who formed that task force report in the next couple of weeks as promised, we will see for the first time a Government that really believes in the tourism icons of this State. Incidentally, in terms of the ridiculous comments made by the member for Hillarys last weekend regarding the tourism budget, I point out that the tourism portfolio’s basic budget over the last three budgets has progressively increased by over $3 million to almost $35 million this year. The member for Hillarys needs to ask some sensible questions during the estimates committee hearings. I remind the member that when the Ansett collapse occurred, this Government provided almost $5 million in emergency funding into a tourism budget. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: Unlike the member for Hillarys, we do not rush into these things; nor do we have a Treasurer who delivers five deficit budgets out of eight. We manage things with discipline and we, as a Government, manage things properly. There has been no reduction in the Rottnest Island budget. In fact, this year the Treasurer provided an additional $1.4 million to make sure that the promise of $14 million we made when we came to government is honoured, and it will be honoured. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, when the eminent people who formed that task force report in the next couple of weeks as promised, we will see for the first time a Government that really believes in the tourism icons of this State. Incidentally, in terms of the ridiculous comments made by the member for Hillarys last weekend regarding the tourism budget, I point out that the tourism portfolio’s basic budget over the last three budgets has progressively increased by over $3 million to almost $35 million this year. The member for Hillarys needs to ask some sensible questions during the estimates committee hearings. I remind the member that when the Ansett collapse occurred, this Government provided almost $5 million in emergency funding into a tourism budget. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: Unlike the member for Hillarys, we do not rush into these things; nor do we have a Treasurer who delivers five deficit budgets out of eight. We manage things with discipline and we, as a Government, manage things properly. There has been no reduction in the Rottnest Island budget. In fact, this year the Treasurer provided an additional $1.4 million to make sure that the promise of $14 million we made when we came to government is honoured, and it will be honoured. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, when the eminent people who formed that task force report in the next couple of weeks as promised, we will see for the first time a Government that really believes in the tourism icons of this State. Incidentally, in terms of the ridiculous comments made by the member for Hillarys last weekend regarding the tourism budget, I point out that the tourism portfolio’s basic budget over the last three budgets has progressively increased by over $3 million to almost $35 million this year. The member for Hillarys needs to ask some sensible questions during the estimates committee hearings. I remind the member that when the Ansett collapse occurred, this Government provided almost $5 million in emergency funding into a tourism budget. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
Mr R.C. KUCERA: Unlike the member for Hillarys, we do not rush into these things; nor do we have a Treasurer who delivers five deficit budgets out of eight. We manage things with discipline and we, as a Government, manage things properly. There has been no reduction in the Rottnest Island budget. In fact, this year the Treasurer provided an additional $1.4 million to make sure that the promise of $14 million we made when we came to government is honoured, and it will be honoured. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, when the eminent people who formed that task force report in the next couple of weeks as promised, we will see for the first time a Government that really believes in the tourism icons of this State. Incidentally, in terms of the ridiculous comments made by the member for Hillarys last weekend regarding the tourism budget, I point out that the tourism portfolio’s basic budget over the last three budgets has progressively increased by over $3 million to almost $35 million this year. The member for Hillarys needs to ask some sensible questions during the estimates committee hearings. I remind the member that when the Ansett collapse occurred, this Government provided almost $5 million in emergency funding into a tourism budget. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, when the eminent people who formed that task force report in the next couple of weeks as promised, we will see for the first time a Government that really believes in the tourism icons of this State. Incidentally, in terms of the ridiculous comments made by the member for Hillarys last weekend regarding the tourism budget, I point out that the tourism portfolio’s basic budget over the last three budgets has progressively increased by over $3 million to almost $35 million this year. The member for Hillarys needs to ask some sensible questions during the estimates committee hearings. I remind the member that when the Ansett collapse occurred, this Government provided almost $5 million in emergency funding into a tourism budget. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, when the eminent people who formed that task force report in the next couple of weeks as promised, we will see for the first time a Government that really believes in the tourism icons of this State. Incidentally, in terms of the ridiculous comments made by the member for Hillarys last weekend regarding the tourism budget, I point out that the tourism portfolio’s basic budget over the last three budgets has progressively increased by over $3 million to almost $35 million this year. The member for Hillarys needs to ask some sensible questions during the estimates committee hearings. I remind the member that when the Ansett collapse occurred, this Government provided almost $5 million in emergency funding into a tourism budget. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, when the eminent people who formed that task force report in the next couple of weeks as promised, we will see for the first time a Government that really believes in the tourism icons of this State. Incidentally, in terms of the ridiculous comments made by the member for Hillarys last weekend regarding the tourism budget, I point out that the tourism portfolio’s basic budget over the last three budgets has progressively increased by over $3 million to almost $35 million this year. The member for Hillarys needs to ask some sensible questions during the estimates committee hearings. I remind the member that when the Ansett collapse occurred, this Government provided almost $5 million in emergency funding into a tourism budget. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
(1) Given that the Auditor General has stated that $50 million will be required to fix the problems on Rottnest, why has the island’s infrastructure and operational budget been cut by around 10 per cent? (2) Why has only $1.77 million in new funding been allocated to fix dilapidated holiday and tourism facilities on the island? (3) Is the minister aware that this token funding increase has come from the budget of the Western Australian Tourism Commission, which has already had its funding cut by around $4.3 million over the next four years? Mr R.C. KUCERA replied: (1)-(3) I repeat my invitation to the member for Hillarys to go to Rottnest at some time and have a real look at the island so that he knows what is going on. I was going to ask him where he spent his last holiday, or is he still going to Blackpool Pier? When is he going to go back to Rottnest? Once again the member for Hillarys demonstrates how narrow minded he is in everything that he approaches. It is obvious that he is not terribly adaptive when it comes to putting questions to this House. The RIA - that acronym stands for the Rottnest Island Authority - has approved capital works programs for 2004-05 of $6 million. That is the normal budgetary process. I congratulate the previous Government, because it used the same formula, which needs to be changed. I remind the member for Hillarys that a task force consisting of some of the most eminent businessmen - Mr R.F. Johnson: When will they report? You told us April. Mr R.C. KUCERA: It will report in good time. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: Unlike the member for Hillarys, we do not rush into these things; nor do we have a Treasurer who delivers five deficit budgets out of eight. We manage things with discipline and we, as a Government, manage things properly. There has been no reduction in the Rottnest Island budget. In fact, this year the Treasurer provided an additional $1.4 million to make sure that the promise of $14 million we made when we came to government is honoured, and it will be honoured. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, when the eminent people who formed that task force report in the next couple of weeks as promised, we will see for the first time a Government that really believes in the tourism icons of this State. Incidentally, in terms of the ridiculous comments made by the member for Hillarys last weekend regarding the tourism budget, I point out that the tourism portfolio’s basic budget over the last three budgets has progressively increased by over $3 million to almost $35 million this year. The member for Hillarys needs to ask some sensible questions during the estimates committee hearings. I remind the member that when the Ansett collapse occurred, this Government provided almost $5 million in emergency funding into a tourism budget. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
(2) Why has only $1.77 million in new funding been allocated to fix dilapidated holiday and tourism facilities on the island? (3) Is the minister aware that this token funding increase has come from the budget of the Western Australian Tourism Commission, which has already had its funding cut by around $4.3 million over the next four years? Mr R.C. KUCERA replied: (1)-(3) I repeat my invitation to the member for Hillarys to go to Rottnest at some time and have a real look at the island so that he knows what is going on. I was going to ask him where he spent his last holiday, or is he still going to Blackpool Pier? When is he going to go back to Rottnest? Once again the member for Hillarys demonstrates how narrow minded he is in everything that he approaches. It is obvious that he is not terribly adaptive when it comes to putting questions to this House. The RIA - that acronym stands for the Rottnest Island Authority - has approved capital works programs for 2004-05 of $6 million. That is the normal budgetary process. I congratulate the previous Government, because it used the same formula, which needs to be changed. I remind the member for Hillarys that a task force consisting of some of the most eminent businessmen - Mr R.F. Johnson: When will they report? You told us April. Mr R.C. KUCERA: It will report in good time. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: Unlike the member for Hillarys, we do not rush into these things; nor do we have a Treasurer who delivers five deficit budgets out of eight. We manage things with discipline and we, as a Government, manage things properly. There has been no reduction in the Rottnest Island budget. In fact, this year the Treasurer provided an additional $1.4 million to make sure that the promise of $14 million we made when we came to government is honoured, and it will be honoured. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, when the eminent people who formed that task force report in the next couple of weeks as promised, we will see for the first time a Government that really believes in the tourism icons of this State. Incidentally, in terms of the ridiculous comments made by the member for Hillarys last weekend regarding the tourism budget, I point out that the tourism portfolio’s basic budget over the last three budgets has progressively increased by over $3 million to almost $35 million this year. The member for Hillarys needs to ask some sensible questions during the estimates committee hearings. I remind the member that when the Ansett collapse occurred, this Government provided almost $5 million in emergency funding into a tourism budget. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
(3) Is the minister aware that this token funding increase has come from the budget of the Western Australian Tourism Commission, which has already had its funding cut by around $4.3 million over the next four years? Mr R.C. KUCERA replied: (1)-(3) I repeat my invitation to the member for Hillarys to go to Rottnest at some time and have a real look at the island so that he knows what is going on. I was going to ask him where he spent his last holiday, or is he still going to Blackpool Pier? When is he going to go back to Rottnest? Once again the member for Hillarys demonstrates how narrow minded he is in everything that he approaches. It is obvious that he is not terribly adaptive when it comes to putting questions to this House. The RIA - that acronym stands for the Rottnest Island Authority - has approved capital works programs for 2004-05 of $6 million. That is the normal budgetary process. I congratulate the previous Government, because it used the same formula, which needs to be changed. I remind the member for Hillarys that a task force consisting of some of the most eminent businessmen - Mr R.F. Johnson: When will they report? You told us April. Mr R.C. KUCERA: It will report in good time. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: Unlike the member for Hillarys, we do not rush into these things; nor do we have a Treasurer who delivers five deficit budgets out of eight. We manage things with discipline and we, as a Government, manage things properly. There has been no reduction in the Rottnest Island budget. In fact, this year the Treasurer provided an additional $1.4 million to make sure that the promise of $14 million we made when we came to government is honoured, and it will be honoured. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, when the eminent people who formed that task force report in the next couple of weeks as promised, we will see for the first time a Government that really believes in the tourism icons of this State. Incidentally, in terms of the ridiculous comments made by the member for Hillarys last weekend regarding the tourism budget, I point out that the tourism portfolio’s basic budget over the last three budgets has progressively increased by over $3 million to almost $35 million this year. The member for Hillarys needs to ask some sensible questions during the estimates committee hearings. I remind the member that when the Ansett collapse occurred, this Government provided almost $5 million in emergency funding into a tourism budget. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
Mr R.C. KUCERA replied: (1)-(3) I repeat my invitation to the member for Hillarys to go to Rottnest at some time and have a real look at the island so that he knows what is going on. I was going to ask him where he spent his last holiday, or is he still going to Blackpool Pier? When is he going to go back to Rottnest? Once again the member for Hillarys demonstrates how narrow minded he is in everything that he approaches. It is obvious that he is not terribly adaptive when it comes to putting questions to this House. The RIA - that acronym stands for the Rottnest Island Authority - has approved capital works programs for 2004-05 of $6 million. That is the normal budgetary process. I congratulate the previous Government, because it used the same formula, which needs to be changed. I remind the member for Hillarys that a task force consisting of some of the most eminent businessmen - Mr R.F. Johnson: When will they report? You told us April. Mr R.C. KUCERA: It will report in good time. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: Unlike the member for Hillarys, we do not rush into these things; nor do we have a Treasurer who delivers five deficit budgets out of eight. We manage things with discipline and we, as a Government, manage things properly. There has been no reduction in the Rottnest Island budget. In fact, this year the Treasurer provided an additional $1.4 million to make sure that the promise of $14 million we made when we came to government is honoured, and it will be honoured. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, when the eminent people who formed that task force report in the next couple of weeks as promised, we will see for the first time a Government that really believes in the tourism icons of this State. Incidentally, in terms of the ridiculous comments made by the member for Hillarys last weekend regarding the tourism budget, I point out that the tourism portfolio’s basic budget over the last three budgets has progressively increased by over $3 million to almost $35 million this year. The member for Hillarys needs to ask some sensible questions during the estimates committee hearings. I remind the member that when the Ansett collapse occurred, this Government provided almost $5 million in emergency funding into a tourism budget. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
(1)-(3) I repeat my invitation to the member for Hillarys to go to Rottnest at some time and have a real look at the island so that he knows what is going on. I was going to ask him where he spent his last holiday, or is he still going to Blackpool Pier? When is he going to go back to Rottnest? Once again the member for Hillarys demonstrates how narrow minded he is in everything that he approaches. It is obvious that he is not terribly adaptive when it comes to putting questions to this House. The RIA - that acronym stands for the Rottnest Island Authority - has approved capital works programs for 2004-05 of $6 million. That is the normal budgetary process. I congratulate the previous Government, because it used the same formula, which needs to be changed. I remind the member for Hillarys that a task force consisting of some of the most eminent businessmen - Mr R.F. Johnson: When will they report? You told us April. Mr R.C. KUCERA: It will report in good time. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: Unlike the member for Hillarys, we do not rush into these things; nor do we have a Treasurer who delivers five deficit budgets out of eight. We manage things with discipline and we, as a Government, manage things properly. There has been no reduction in the Rottnest Island budget. In fact, this year the Treasurer provided an additional $1.4 million to make sure that the promise of $14 million we made when we came to government is honoured, and it will be honoured. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, when the eminent people who formed that task force report in the next couple of weeks as promised, we will see for the first time a Government that really believes in the tourism icons of this State. Incidentally, in terms of the ridiculous comments made by the member for Hillarys last weekend regarding the tourism budget, I point out that the tourism portfolio’s basic budget over the last three budgets has progressively increased by over $3 million to almost $35 million this year. The member for Hillarys needs to ask some sensible questions during the estimates committee hearings. I remind the member that when the Ansett collapse occurred, this Government provided almost $5 million in emergency funding into a tourism budget. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
Mr R.F. Johnson: When will they report? You told us April. Mr R.C. KUCERA: It will report in good time. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: Unlike the member for Hillarys, we do not rush into these things; nor do we have a Treasurer who delivers five deficit budgets out of eight. We manage things with discipline and we, as a Government, manage things properly. There has been no reduction in the Rottnest Island budget. In fact, this year the Treasurer provided an additional $1.4 million to make sure that the promise of $14 million we made when we came to government is honoured, and it will be honoured. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, when the eminent people who formed that task force report in the next couple of weeks as promised, we will see for the first time a Government that really believes in the tourism icons of this State. Incidentally, in terms of the ridiculous comments made by the member for Hillarys last weekend regarding the tourism budget, I point out that the tourism portfolio’s basic budget over the last three budgets has progressively increased by over $3 million to almost $35 million this year. The member for Hillarys needs to ask some sensible questions during the estimates committee hearings. I remind the member that when the Ansett collapse occurred, this Government provided almost $5 million in emergency funding into a tourism budget. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
Mr R.C. KUCERA: It will report in good time. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: Unlike the member for Hillarys, we do not rush into these things; nor do we have a Treasurer who delivers five deficit budgets out of eight. We manage things with discipline and we, as a Government, manage things properly. There has been no reduction in the Rottnest Island budget. In fact, this year the Treasurer provided an additional $1.4 million to make sure that the promise of $14 million we made when we came to government is honoured, and it will be honoured. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, when the eminent people who formed that task force report in the next couple of weeks as promised, we will see for the first time a Government that really believes in the tourism icons of this State. Incidentally, in terms of the ridiculous comments made by the member for Hillarys last weekend regarding the tourism budget, I point out that the tourism portfolio’s basic budget over the last three budgets has progressively increased by over $3 million to almost $35 million this year. The member for Hillarys needs to ask some sensible questions during the estimates committee hearings. I remind the member that when the Ansett collapse occurred, this Government provided almost $5 million in emergency funding into a tourism budget. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: Unlike the member for Hillarys, we do not rush into these things; nor do we have a Treasurer who delivers five deficit budgets out of eight. We manage things with discipline and we, as a Government, manage things properly. There has been no reduction in the Rottnest Island budget. In fact, this year the Treasurer provided an additional $1.4 million to make sure that the promise of $14 million we made when we came to government is honoured, and it will be honoured. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, when the eminent people who formed that task force report in the next couple of weeks as promised, we will see for the first time a Government that really believes in the tourism icons of this State. Incidentally, in terms of the ridiculous comments made by the member for Hillarys last weekend regarding the tourism budget, I point out that the tourism portfolio’s basic budget over the last three budgets has progressively increased by over $3 million to almost $35 million this year. The member for Hillarys needs to ask some sensible questions during the estimates committee hearings. I remind the member that when the Ansett collapse occurred, this Government provided almost $5 million in emergency funding into a tourism budget. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: Unlike the member for Hillarys, we do not rush into these things; nor do we have a Treasurer who delivers five deficit budgets out of eight. We manage things with discipline and we, as a Government, manage things properly. There has been no reduction in the Rottnest Island budget. In fact, this year the Treasurer provided an additional $1.4 million to make sure that the promise of $14 million we made when we came to government is honoured, and it will be honoured. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, when the eminent people who formed that task force report in the next couple of weeks as promised, we will see for the first time a Government that really believes in the tourism icons of this State. Incidentally, in terms of the ridiculous comments made by the member for Hillarys last weekend regarding the tourism budget, I point out that the tourism portfolio’s basic budget over the last three budgets has progressively increased by over $3 million to almost $35 million this year. The member for Hillarys needs to ask some sensible questions during the estimates committee hearings. I remind the member that when the Ansett collapse occurred, this Government provided almost $5 million in emergency funding into a tourism budget. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
Mr R.C. KUCERA: Unlike the member for Hillarys, we do not rush into these things; nor do we have a Treasurer who delivers five deficit budgets out of eight. We manage things with discipline and we, as a Government, manage things properly. There has been no reduction in the Rottnest Island budget. In fact, this year the Treasurer provided an additional $1.4 million to make sure that the promise of $14 million we made when we came to government is honoured, and it will be honoured. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, when the eminent people who formed that task force report in the next couple of weeks as promised, we will see for the first time a Government that really believes in the tourism icons of this State. Incidentally, in terms of the ridiculous comments made by the member for Hillarys last weekend regarding the tourism budget, I point out that the tourism portfolio’s basic budget over the last three budgets has progressively increased by over $3 million to almost $35 million this year. The member for Hillarys needs to ask some sensible questions during the estimates committee hearings. I remind the member that when the Ansett collapse occurred, this Government provided almost $5 million in emergency funding into a tourism budget. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, when the eminent people who formed that task force report in the next couple of weeks as promised, we will see for the first time a Government that really believes in the tourism icons of this State. Incidentally, in terms of the ridiculous comments made by the member for Hillarys last weekend regarding the tourism budget, I point out that the tourism portfolio’s basic budget over the last three budgets has progressively increased by over $3 million to almost $35 million this year. The member for Hillarys needs to ask some sensible questions during the estimates committee hearings. I remind the member that when the Ansett collapse occurred, this Government provided almost $5 million in emergency funding into a tourism budget. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, when the eminent people who formed that task force report in the next couple of weeks as promised, we will see for the first time a Government that really believes in the tourism icons of this State. Incidentally, in terms of the ridiculous comments made by the member for Hillarys last weekend regarding the tourism budget, I point out that the tourism portfolio’s basic budget over the last three budgets has progressively increased by over $3 million to almost $35 million this year. The member for Hillarys needs to ask some sensible questions during the estimates committee hearings. I remind the member that when the Ansett collapse occurred, this Government provided almost $5 million in emergency funding into a tourism budget. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, when the eminent people who formed that task force report in the next couple of weeks as promised, we will see for the first time a Government that really believes in the tourism icons of this State. Incidentally, in terms of the ridiculous comments made by the member for Hillarys last weekend regarding the tourism budget, I point out that the tourism portfolio’s basic budget over the last three budgets has progressively increased by over $3 million to almost $35 million this year. The member for Hillarys needs to ask some sensible questions during the estimates committee hearings. I remind the member that when the Ansett collapse occurred, this Government provided almost $5 million in emergency funding into a tourism budget. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
The SPEAKER: Order, members! Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
Mr R.C. KUCERA: In addition, a further $1 million was provided last year in emergency funding to cope with the severe acute respiratory syndrome - SARS - crisis. If the member for Hillarys seriously suggests, as he was reported in the newspaper on the weekend as stating, that every time contingency funding is made by a Government in this State, it is then added to the baseline of a budget, it is little wonder that members opposite delivered five deficit budgets.
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