❓ Opposition MP Mettam questions potential health budget cuts and their impact on lives. The Premier dismisses the question as appalling, defends the government's health funding approach during COVID-19, and justifies the decision not to bid for the Commonwealth Games due to financial uncertainties.
AnsweredQoN 598Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
HEALTH — 2021–22 STATE BUDGET
598. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I
have a supplementary question. With budget cuts to the operational health
budget next year, how many more lives will the Premier allow to be lost
in our health system so that he can continue to crow about his financial
credentials?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, members!
598. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I
have a supplementary question. With budget cuts to the operational health
budget next year, how many more lives will the Premier allow to be lost
in our health system so that he can continue to crow about his financial
credentials?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, members!
AnswerView source ↗
That
is an appalling question and it is beneath the member for Vasse to ask it. I do
not know who writes the questions for the Liberals and Nationals WA, but
whoever does writes appalling questions.
In
terms of the operational budget, we fund for the COVID pandemic, basically, on
a yearly basis because we do not know what is going to happen with COVID
in future years. If we need to continue to fund our support for COVID
initiatives in future years, we will, but we do not know where we will be at
that point in time. This is just sensible budgeting when it comes to dealing
with COVID.
We have an outstanding
public health system and it is one of the best in the entire world. It is one
of the things that makes Western Australia a great place. It deals with
millions of presentations per year of people in need in some of the most remote locations using some of the
most outstanding staff—nurses, doctors, support and ancillary staff —of
anywhere in the entire world.
The
member started the question by referring to the Commonwealth Games, which was
an odd segue, and what we have done
with the Commonwealth Games. We considered very carefully whether to bid for
the Commonwealth Games . The
problem with bidding for the Commonwealth Games is the cost can be great. It
can be in the billions of dollars and it is difficult to nail down the exact
costs. It would be a very nice thing to do, and a very nice thing to have, and
I considered it, as indeed did cabinet ministers, quite a lot. But we are in a world
that is very uncertain. We do not know what is around the corner with COVID,
and we do not know what is around the corner with, frankly, Australia's
relationships with our major trading partners. All those things out there are
risks to Western Australia, and we need to focus on the main game, which is
properly funding and supporting our health system, particularly in a COVID
environment, dealing with COVID, making sure we keep our budget in surplus,
making sure we keep our strong credit rating and continuing to create jobs. If
we were to bid for the Commonwealth Games, obviously, we would have expected a major
contribution by local government, and that would have been in the tune of $100 million
to $200 million. I have seen no indication from the City of Perth that it would
have been prepared to provide that amount of money towards this event. If it
would have, it should say so. But it is a very, very expensive exercise, and I think being careful and very
sensible in the world that we are currently in is the right, safe and correct course at this point in time.
is an appalling question and it is beneath the member for Vasse to ask it. I do
not know who writes the questions for the Liberals and Nationals WA, but
whoever does writes appalling questions.
In
terms of the operational budget, we fund for the COVID pandemic, basically, on
a yearly basis because we do not know what is going to happen with COVID
in future years. If we need to continue to fund our support for COVID
initiatives in future years, we will, but we do not know where we will be at
that point in time. This is just sensible budgeting when it comes to dealing
with COVID.
We have an outstanding
public health system and it is one of the best in the entire world. It is one
of the things that makes Western Australia a great place. It deals with
millions of presentations per year of people in need in some of the most remote locations using some of the
most outstanding staff—nurses, doctors, support and ancillary staff —of
anywhere in the entire world.
The
member started the question by referring to the Commonwealth Games, which was
an odd segue, and what we have done
with the Commonwealth Games. We considered very carefully whether to bid for
the Commonwealth Games . The
problem with bidding for the Commonwealth Games is the cost can be great. It
can be in the billions of dollars and it is difficult to nail down the exact
costs. It would be a very nice thing to do, and a very nice thing to have, and
I considered it, as indeed did cabinet ministers, quite a lot. But we are in a world
that is very uncertain. We do not know what is around the corner with COVID,
and we do not know what is around the corner with, frankly, Australia's
relationships with our major trading partners. All those things out there are
risks to Western Australia, and we need to focus on the main game, which is
properly funding and supporting our health system, particularly in a COVID
environment, dealing with COVID, making sure we keep our budget in surplus,
making sure we keep our strong credit rating and continuing to create jobs. If
we were to bid for the Commonwealth Games, obviously, we would have expected a major
contribution by local government, and that would have been in the tune of $100 million
to $200 million. I have seen no indication from the City of Perth that it would
have been prepared to provide that amount of money towards this event. If it
would have, it should say so. But it is a very, very expensive exercise, and I think being careful and very
sensible in the world that we are currently in is the right, safe and correct course at this point in time.
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