❓ Mr. Buswell questions Premier Carpenter on exceeding state budget spending targets, citing a discrepancy between stated intentions and actual expense increases. The Premier defends the increased spending as necessary for infrastructure and services due to economic growth.
AnsweredQoN 258Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STATE BUDGET - PREMIER’S COMMENTS
I refer to comments reported on Channel 9 on Friday, 12 May, regarding the state budget wherein the Premier said, “There’s absolutely no intention of us exceeding our spending targets, none.” The Premier’s own budget papers state that the government’s spending target is to ensure that expenses for the general government sector do not grow at a rate greater than inflation plus population growth. (1) Given that population growth plus inflation is likely to be around 4.5 per cent this year, how does the Premier reconcile his comment with the fact that his budget papers show an increase in general government expenses of 7.73 per cent? (2) Can the Premier confirm that this will be the sixth successive year that the government has been unable to meet its expenditure targets? Mr A.J. CARPENTER
I refer to comments reported on Channel 9 on Friday, 12 May, regarding the state budget wherein the Premier said, “There’s absolutely no intention of us exceeding our spending targets, none.” The Premier’s own budget papers state that the government’s spending target is to ensure that expenses for the general government sector do not grow at a rate greater than inflation plus population growth. (1) Given that population growth plus inflation is likely to be around 4.5 per cent this year, how does the Premier reconcile his comment with the fact that his budget papers show an increase in general government expenses of 7.73 per cent? (2) Can the Premier confirm that this will be the sixth successive year that the government has been unable to meet its expenditure targets? Mr A.J. CARPENTER
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) I said that we do not intend to exceed our spending targets, and, of course, we do not. It is true that we have set spending targets in previous years that we have exceeded. I tell the member what: take that argument into the community and say, “The government has done something wrong because it’s exceeded its spending targets, and, by the way, the economy is booming because of it. It is terrible it has done that because the economy has grown and is growing so much that it has had to spend more money to provide more infrastructure, teachers and schools. It has had to do all that because the policies that the government has put in place and followed have encouraged economic growth in this state.” Of course they have. To keep that economic growth going and to match the requirements that go with that economic growth, we have spent more on infrastructure. We have made a virtue of the fact that we have spent more on infrastructure. We have spent more on the provision of services. The Treasurer gave a very eloquent address at the business breakfast on Friday, explaining just that. Can members imagine the scenario in which people read in the newspaper and see on the television that the state is enjoying record surpluses and is refusing to meet unmet demand in areas such as disability services and community development, whereby children are suffering sexual abuse and there is a demand for more caseworkers? In schools we are introducing new policies, and in hospitals we are employing new nurses. Members can take the argument, if they like - Mr R.F. Johnson : New nurses, not more. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : New nurses - additional nurses, additional teachers and additional classroom workers, of course. We have performed very well. Even I am getting tired of reminding everybody of the coalition’s appalling record in government, but I am prepared to do it again, if opposition members want me to. How many deficits were there out of eight years? There were five deficits out of eight years. What was the economy doing when we took over? Where was it heading? It was heading south. The coalition had an appalling track record, which we have turned around, and we will continue to provide the infrastructure and services that a growing state needs to ensure that what we do in Western Australia continues to provide benefits for the entire national economy, so that the federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, can provide tax cuts to the nation, which he would not be able to do if it were not for the performance of the Western Australian economy.
(1) Given that population growth plus inflation is likely to be around 4.5 per cent this year, how does the Premier reconcile his comment with the fact that his budget papers show an increase in general government expenses of 7.73 per cent? (2) Can the Premier confirm that this will be the sixth successive year that the government has been unable to meet its expenditure targets? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(2) I said that we do not intend to exceed our spending targets, and, of course, we do not. It is true that we have set spending targets in previous years that we have exceeded. I tell the member what: take that argument into the community and say, “The government has done something wrong because it’s exceeded its spending targets, and, by the way, the economy is booming because of it. It is terrible it has done that because the economy has grown and is growing so much that it has had to spend more money to provide more infrastructure, teachers and schools. It has had to do all that because the policies that the government has put in place and followed have encouraged economic growth in this state.” Of course they have. To keep that economic growth going and to match the requirements that go with that economic growth, we have spent more on infrastructure. We have made a virtue of the fact that we have spent more on infrastructure. We have spent more on the provision of services. The Treasurer gave a very eloquent address at the business breakfast on Friday, explaining just that. Can members imagine the scenario in which people read in the newspaper and see on the television that the state is enjoying record surpluses and is refusing to meet unmet demand in areas such as disability services and community development, whereby children are suffering sexual abuse and there is a demand for more caseworkers? In schools we are introducing new policies, and in hospitals we are employing new nurses. Members can take the argument, if they like - Mr R.F. Johnson : New nurses, not more. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : New nurses - additional nurses, additional teachers and additional classroom workers, of course. We have performed very well. Even I am getting tired of reminding everybody of the coalition’s appalling record in government, but I am prepared to do it again, if opposition members want me to. How many deficits were there out of eight years? There were five deficits out of eight years. What was the economy doing when we took over? Where was it heading? It was heading south. The coalition had an appalling track record, which we have turned around, and we will continue to provide the infrastructure and services that a growing state needs to ensure that what we do in Western Australia continues to provide benefits for the entire national economy, so that the federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, can provide tax cuts to the nation, which he would not be able to do if it were not for the performance of the Western Australian economy.
(2) Can the Premier confirm that this will be the sixth successive year that the government has been unable to meet its expenditure targets? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(2) I said that we do not intend to exceed our spending targets, and, of course, we do not. It is true that we have set spending targets in previous years that we have exceeded. I tell the member what: take that argument into the community and say, “The government has done something wrong because it’s exceeded its spending targets, and, by the way, the economy is booming because of it. It is terrible it has done that because the economy has grown and is growing so much that it has had to spend more money to provide more infrastructure, teachers and schools. It has had to do all that because the policies that the government has put in place and followed have encouraged economic growth in this state.” Of course they have. To keep that economic growth going and to match the requirements that go with that economic growth, we have spent more on infrastructure. We have made a virtue of the fact that we have spent more on infrastructure. We have spent more on the provision of services. The Treasurer gave a very eloquent address at the business breakfast on Friday, explaining just that. Can members imagine the scenario in which people read in the newspaper and see on the television that the state is enjoying record surpluses and is refusing to meet unmet demand in areas such as disability services and community development, whereby children are suffering sexual abuse and there is a demand for more caseworkers? In schools we are introducing new policies, and in hospitals we are employing new nurses. Members can take the argument, if they like - Mr R.F. Johnson : New nurses, not more. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : New nurses - additional nurses, additional teachers and additional classroom workers, of course. We have performed very well. Even I am getting tired of reminding everybody of the coalition’s appalling record in government, but I am prepared to do it again, if opposition members want me to. How many deficits were there out of eight years? There were five deficits out of eight years. What was the economy doing when we took over? Where was it heading? It was heading south. The coalition had an appalling track record, which we have turned around, and we will continue to provide the infrastructure and services that a growing state needs to ensure that what we do in Western Australia continues to provide benefits for the entire national economy, so that the federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, can provide tax cuts to the nation, which he would not be able to do if it were not for the performance of the Western Australian economy.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(2) I said that we do not intend to exceed our spending targets, and, of course, we do not. It is true that we have set spending targets in previous years that we have exceeded. I tell the member what: take that argument into the community and say, “The government has done something wrong because it’s exceeded its spending targets, and, by the way, the economy is booming because of it. It is terrible it has done that because the economy has grown and is growing so much that it has had to spend more money to provide more infrastructure, teachers and schools. It has had to do all that because the policies that the government has put in place and followed have encouraged economic growth in this state.” Of course they have. To keep that economic growth going and to match the requirements that go with that economic growth, we have spent more on infrastructure. We have made a virtue of the fact that we have spent more on infrastructure. We have spent more on the provision of services. The Treasurer gave a very eloquent address at the business breakfast on Friday, explaining just that. Can members imagine the scenario in which people read in the newspaper and see on the television that the state is enjoying record surpluses and is refusing to meet unmet demand in areas such as disability services and community development, whereby children are suffering sexual abuse and there is a demand for more caseworkers? In schools we are introducing new policies, and in hospitals we are employing new nurses. Members can take the argument, if they like - Mr R.F. Johnson : New nurses, not more. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : New nurses - additional nurses, additional teachers and additional classroom workers, of course. We have performed very well. Even I am getting tired of reminding everybody of the coalition’s appalling record in government, but I am prepared to do it again, if opposition members want me to. How many deficits were there out of eight years? There were five deficits out of eight years. What was the economy doing when we took over? Where was it heading? It was heading south. The coalition had an appalling track record, which we have turned around, and we will continue to provide the infrastructure and services that a growing state needs to ensure that what we do in Western Australia continues to provide benefits for the entire national economy, so that the federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, can provide tax cuts to the nation, which he would not be able to do if it were not for the performance of the Western Australian economy.
(1)-(2) I said that we do not intend to exceed our spending targets, and, of course, we do not. It is true that we have set spending targets in previous years that we have exceeded. I tell the member what: take that argument into the community and say, “The government has done something wrong because it’s exceeded its spending targets, and, by the way, the economy is booming because of it. It is terrible it has done that because the economy has grown and is growing so much that it has had to spend more money to provide more infrastructure, teachers and schools. It has had to do all that because the policies that the government has put in place and followed have encouraged economic growth in this state.” Of course they have. To keep that economic growth going and to match the requirements that go with that economic growth, we have spent more on infrastructure. We have made a virtue of the fact that we have spent more on infrastructure. We have spent more on the provision of services. The Treasurer gave a very eloquent address at the business breakfast on Friday, explaining just that. Can members imagine the scenario in which people read in the newspaper and see on the television that the state is enjoying record surpluses and is refusing to meet unmet demand in areas such as disability services and community development, whereby children are suffering sexual abuse and there is a demand for more caseworkers? In schools we are introducing new policies, and in hospitals we are employing new nurses. Members can take the argument, if they like - Mr R.F. Johnson : New nurses, not more. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : New nurses - additional nurses, additional teachers and additional classroom workers, of course. We have performed very well. Even I am getting tired of reminding everybody of the coalition’s appalling record in government, but I am prepared to do it again, if opposition members want me to. How many deficits were there out of eight years? There were five deficits out of eight years. What was the economy doing when we took over? Where was it heading? It was heading south. The coalition had an appalling track record, which we have turned around, and we will continue to provide the infrastructure and services that a growing state needs to ensure that what we do in Western Australia continues to provide benefits for the entire national economy, so that the federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, can provide tax cuts to the nation, which he would not be able to do if it were not for the performance of the Western Australian economy.
Mr R.F. Johnson : New nurses, not more. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : New nurses - additional nurses, additional teachers and additional classroom workers, of course. We have performed very well. Even I am getting tired of reminding everybody of the coalition’s appalling record in government, but I am prepared to do it again, if opposition members want me to. How many deficits were there out of eight years? There were five deficits out of eight years. What was the economy doing when we took over? Where was it heading? It was heading south. The coalition had an appalling track record, which we have turned around, and we will continue to provide the infrastructure and services that a growing state needs to ensure that what we do in Western Australia continues to provide benefits for the entire national economy, so that the federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, can provide tax cuts to the nation, which he would not be able to do if it were not for the performance of the Western Australian economy.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : New nurses - additional nurses, additional teachers and additional classroom workers, of course. We have performed very well. Even I am getting tired of reminding everybody of the coalition’s appalling record in government, but I am prepared to do it again, if opposition members want me to. How many deficits were there out of eight years? There were five deficits out of eight years. What was the economy doing when we took over? Where was it heading? It was heading south. The coalition had an appalling track record, which we have turned around, and we will continue to provide the infrastructure and services that a growing state needs to ensure that what we do in Western Australia continues to provide benefits for the entire national economy, so that the federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, can provide tax cuts to the nation, which he would not be able to do if it were not for the performance of the Western Australian economy.
(1) Given that population growth plus inflation is likely to be around 4.5 per cent this year, how does the Premier reconcile his comment with the fact that his budget papers show an increase in general government expenses of 7.73 per cent? (2) Can the Premier confirm that this will be the sixth successive year that the government has been unable to meet its expenditure targets? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(2) I said that we do not intend to exceed our spending targets, and, of course, we do not. It is true that we have set spending targets in previous years that we have exceeded. I tell the member what: take that argument into the community and say, “The government has done something wrong because it’s exceeded its spending targets, and, by the way, the economy is booming because of it. It is terrible it has done that because the economy has grown and is growing so much that it has had to spend more money to provide more infrastructure, teachers and schools. It has had to do all that because the policies that the government has put in place and followed have encouraged economic growth in this state.” Of course they have. To keep that economic growth going and to match the requirements that go with that economic growth, we have spent more on infrastructure. We have made a virtue of the fact that we have spent more on infrastructure. We have spent more on the provision of services. The Treasurer gave a very eloquent address at the business breakfast on Friday, explaining just that. Can members imagine the scenario in which people read in the newspaper and see on the television that the state is enjoying record surpluses and is refusing to meet unmet demand in areas such as disability services and community development, whereby children are suffering sexual abuse and there is a demand for more caseworkers? In schools we are introducing new policies, and in hospitals we are employing new nurses. Members can take the argument, if they like - Mr R.F. Johnson : New nurses, not more. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : New nurses - additional nurses, additional teachers and additional classroom workers, of course. We have performed very well. Even I am getting tired of reminding everybody of the coalition’s appalling record in government, but I am prepared to do it again, if opposition members want me to. How many deficits were there out of eight years? There were five deficits out of eight years. What was the economy doing when we took over? Where was it heading? It was heading south. The coalition had an appalling track record, which we have turned around, and we will continue to provide the infrastructure and services that a growing state needs to ensure that what we do in Western Australia continues to provide benefits for the entire national economy, so that the federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, can provide tax cuts to the nation, which he would not be able to do if it were not for the performance of the Western Australian economy.
(2) Can the Premier confirm that this will be the sixth successive year that the government has been unable to meet its expenditure targets? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(2) I said that we do not intend to exceed our spending targets, and, of course, we do not. It is true that we have set spending targets in previous years that we have exceeded. I tell the member what: take that argument into the community and say, “The government has done something wrong because it’s exceeded its spending targets, and, by the way, the economy is booming because of it. It is terrible it has done that because the economy has grown and is growing so much that it has had to spend more money to provide more infrastructure, teachers and schools. It has had to do all that because the policies that the government has put in place and followed have encouraged economic growth in this state.” Of course they have. To keep that economic growth going and to match the requirements that go with that economic growth, we have spent more on infrastructure. We have made a virtue of the fact that we have spent more on infrastructure. We have spent more on the provision of services. The Treasurer gave a very eloquent address at the business breakfast on Friday, explaining just that. Can members imagine the scenario in which people read in the newspaper and see on the television that the state is enjoying record surpluses and is refusing to meet unmet demand in areas such as disability services and community development, whereby children are suffering sexual abuse and there is a demand for more caseworkers? In schools we are introducing new policies, and in hospitals we are employing new nurses. Members can take the argument, if they like - Mr R.F. Johnson : New nurses, not more. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : New nurses - additional nurses, additional teachers and additional classroom workers, of course. We have performed very well. Even I am getting tired of reminding everybody of the coalition’s appalling record in government, but I am prepared to do it again, if opposition members want me to. How many deficits were there out of eight years? There were five deficits out of eight years. What was the economy doing when we took over? Where was it heading? It was heading south. The coalition had an appalling track record, which we have turned around, and we will continue to provide the infrastructure and services that a growing state needs to ensure that what we do in Western Australia continues to provide benefits for the entire national economy, so that the federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, can provide tax cuts to the nation, which he would not be able to do if it were not for the performance of the Western Australian economy.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: (1)-(2) I said that we do not intend to exceed our spending targets, and, of course, we do not. It is true that we have set spending targets in previous years that we have exceeded. I tell the member what: take that argument into the community and say, “The government has done something wrong because it’s exceeded its spending targets, and, by the way, the economy is booming because of it. It is terrible it has done that because the economy has grown and is growing so much that it has had to spend more money to provide more infrastructure, teachers and schools. It has had to do all that because the policies that the government has put in place and followed have encouraged economic growth in this state.” Of course they have. To keep that economic growth going and to match the requirements that go with that economic growth, we have spent more on infrastructure. We have made a virtue of the fact that we have spent more on infrastructure. We have spent more on the provision of services. The Treasurer gave a very eloquent address at the business breakfast on Friday, explaining just that. Can members imagine the scenario in which people read in the newspaper and see on the television that the state is enjoying record surpluses and is refusing to meet unmet demand in areas such as disability services and community development, whereby children are suffering sexual abuse and there is a demand for more caseworkers? In schools we are introducing new policies, and in hospitals we are employing new nurses. Members can take the argument, if they like - Mr R.F. Johnson : New nurses, not more. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : New nurses - additional nurses, additional teachers and additional classroom workers, of course. We have performed very well. Even I am getting tired of reminding everybody of the coalition’s appalling record in government, but I am prepared to do it again, if opposition members want me to. How many deficits were there out of eight years? There were five deficits out of eight years. What was the economy doing when we took over? Where was it heading? It was heading south. The coalition had an appalling track record, which we have turned around, and we will continue to provide the infrastructure and services that a growing state needs to ensure that what we do in Western Australia continues to provide benefits for the entire national economy, so that the federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, can provide tax cuts to the nation, which he would not be able to do if it were not for the performance of the Western Australian economy.
(1)-(2) I said that we do not intend to exceed our spending targets, and, of course, we do not. It is true that we have set spending targets in previous years that we have exceeded. I tell the member what: take that argument into the community and say, “The government has done something wrong because it’s exceeded its spending targets, and, by the way, the economy is booming because of it. It is terrible it has done that because the economy has grown and is growing so much that it has had to spend more money to provide more infrastructure, teachers and schools. It has had to do all that because the policies that the government has put in place and followed have encouraged economic growth in this state.” Of course they have. To keep that economic growth going and to match the requirements that go with that economic growth, we have spent more on infrastructure. We have made a virtue of the fact that we have spent more on infrastructure. We have spent more on the provision of services. The Treasurer gave a very eloquent address at the business breakfast on Friday, explaining just that. Can members imagine the scenario in which people read in the newspaper and see on the television that the state is enjoying record surpluses and is refusing to meet unmet demand in areas such as disability services and community development, whereby children are suffering sexual abuse and there is a demand for more caseworkers? In schools we are introducing new policies, and in hospitals we are employing new nurses. Members can take the argument, if they like - Mr R.F. Johnson : New nurses, not more. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : New nurses - additional nurses, additional teachers and additional classroom workers, of course. We have performed very well. Even I am getting tired of reminding everybody of the coalition’s appalling record in government, but I am prepared to do it again, if opposition members want me to. How many deficits were there out of eight years? There were five deficits out of eight years. What was the economy doing when we took over? Where was it heading? It was heading south. The coalition had an appalling track record, which we have turned around, and we will continue to provide the infrastructure and services that a growing state needs to ensure that what we do in Western Australia continues to provide benefits for the entire national economy, so that the federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, can provide tax cuts to the nation, which he would not be able to do if it were not for the performance of the Western Australian economy.
Mr R.F. Johnson : New nurses, not more. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : New nurses - additional nurses, additional teachers and additional classroom workers, of course. We have performed very well. Even I am getting tired of reminding everybody of the coalition’s appalling record in government, but I am prepared to do it again, if opposition members want me to. How many deficits were there out of eight years? There were five deficits out of eight years. What was the economy doing when we took over? Where was it heading? It was heading south. The coalition had an appalling track record, which we have turned around, and we will continue to provide the infrastructure and services that a growing state needs to ensure that what we do in Western Australia continues to provide benefits for the entire national economy, so that the federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, can provide tax cuts to the nation, which he would not be able to do if it were not for the performance of the Western Australian economy.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : New nurses - additional nurses, additional teachers and additional classroom workers, of course. We have performed very well. Even I am getting tired of reminding everybody of the coalition’s appalling record in government, but I am prepared to do it again, if opposition members want me to. How many deficits were there out of eight years? There were five deficits out of eight years. What was the economy doing when we took over? Where was it heading? It was heading south. The coalition had an appalling track record, which we have turned around, and we will continue to provide the infrastructure and services that a growing state needs to ensure that what we do in Western Australia continues to provide benefits for the entire national economy, so that the federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, can provide tax cuts to the nation, which he would not be able to do if it were not for the performance of the Western Australian economy.
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