❓ Opposition Leader McGowan questions Treasurer Nahan on the government's plan to sell Western Power and the lack of a 'plan B'. The Treasurer defends the asset sale as necessary for debt reduction and future infrastructure investment, criticising the opposition's alternative.
AnsweredQoN 510Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ASSET SALES — WESTERN POWER
510. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Treasurer:
I have a supplementary question. The Treasurer said on 17 May that his
plan at the next election would be to sell Western Power. I ask again: is that
the Treasurer's position? Then the Treasurer said that there is no plan
B if he does not sell Western Power. Is that still the Treasurer's
position?
510. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Treasurer:
I have a supplementary question. The Treasurer said on 17 May that his
plan at the next election would be to sell Western Power. I ask again: is that
the Treasurer's position? Then the Treasurer said that there is no plan
B if he does not sell Western Power. Is that still the Treasurer's
position?
AnswerView source ↗
If we do not sell
assets of some sort to not only pay down debt, but also fund the capital needs
of the future, there will not be adequate investment in this state. That is the
problem. It is a problem that the opposition has too. The opposition is going
out there, tiptoeing through the electorate—train here, crossover here,
train here—and it is saying, ''We won't sell any assets;
we will reduce debt.''
Mr
B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, I call you to order for the second time.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : The opposition will pull out a great big
magic pudding and fund that! We have identified assets that we are pursuing the
sale of, and we will use those to pay down some debt. But, more importantly, we
have identified a substantial amount to fund the capital needs of the future;
in fact, we will build the future capital infrastructure of this state. The
opposition will sit back and do nothing—nothing.
assets of some sort to not only pay down debt, but also fund the capital needs
of the future, there will not be adequate investment in this state. That is the
problem. It is a problem that the opposition has too. The opposition is going
out there, tiptoeing through the electorate—train here, crossover here,
train here—and it is saying, ''We won't sell any assets;
we will reduce debt.''
Mr
B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, I call you to order for the second time.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : The opposition will pull out a great big
magic pudding and fund that! We have identified assets that we are pursuing the
sale of, and we will use those to pay down some debt. But, more importantly, we
have identified a substantial amount to fund the capital needs of the future;
in fact, we will build the future capital infrastructure of this state. The
opposition will sit back and do nothing—nothing.
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