❓ Question regarding a federal advertisement for forest industry development assistance in WA's South West. The Minister accuses the federal government of delaying the release of funds for political gain ahead of an upcoming election.
AnsweredQoN 396Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
FOREST INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE
I note that in The West Australian of Saturday, 15 September 2001, the federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry ran an advertisement for forest industry development assistance for the south west of Western Australia. Could the minister inform the House what he knows about this advertisement? Mr BROWN
I note that in The West Australian of Saturday, 15 September 2001, the federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry ran an advertisement for forest industry development assistance for the south west of Western Australia. Could the minister inform the House what he knows about this advertisement? Mr BROWN
AnswerView source ↗
I did see the advertisement run on that day. I also saw - as referred to by the member for Warren-Blackwood last night - an article in the Albany Advertiser quoting the federal forestry minister, Wilson Tuckey. Mr Omodei: Warren-Blackwood is not in Albany. Mr BROWN: I did not say that. I said I was quoting from the Albany Advertiser . This was a little article quoting the federal forestry minister. Members know that the federal minister has been saying that he has deep concerns about people in the south west, that his heart goes out to them, that he wants to assist them through the restructuring process, and that the Commonwealth Government has made available $15 million to assist. Since coming to power, we have been continually writing to the federal minister saying, “Let us work together on the restructuring arrangements so that the State and the Commonwealth can put money in, and we can look for new opportunities, new jobs and new businesses for people in the south west.” The federal minister has rejected those approaches. He has sat on the money. He has not done anything to make any of that money available. Curiously enough, we now find that it is close to a federal election. Mr Barnett: Is this how you spend your day - reading the Albany Advertiser? The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr BROWN: The federal forestry minister is prepared to make available, perhaps, the $15 million. This is the $15 million that has been waved around in front of the people of the south west for over six months, and absolutely nothing has been done. In the second paragraph of this article - this is a classic - the minister is quoted as saying - “It is not an election situation, as far as I am concerned,” . . . How does he have any credibility? He sat on the $15 million, he is reported as having some concern for the people of the south west, and now - when he is going to the election in the next two months - he is talking about making that money available. I want to tell the federal forestry minister that he has no credibility in this regard - absolutely none. He has deserted the people in the south west. This money will not be made available before the federal election, and I hope the people of the south west are intelligent enough to see through the fabrication by this federal minister.
Mr BROWN replied: I did see the advertisement run on that day. I also saw - as referred to by the member for Warren-Blackwood last night - an article in the Albany Advertiser quoting the federal forestry minister, Wilson Tuckey. Mr Omodei: Warren-Blackwood is not in Albany. Mr BROWN: I did not say that. I said I was quoting from the Albany Advertiser . This was a little article quoting the federal forestry minister. Members know that the federal minister has been saying that he has deep concerns about people in the south west, that his heart goes out to them, that he wants to assist them through the restructuring process, and that the Commonwealth Government has made available $15 million to assist. Since coming to power, we have been continually writing to the federal minister saying, “Let us work together on the restructuring arrangements so that the State and the Commonwealth can put money in, and we can look for new opportunities, new jobs and new businesses for people in the south west.” The federal minister has rejected those approaches. He has sat on the money. He has not done anything to make any of that money available. Curiously enough, we now find that it is close to a federal election. Mr Barnett: Is this how you spend your day - reading the Albany Advertiser? The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr BROWN: The federal forestry minister is prepared to make available, perhaps, the $15 million. This is the $15 million that has been waved around in front of the people of the south west for over six months, and absolutely nothing has been done. In the second paragraph of this article - this is a classic - the minister is quoted as saying - “It is not an election situation, as far as I am concerned,” . . . How does he have any credibility? He sat on the $15 million, he is reported as having some concern for the people of the south west, and now - when he is going to the election in the next two months - he is talking about making that money available. I want to tell the federal forestry minister that he has no credibility in this regard - absolutely none. He has deserted the people in the south west. This money will not be made available before the federal election, and I hope the people of the south west are intelligent enough to see through the fabrication by this federal minister.
I did see the advertisement run on that day. I also saw - as referred to by the member for Warren-Blackwood last night - an article in the Albany Advertiser quoting the federal forestry minister, Wilson Tuckey. Mr Omodei: Warren-Blackwood is not in Albany. Mr BROWN: I did not say that. I said I was quoting from the Albany Advertiser . This was a little article quoting the federal forestry minister. Members know that the federal minister has been saying that he has deep concerns about people in the south west, that his heart goes out to them, that he wants to assist them through the restructuring process, and that the Commonwealth Government has made available $15 million to assist. Since coming to power, we have been continually writing to the federal minister saying, “Let us work together on the restructuring arrangements so that the State and the Commonwealth can put money in, and we can look for new opportunities, new jobs and new businesses for people in the south west.” The federal minister has rejected those approaches. He has sat on the money. He has not done anything to make any of that money available. Curiously enough, we now find that it is close to a federal election. Mr Barnett: Is this how you spend your day - reading the Albany Advertiser? The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr BROWN: The federal forestry minister is prepared to make available, perhaps, the $15 million. This is the $15 million that has been waved around in front of the people of the south west for over six months, and absolutely nothing has been done. In the second paragraph of this article - this is a classic - the minister is quoted as saying - “It is not an election situation, as far as I am concerned,” . . . How does he have any credibility? He sat on the $15 million, he is reported as having some concern for the people of the south west, and now - when he is going to the election in the next two months - he is talking about making that money available. I want to tell the federal forestry minister that he has no credibility in this regard - absolutely none. He has deserted the people in the south west. This money will not be made available before the federal election, and I hope the people of the south west are intelligent enough to see through the fabrication by this federal minister.
Mr Omodei: Warren-Blackwood is not in Albany. Mr BROWN: I did not say that. I said I was quoting from the Albany Advertiser . This was a little article quoting the federal forestry minister. Members know that the federal minister has been saying that he has deep concerns about people in the south west, that his heart goes out to them, that he wants to assist them through the restructuring process, and that the Commonwealth Government has made available $15 million to assist. Since coming to power, we have been continually writing to the federal minister saying, “Let us work together on the restructuring arrangements so that the State and the Commonwealth can put money in, and we can look for new opportunities, new jobs and new businesses for people in the south west.” The federal minister has rejected those approaches. He has sat on the money. He has not done anything to make any of that money available. Curiously enough, we now find that it is close to a federal election. Mr Barnett: Is this how you spend your day - reading the Albany Advertiser? The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr BROWN: The federal forestry minister is prepared to make available, perhaps, the $15 million. This is the $15 million that has been waved around in front of the people of the south west for over six months, and absolutely nothing has been done. In the second paragraph of this article - this is a classic - the minister is quoted as saying - “It is not an election situation, as far as I am concerned,” . . . How does he have any credibility? He sat on the $15 million, he is reported as having some concern for the people of the south west, and now - when he is going to the election in the next two months - he is talking about making that money available. I want to tell the federal forestry minister that he has no credibility in this regard - absolutely none. He has deserted the people in the south west. This money will not be made available before the federal election, and I hope the people of the south west are intelligent enough to see through the fabrication by this federal minister.
Mr BROWN: I did not say that. I said I was quoting from the Albany Advertiser . This was a little article quoting the federal forestry minister. Members know that the federal minister has been saying that he has deep concerns about people in the south west, that his heart goes out to them, that he wants to assist them through the restructuring process, and that the Commonwealth Government has made available $15 million to assist. Since coming to power, we have been continually writing to the federal minister saying, “Let us work together on the restructuring arrangements so that the State and the Commonwealth can put money in, and we can look for new opportunities, new jobs and new businesses for people in the south west.” The federal minister has rejected those approaches. He has sat on the money. He has not done anything to make any of that money available. Curiously enough, we now find that it is close to a federal election. Mr Barnett: Is this how you spend your day - reading the Albany Advertiser? The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr BROWN: The federal forestry minister is prepared to make available, perhaps, the $15 million. This is the $15 million that has been waved around in front of the people of the south west for over six months, and absolutely nothing has been done. In the second paragraph of this article - this is a classic - the minister is quoted as saying - “It is not an election situation, as far as I am concerned,” . . . How does he have any credibility? He sat on the $15 million, he is reported as having some concern for the people of the south west, and now - when he is going to the election in the next two months - he is talking about making that money available. I want to tell the federal forestry minister that he has no credibility in this regard - absolutely none. He has deserted the people in the south west. This money will not be made available before the federal election, and I hope the people of the south west are intelligent enough to see through the fabrication by this federal minister.
Mr Barnett: Is this how you spend your day - reading the Albany Advertiser? The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr BROWN: The federal forestry minister is prepared to make available, perhaps, the $15 million. This is the $15 million that has been waved around in front of the people of the south west for over six months, and absolutely nothing has been done. In the second paragraph of this article - this is a classic - the minister is quoted as saying - “It is not an election situation, as far as I am concerned,” . . . How does he have any credibility? He sat on the $15 million, he is reported as having some concern for the people of the south west, and now - when he is going to the election in the next two months - he is talking about making that money available. I want to tell the federal forestry minister that he has no credibility in this regard - absolutely none. He has deserted the people in the south west. This money will not be made available before the federal election, and I hope the people of the south west are intelligent enough to see through the fabrication by this federal minister.
The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr BROWN: The federal forestry minister is prepared to make available, perhaps, the $15 million. This is the $15 million that has been waved around in front of the people of the south west for over six months, and absolutely nothing has been done. In the second paragraph of this article - this is a classic - the minister is quoted as saying - “It is not an election situation, as far as I am concerned,” . . . How does he have any credibility? He sat on the $15 million, he is reported as having some concern for the people of the south west, and now - when he is going to the election in the next two months - he is talking about making that money available. I want to tell the federal forestry minister that he has no credibility in this regard - absolutely none. He has deserted the people in the south west. This money will not be made available before the federal election, and I hope the people of the south west are intelligent enough to see through the fabrication by this federal minister.
Mr BROWN: The federal forestry minister is prepared to make available, perhaps, the $15 million. This is the $15 million that has been waved around in front of the people of the south west for over six months, and absolutely nothing has been done. In the second paragraph of this article - this is a classic - the minister is quoted as saying - “It is not an election situation, as far as I am concerned,” . . . How does he have any credibility? He sat on the $15 million, he is reported as having some concern for the people of the south west, and now - when he is going to the election in the next two months - he is talking about making that money available. I want to tell the federal forestry minister that he has no credibility in this regard - absolutely none. He has deserted the people in the south west. This money will not be made available before the federal election, and I hope the people of the south west are intelligent enough to see through the fabrication by this federal minister.
Mr BROWN replied: I did see the advertisement run on that day. I also saw - as referred to by the member for Warren-Blackwood last night - an article in the Albany Advertiser quoting the federal forestry minister, Wilson Tuckey. Mr Omodei: Warren-Blackwood is not in Albany. Mr BROWN: I did not say that. I said I was quoting from the Albany Advertiser . This was a little article quoting the federal forestry minister. Members know that the federal minister has been saying that he has deep concerns about people in the south west, that his heart goes out to them, that he wants to assist them through the restructuring process, and that the Commonwealth Government has made available $15 million to assist. Since coming to power, we have been continually writing to the federal minister saying, “Let us work together on the restructuring arrangements so that the State and the Commonwealth can put money in, and we can look for new opportunities, new jobs and new businesses for people in the south west.” The federal minister has rejected those approaches. He has sat on the money. He has not done anything to make any of that money available. Curiously enough, we now find that it is close to a federal election. Mr Barnett: Is this how you spend your day - reading the Albany Advertiser? The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr BROWN: The federal forestry minister is prepared to make available, perhaps, the $15 million. This is the $15 million that has been waved around in front of the people of the south west for over six months, and absolutely nothing has been done. In the second paragraph of this article - this is a classic - the minister is quoted as saying - “It is not an election situation, as far as I am concerned,” . . . How does he have any credibility? He sat on the $15 million, he is reported as having some concern for the people of the south west, and now - when he is going to the election in the next two months - he is talking about making that money available. I want to tell the federal forestry minister that he has no credibility in this regard - absolutely none. He has deserted the people in the south west. This money will not be made available before the federal election, and I hope the people of the south west are intelligent enough to see through the fabrication by this federal minister.
I did see the advertisement run on that day. I also saw - as referred to by the member for Warren-Blackwood last night - an article in the Albany Advertiser quoting the federal forestry minister, Wilson Tuckey. Mr Omodei: Warren-Blackwood is not in Albany. Mr BROWN: I did not say that. I said I was quoting from the Albany Advertiser . This was a little article quoting the federal forestry minister. Members know that the federal minister has been saying that he has deep concerns about people in the south west, that his heart goes out to them, that he wants to assist them through the restructuring process, and that the Commonwealth Government has made available $15 million to assist. Since coming to power, we have been continually writing to the federal minister saying, “Let us work together on the restructuring arrangements so that the State and the Commonwealth can put money in, and we can look for new opportunities, new jobs and new businesses for people in the south west.” The federal minister has rejected those approaches. He has sat on the money. He has not done anything to make any of that money available. Curiously enough, we now find that it is close to a federal election. Mr Barnett: Is this how you spend your day - reading the Albany Advertiser? The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr BROWN: The federal forestry minister is prepared to make available, perhaps, the $15 million. This is the $15 million that has been waved around in front of the people of the south west for over six months, and absolutely nothing has been done. In the second paragraph of this article - this is a classic - the minister is quoted as saying - “It is not an election situation, as far as I am concerned,” . . . How does he have any credibility? He sat on the $15 million, he is reported as having some concern for the people of the south west, and now - when he is going to the election in the next two months - he is talking about making that money available. I want to tell the federal forestry minister that he has no credibility in this regard - absolutely none. He has deserted the people in the south west. This money will not be made available before the federal election, and I hope the people of the south west are intelligent enough to see through the fabrication by this federal minister.
Mr Omodei: Warren-Blackwood is not in Albany. Mr BROWN: I did not say that. I said I was quoting from the Albany Advertiser . This was a little article quoting the federal forestry minister. Members know that the federal minister has been saying that he has deep concerns about people in the south west, that his heart goes out to them, that he wants to assist them through the restructuring process, and that the Commonwealth Government has made available $15 million to assist. Since coming to power, we have been continually writing to the federal minister saying, “Let us work together on the restructuring arrangements so that the State and the Commonwealth can put money in, and we can look for new opportunities, new jobs and new businesses for people in the south west.” The federal minister has rejected those approaches. He has sat on the money. He has not done anything to make any of that money available. Curiously enough, we now find that it is close to a federal election. Mr Barnett: Is this how you spend your day - reading the Albany Advertiser? The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr BROWN: The federal forestry minister is prepared to make available, perhaps, the $15 million. This is the $15 million that has been waved around in front of the people of the south west for over six months, and absolutely nothing has been done. In the second paragraph of this article - this is a classic - the minister is quoted as saying - “It is not an election situation, as far as I am concerned,” . . . How does he have any credibility? He sat on the $15 million, he is reported as having some concern for the people of the south west, and now - when he is going to the election in the next two months - he is talking about making that money available. I want to tell the federal forestry minister that he has no credibility in this regard - absolutely none. He has deserted the people in the south west. This money will not be made available before the federal election, and I hope the people of the south west are intelligent enough to see through the fabrication by this federal minister.
Mr BROWN: I did not say that. I said I was quoting from the Albany Advertiser . This was a little article quoting the federal forestry minister. Members know that the federal minister has been saying that he has deep concerns about people in the south west, that his heart goes out to them, that he wants to assist them through the restructuring process, and that the Commonwealth Government has made available $15 million to assist. Since coming to power, we have been continually writing to the federal minister saying, “Let us work together on the restructuring arrangements so that the State and the Commonwealth can put money in, and we can look for new opportunities, new jobs and new businesses for people in the south west.” The federal minister has rejected those approaches. He has sat on the money. He has not done anything to make any of that money available. Curiously enough, we now find that it is close to a federal election. Mr Barnett: Is this how you spend your day - reading the Albany Advertiser? The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr BROWN: The federal forestry minister is prepared to make available, perhaps, the $15 million. This is the $15 million that has been waved around in front of the people of the south west for over six months, and absolutely nothing has been done. In the second paragraph of this article - this is a classic - the minister is quoted as saying - “It is not an election situation, as far as I am concerned,” . . . How does he have any credibility? He sat on the $15 million, he is reported as having some concern for the people of the south west, and now - when he is going to the election in the next two months - he is talking about making that money available. I want to tell the federal forestry minister that he has no credibility in this regard - absolutely none. He has deserted the people in the south west. This money will not be made available before the federal election, and I hope the people of the south west are intelligent enough to see through the fabrication by this federal minister.
Mr Barnett: Is this how you spend your day - reading the Albany Advertiser? The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr BROWN: The federal forestry minister is prepared to make available, perhaps, the $15 million. This is the $15 million that has been waved around in front of the people of the south west for over six months, and absolutely nothing has been done. In the second paragraph of this article - this is a classic - the minister is quoted as saying - “It is not an election situation, as far as I am concerned,” . . . How does he have any credibility? He sat on the $15 million, he is reported as having some concern for the people of the south west, and now - when he is going to the election in the next two months - he is talking about making that money available. I want to tell the federal forestry minister that he has no credibility in this regard - absolutely none. He has deserted the people in the south west. This money will not be made available before the federal election, and I hope the people of the south west are intelligent enough to see through the fabrication by this federal minister.
The SPEAKER: Order, Leader of the Opposition! Mr BROWN: The federal forestry minister is prepared to make available, perhaps, the $15 million. This is the $15 million that has been waved around in front of the people of the south west for over six months, and absolutely nothing has been done. In the second paragraph of this article - this is a classic - the minister is quoted as saying - “It is not an election situation, as far as I am concerned,” . . . How does he have any credibility? He sat on the $15 million, he is reported as having some concern for the people of the south west, and now - when he is going to the election in the next two months - he is talking about making that money available. I want to tell the federal forestry minister that he has no credibility in this regard - absolutely none. He has deserted the people in the south west. This money will not be made available before the federal election, and I hope the people of the south west are intelligent enough to see through the fabrication by this federal minister.
Mr BROWN: The federal forestry minister is prepared to make available, perhaps, the $15 million. This is the $15 million that has been waved around in front of the people of the south west for over six months, and absolutely nothing has been done. In the second paragraph of this article - this is a classic - the minister is quoted as saying - “It is not an election situation, as far as I am concerned,” . . . How does he have any credibility? He sat on the $15 million, he is reported as having some concern for the people of the south west, and now - when he is going to the election in the next two months - he is talking about making that money available. I want to tell the federal forestry minister that he has no credibility in this regard - absolutely none. He has deserted the people in the south west. This money will not be made available before the federal election, and I hope the people of the south west are intelligent enough to see through the fabrication by this federal minister.
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