❓ Opposition Leader McGowan questions Premier Barnett about the Liberal party room's support for removing poll provisions related to local government amalgamations, following reports of compromised integrity. Barnett defends the need for reform and accuses McGowan of being a 'wimp'.
AnsweredQoN 502Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
LOCAL GOVERNMENT — AMALGAMATIONS
502. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Considering that the Premier
advised his party room this morning that it has been compromised and its
integrity damaged by public commentary on this issue, does the Premier still
have the support in the party room to pass the removal of those poll
provisions?
Mr M.P. Murray : Be
truthful.
502. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Considering that the Premier
advised his party room this morning that it has been compromised and its
integrity damaged by public commentary on this issue, does the Premier still
have the support in the party room to pass the removal of those poll
provisions?
Mr M.P. Murray : Be
truthful.
AnswerView source ↗
I always am. In the Liberal party
room—I am not going to give any details—we had an open
discussion —
Mr
M. McGowan : I just did!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Yes, the Leader of the Opposition did.
Mr
M. McGowan : And I was right!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Yes. Where did the Leader of the Opposition get the
information? Is he going to tell us that? Oh, no; he is too scared for that!
Mr
M. McGowan : There are too many to count! There are too many!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Too scared for that, too scared—the sort of wimpish
character opposite; a complete wimp!
I will tell members a little about
the Liberal party room. We had an open discussion about local government
reform; it was constructive, and there are some differences of opinion.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER Members!
Mr J.R. Quigley :
Who was doing the tweeting from the room?
The SPEAKER :
Member for Butler!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
We are up for reforming the local government structure so that it is
affordable, efficient and suitable for the twenty-first century, and not
something that was designed 90 years ago, almost in the days of the horse and
buggy. Do members opposite think the public care? They do not particularly. Maybe
five or 10 per cent do, but most of those people are from local councils. I
will talk about the western suburbs for a moment. I may not have these figures
exactly right. There are seven councils in the western suburbs. They have one
federal member, Julie Bishop, three state members and 75 local councillors with
900 staff between them to run the western suburbs. It is highly inefficient.
Reform is long overdue. It is not about the western suburbs; it is about good
long-term planning for transport and other infrastructure and entertainment and
recreation facilities. Perth has passed the tipping point, as 75 per cent of
Western Australians live here. It needs to operate more effectively as a
growing metropolis. Members opposite simply get on the losing side because they
have no vision for this state. They have no capacity to take on the big issues.
We will show members opposite how to govern, as we have done for the past five
years and will continue to do.
room—I am not going to give any details—we had an open
discussion —
Mr
M. McGowan : I just did!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Yes, the Leader of the Opposition did.
Mr
M. McGowan : And I was right!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Yes. Where did the Leader of the Opposition get the
information? Is he going to tell us that? Oh, no; he is too scared for that!
Mr
M. McGowan : There are too many to count! There are too many!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Too scared for that, too scared—the sort of wimpish
character opposite; a complete wimp!
I will tell members a little about
the Liberal party room. We had an open discussion about local government
reform; it was constructive, and there are some differences of opinion.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER Members!
Mr J.R. Quigley :
Who was doing the tweeting from the room?
The SPEAKER :
Member for Butler!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
We are up for reforming the local government structure so that it is
affordable, efficient and suitable for the twenty-first century, and not
something that was designed 90 years ago, almost in the days of the horse and
buggy. Do members opposite think the public care? They do not particularly. Maybe
five or 10 per cent do, but most of those people are from local councils. I
will talk about the western suburbs for a moment. I may not have these figures
exactly right. There are seven councils in the western suburbs. They have one
federal member, Julie Bishop, three state members and 75 local councillors with
900 staff between them to run the western suburbs. It is highly inefficient.
Reform is long overdue. It is not about the western suburbs; it is about good
long-term planning for transport and other infrastructure and entertainment and
recreation facilities. Perth has passed the tipping point, as 75 per cent of
Western Australians live here. It needs to operate more effectively as a
growing metropolis. Members opposite simply get on the losing side because they
have no vision for this state. They have no capacity to take on the big issues.
We will show members opposite how to govern, as we have done for the past five
years and will continue to do.
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