❓ Mr. Redman questions the Premier about the Busselton-Margaret River Regional Airport expansion and the awareness of the contract signing among stakeholders, particularly the CEO of the South West Development Commission. The Premier defends the project and criticizes the previous government's financial management.
AnsweredQoN 902Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
BUSSELTON–MARGARET
RIVER REGIONAL AIRPORT EXPANSION
902. Mr D.T. REDMAN to the minister representing the
Minister for Regional Development:
I have a supplementary question.
Does the Premier find it unusual that everyone else at the tourism forum was
aware of the announcement of the signing of the contract, yet the CEO of the
development commission was not?
RIVER REGIONAL AIRPORT EXPANSION
902. Mr D.T. REDMAN to the minister representing the
Minister for Regional Development:
I have a supplementary question.
Does the Premier find it unusual that everyone else at the tourism forum was
aware of the announcement of the signing of the contract, yet the CEO of the
development commission was not?
AnswerView source ↗
Who?
Mr D.T. Redman : The people
involved with the Margaret River Busselton Tourism Association.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Who are they?
Mr D.T. Redman : The chambers
of commerce, the Shire of Augusta–Margaret River, the Shire of
Busselton—it's a big list, Premier.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I note that
the member did not name a single person. I always find that. People always say,
''Everyone knows about it.'' He could not name a single person. I
got some advice today that the CEO of the South
West Development Commission was unaware or had no recollection of those events.
If the member is suggesting that she is not telling the truth or that she has
made this up, I advise him to go outside this chamber and say it.
The reality is, in relation to this
project, that the government is doing two things. We are trying to secure
Qantas to build one of its flying schools at Busselton on behalf of the people
of Western Australia to create jobs and opportunities for our state. The second
thing we are trying to do is get an airline interested in flying from the
eastern states to Busselton. To date, we have not had any success with either
of those two things. I would have thought that good government would have
dictated that when the last government decided to spend $70 million on
Busselton airport on the basis of securing an airline to fly from the east, it
would have signed up an airline first before it decided to spend the money.
Once again, the governance and the management of the finances of Western Australia
under the last government was totally and utterly abysmal, a disgrace and a blemish
on this state. This is a prime example of that.
Tabling of Paper
Ms L.
METTAM : The Premier was obviously reading from an official document.
Can we ask that he table that, Mr Speaker.
The SPEAKER : Is it an
official document?
Mr M. McGowan : It is not an official document, but I am
happy for the Speaker to have a look.
The SPEAKER : Bring it up and
we will quieten everyone down.
It is just a copy of the question
that the member for Warren–Blackwood asked and the answer.
Dr M.D. Nahan : Is it the full
answer? It is a response by the CEO of the development commission.
The SPEAKER : No; it is a copy
of the question without notice of which some notice was given by the member for
Warren–Blackwood and the answer.
Mr D.T. Redman : The people
involved with the Margaret River Busselton Tourism Association.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Who are they?
Mr D.T. Redman : The chambers
of commerce, the Shire of Augusta–Margaret River, the Shire of
Busselton—it's a big list, Premier.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I note that
the member did not name a single person. I always find that. People always say,
''Everyone knows about it.'' He could not name a single person. I
got some advice today that the CEO of the South
West Development Commission was unaware or had no recollection of those events.
If the member is suggesting that she is not telling the truth or that she has
made this up, I advise him to go outside this chamber and say it.
The reality is, in relation to this
project, that the government is doing two things. We are trying to secure
Qantas to build one of its flying schools at Busselton on behalf of the people
of Western Australia to create jobs and opportunities for our state. The second
thing we are trying to do is get an airline interested in flying from the
eastern states to Busselton. To date, we have not had any success with either
of those two things. I would have thought that good government would have
dictated that when the last government decided to spend $70 million on
Busselton airport on the basis of securing an airline to fly from the east, it
would have signed up an airline first before it decided to spend the money.
Once again, the governance and the management of the finances of Western Australia
under the last government was totally and utterly abysmal, a disgrace and a blemish
on this state. This is a prime example of that.
Tabling of Paper
Ms L.
METTAM : The Premier was obviously reading from an official document.
Can we ask that he table that, Mr Speaker.
The SPEAKER : Is it an
official document?
Mr M. McGowan : It is not an official document, but I am
happy for the Speaker to have a look.
The SPEAKER : Bring it up and
we will quieten everyone down.
It is just a copy of the question
that the member for Warren–Blackwood asked and the answer.
Dr M.D. Nahan : Is it the full
answer? It is a response by the CEO of the development commission.
The SPEAKER : No; it is a copy
of the question without notice of which some notice was given by the member for
Warren–Blackwood and the answer.
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