❓ WA Minister Kobelke confirms a positive shift in federal water project funding following the election of the Rudd Labor government, contrasting it with the previous Howard government's approach. He highlights specific funding for the Harvey water trade.
AnsweredQoN 249Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WATER PROJECTS — FEDERAL FUNDING
My question is to the record-setting Minister for Water Resources — Several members interjected. Mr A.D. McRAE : April was a record; we have never had so much rain. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr A.D. McRAE : Minister, since the election of the Rudd Labor government has there been a change in Canberra’s attitude to funding water projects in Western Australia? Mr J.C. KOBELKE
My question is to the record-setting Minister for Water Resources — Several members interjected. Mr A.D. McRAE : April was a record; we have never had so much rain. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr A.D. McRAE : Minister, since the election of the Rudd Labor government has there been a change in Canberra’s attitude to funding water projects in Western Australia? Mr J.C. KOBELKE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member very much for his question. The answer is yes, we have seen a very welcome change in the federal government’s attitude to Western Australia’s water funding. When the Howard government was in power, it handed out hundreds of millions of dollars all around Australia. Western Australia got a few crumbs for its water projects. What really irked was that former Prime Minister Howard and former federal water minister Turnbull mentioned Harvey Water as an example of what Western Australia was doing about water resources in speeches in other parts of Australia, yet the federal government did not give us a single dollar towards it—not a single dollar! When Kevin Rudd was Leader of the Opposition, he promised WA $49 million, and last night’s federal budget included a first payment of $35 million towards the Harvey water trade, with a clear commitment to continue with that full funding to help deliver Harvey water into the integrated water supply scheme. There has been a very clear and marked difference with the change of federal government. The federal Labor government recognises Western Australia and, based on last night’s budget, I am very confident that the other commitments for funding made to water projects in Western Australia will be delivered. It certainly makes a fantastic change to have a government in Canberra, the Rudd government, recognise the Harvey water trade as not only significant to Western Australia, but also as a hallmark project for the whole of Australia, and for it to be willing to put the money up and work with the Carpenter state government to deliver real benefits to the people of Western Australia.
Several members interjected. Mr A.D. McRAE : April was a record; we have never had so much rain. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr A.D. McRAE : Minister, since the election of the Rudd Labor government has there been a change in Canberra’s attitude to funding water projects in Western Australia? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member very much for his question. The answer is yes, we have seen a very welcome change in the federal government’s attitude to Western Australia’s water funding. When the Howard government was in power, it handed out hundreds of millions of dollars all around Australia. Western Australia got a few crumbs for its water projects. What really irked was that former Prime Minister Howard and former federal water minister Turnbull mentioned Harvey Water as an example of what Western Australia was doing about water resources in speeches in other parts of Australia, yet the federal government did not give us a single dollar towards it—not a single dollar! When Kevin Rudd was Leader of the Opposition, he promised WA $49 million, and last night’s federal budget included a first payment of $35 million towards the Harvey water trade, with a clear commitment to continue with that full funding to help deliver Harvey water into the integrated water supply scheme. There has been a very clear and marked difference with the change of federal government. The federal Labor government recognises Western Australia and, based on last night’s budget, I am very confident that the other commitments for funding made to water projects in Western Australia will be delivered. It certainly makes a fantastic change to have a government in Canberra, the Rudd government, recognise the Harvey water trade as not only significant to Western Australia, but also as a hallmark project for the whole of Australia, and for it to be willing to put the money up and work with the Carpenter state government to deliver real benefits to the people of Western Australia.
Mr A.D. McRAE : April was a record; we have never had so much rain. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr A.D. McRAE : Minister, since the election of the Rudd Labor government has there been a change in Canberra’s attitude to funding water projects in Western Australia? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member very much for his question. The answer is yes, we have seen a very welcome change in the federal government’s attitude to Western Australia’s water funding. When the Howard government was in power, it handed out hundreds of millions of dollars all around Australia. Western Australia got a few crumbs for its water projects. What really irked was that former Prime Minister Howard and former federal water minister Turnbull mentioned Harvey Water as an example of what Western Australia was doing about water resources in speeches in other parts of Australia, yet the federal government did not give us a single dollar towards it—not a single dollar! When Kevin Rudd was Leader of the Opposition, he promised WA $49 million, and last night’s federal budget included a first payment of $35 million towards the Harvey water trade, with a clear commitment to continue with that full funding to help deliver Harvey water into the integrated water supply scheme. There has been a very clear and marked difference with the change of federal government. The federal Labor government recognises Western Australia and, based on last night’s budget, I am very confident that the other commitments for funding made to water projects in Western Australia will be delivered. It certainly makes a fantastic change to have a government in Canberra, the Rudd government, recognise the Harvey water trade as not only significant to Western Australia, but also as a hallmark project for the whole of Australia, and for it to be willing to put the money up and work with the Carpenter state government to deliver real benefits to the people of Western Australia.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr A.D. McRAE : Minister, since the election of the Rudd Labor government has there been a change in Canberra’s attitude to funding water projects in Western Australia? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member very much for his question. The answer is yes, we have seen a very welcome change in the federal government’s attitude to Western Australia’s water funding. When the Howard government was in power, it handed out hundreds of millions of dollars all around Australia. Western Australia got a few crumbs for its water projects. What really irked was that former Prime Minister Howard and former federal water minister Turnbull mentioned Harvey Water as an example of what Western Australia was doing about water resources in speeches in other parts of Australia, yet the federal government did not give us a single dollar towards it—not a single dollar! When Kevin Rudd was Leader of the Opposition, he promised WA $49 million, and last night’s federal budget included a first payment of $35 million towards the Harvey water trade, with a clear commitment to continue with that full funding to help deliver Harvey water into the integrated water supply scheme. There has been a very clear and marked difference with the change of federal government. The federal Labor government recognises Western Australia and, based on last night’s budget, I am very confident that the other commitments for funding made to water projects in Western Australia will be delivered. It certainly makes a fantastic change to have a government in Canberra, the Rudd government, recognise the Harvey water trade as not only significant to Western Australia, but also as a hallmark project for the whole of Australia, and for it to be willing to put the money up and work with the Carpenter state government to deliver real benefits to the people of Western Australia.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr A.D. McRAE : Minister, since the election of the Rudd Labor government has there been a change in Canberra’s attitude to funding water projects in Western Australia? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member very much for his question. The answer is yes, we have seen a very welcome change in the federal government’s attitude to Western Australia’s water funding. When the Howard government was in power, it handed out hundreds of millions of dollars all around Australia. Western Australia got a few crumbs for its water projects. What really irked was that former Prime Minister Howard and former federal water minister Turnbull mentioned Harvey Water as an example of what Western Australia was doing about water resources in speeches in other parts of Australia, yet the federal government did not give us a single dollar towards it—not a single dollar! When Kevin Rudd was Leader of the Opposition, he promised WA $49 million, and last night’s federal budget included a first payment of $35 million towards the Harvey water trade, with a clear commitment to continue with that full funding to help deliver Harvey water into the integrated water supply scheme. There has been a very clear and marked difference with the change of federal government. The federal Labor government recognises Western Australia and, based on last night’s budget, I am very confident that the other commitments for funding made to water projects in Western Australia will be delivered. It certainly makes a fantastic change to have a government in Canberra, the Rudd government, recognise the Harvey water trade as not only significant to Western Australia, but also as a hallmark project for the whole of Australia, and for it to be willing to put the money up and work with the Carpenter state government to deliver real benefits to the people of Western Australia.
Mr A.D. McRAE : Minister, since the election of the Rudd Labor government has there been a change in Canberra’s attitude to funding water projects in Western Australia? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member very much for his question. The answer is yes, we have seen a very welcome change in the federal government’s attitude to Western Australia’s water funding. When the Howard government was in power, it handed out hundreds of millions of dollars all around Australia. Western Australia got a few crumbs for its water projects. What really irked was that former Prime Minister Howard and former federal water minister Turnbull mentioned Harvey Water as an example of what Western Australia was doing about water resources in speeches in other parts of Australia, yet the federal government did not give us a single dollar towards it—not a single dollar! When Kevin Rudd was Leader of the Opposition, he promised WA $49 million, and last night’s federal budget included a first payment of $35 million towards the Harvey water trade, with a clear commitment to continue with that full funding to help deliver Harvey water into the integrated water supply scheme. There has been a very clear and marked difference with the change of federal government. The federal Labor government recognises Western Australia and, based on last night’s budget, I am very confident that the other commitments for funding made to water projects in Western Australia will be delivered. It certainly makes a fantastic change to have a government in Canberra, the Rudd government, recognise the Harvey water trade as not only significant to Western Australia, but also as a hallmark project for the whole of Australia, and for it to be willing to put the money up and work with the Carpenter state government to deliver real benefits to the people of Western Australia.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member very much for his question. The answer is yes, we have seen a very welcome change in the federal government’s attitude to Western Australia’s water funding. When the Howard government was in power, it handed out hundreds of millions of dollars all around Australia. Western Australia got a few crumbs for its water projects. What really irked was that former Prime Minister Howard and former federal water minister Turnbull mentioned Harvey Water as an example of what Western Australia was doing about water resources in speeches in other parts of Australia, yet the federal government did not give us a single dollar towards it—not a single dollar! When Kevin Rudd was Leader of the Opposition, he promised WA $49 million, and last night’s federal budget included a first payment of $35 million towards the Harvey water trade, with a clear commitment to continue with that full funding to help deliver Harvey water into the integrated water supply scheme. There has been a very clear and marked difference with the change of federal government. The federal Labor government recognises Western Australia and, based on last night’s budget, I am very confident that the other commitments for funding made to water projects in Western Australia will be delivered. It certainly makes a fantastic change to have a government in Canberra, the Rudd government, recognise the Harvey water trade as not only significant to Western Australia, but also as a hallmark project for the whole of Australia, and for it to be willing to put the money up and work with the Carpenter state government to deliver real benefits to the people of Western Australia.
I thank the member very much for his question. The answer is yes, we have seen a very welcome change in the federal government’s attitude to Western Australia’s water funding. When the Howard government was in power, it handed out hundreds of millions of dollars all around Australia. Western Australia got a few crumbs for its water projects. What really irked was that former Prime Minister Howard and former federal water minister Turnbull mentioned Harvey Water as an example of what Western Australia was doing about water resources in speeches in other parts of Australia, yet the federal government did not give us a single dollar towards it—not a single dollar! When Kevin Rudd was Leader of the Opposition, he promised WA $49 million, and last night’s federal budget included a first payment of $35 million towards the Harvey water trade, with a clear commitment to continue with that full funding to help deliver Harvey water into the integrated water supply scheme. There has been a very clear and marked difference with the change of federal government. The federal Labor government recognises Western Australia and, based on last night’s budget, I am very confident that the other commitments for funding made to water projects in Western Australia will be delivered. It certainly makes a fantastic change to have a government in Canberra, the Rudd government, recognise the Harvey water trade as not only significant to Western Australia, but also as a hallmark project for the whole of Australia, and for it to be willing to put the money up and work with the Carpenter state government to deliver real benefits to the people of Western Australia.
When the Howard government was in power, it handed out hundreds of millions of dollars all around Australia. Western Australia got a few crumbs for its water projects. What really irked was that former Prime Minister Howard and former federal water minister Turnbull mentioned Harvey Water as an example of what Western Australia was doing about water resources in speeches in other parts of Australia, yet the federal government did not give us a single dollar towards it—not a single dollar! When Kevin Rudd was Leader of the Opposition, he promised WA $49 million, and last night’s federal budget included a first payment of $35 million towards the Harvey water trade, with a clear commitment to continue with that full funding to help deliver Harvey water into the integrated water supply scheme. There has been a very clear and marked difference with the change of federal government. The federal Labor government recognises Western Australia and, based on last night’s budget, I am very confident that the other commitments for funding made to water projects in Western Australia will be delivered. It certainly makes a fantastic change to have a government in Canberra, the Rudd government, recognise the Harvey water trade as not only significant to Western Australia, but also as a hallmark project for the whole of Australia, and for it to be willing to put the money up and work with the Carpenter state government to deliver real benefits to the people of Western Australia.
Several members interjected. Mr A.D. McRAE : April was a record; we have never had so much rain. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr A.D. McRAE : Minister, since the election of the Rudd Labor government has there been a change in Canberra’s attitude to funding water projects in Western Australia? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member very much for his question. The answer is yes, we have seen a very welcome change in the federal government’s attitude to Western Australia’s water funding. When the Howard government was in power, it handed out hundreds of millions of dollars all around Australia. Western Australia got a few crumbs for its water projects. What really irked was that former Prime Minister Howard and former federal water minister Turnbull mentioned Harvey Water as an example of what Western Australia was doing about water resources in speeches in other parts of Australia, yet the federal government did not give us a single dollar towards it—not a single dollar! When Kevin Rudd was Leader of the Opposition, he promised WA $49 million, and last night’s federal budget included a first payment of $35 million towards the Harvey water trade, with a clear commitment to continue with that full funding to help deliver Harvey water into the integrated water supply scheme. There has been a very clear and marked difference with the change of federal government. The federal Labor government recognises Western Australia and, based on last night’s budget, I am very confident that the other commitments for funding made to water projects in Western Australia will be delivered. It certainly makes a fantastic change to have a government in Canberra, the Rudd government, recognise the Harvey water trade as not only significant to Western Australia, but also as a hallmark project for the whole of Australia, and for it to be willing to put the money up and work with the Carpenter state government to deliver real benefits to the people of Western Australia.
Mr A.D. McRAE : April was a record; we have never had so much rain. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr A.D. McRAE : Minister, since the election of the Rudd Labor government has there been a change in Canberra’s attitude to funding water projects in Western Australia? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member very much for his question. The answer is yes, we have seen a very welcome change in the federal government’s attitude to Western Australia’s water funding. When the Howard government was in power, it handed out hundreds of millions of dollars all around Australia. Western Australia got a few crumbs for its water projects. What really irked was that former Prime Minister Howard and former federal water minister Turnbull mentioned Harvey Water as an example of what Western Australia was doing about water resources in speeches in other parts of Australia, yet the federal government did not give us a single dollar towards it—not a single dollar! When Kevin Rudd was Leader of the Opposition, he promised WA $49 million, and last night’s federal budget included a first payment of $35 million towards the Harvey water trade, with a clear commitment to continue with that full funding to help deliver Harvey water into the integrated water supply scheme. There has been a very clear and marked difference with the change of federal government. The federal Labor government recognises Western Australia and, based on last night’s budget, I am very confident that the other commitments for funding made to water projects in Western Australia will be delivered. It certainly makes a fantastic change to have a government in Canberra, the Rudd government, recognise the Harvey water trade as not only significant to Western Australia, but also as a hallmark project for the whole of Australia, and for it to be willing to put the money up and work with the Carpenter state government to deliver real benefits to the people of Western Australia.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr A.D. McRAE : Minister, since the election of the Rudd Labor government has there been a change in Canberra’s attitude to funding water projects in Western Australia? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member very much for his question. The answer is yes, we have seen a very welcome change in the federal government’s attitude to Western Australia’s water funding. When the Howard government was in power, it handed out hundreds of millions of dollars all around Australia. Western Australia got a few crumbs for its water projects. What really irked was that former Prime Minister Howard and former federal water minister Turnbull mentioned Harvey Water as an example of what Western Australia was doing about water resources in speeches in other parts of Australia, yet the federal government did not give us a single dollar towards it—not a single dollar! When Kevin Rudd was Leader of the Opposition, he promised WA $49 million, and last night’s federal budget included a first payment of $35 million towards the Harvey water trade, with a clear commitment to continue with that full funding to help deliver Harvey water into the integrated water supply scheme. There has been a very clear and marked difference with the change of federal government. The federal Labor government recognises Western Australia and, based on last night’s budget, I am very confident that the other commitments for funding made to water projects in Western Australia will be delivered. It certainly makes a fantastic change to have a government in Canberra, the Rudd government, recognise the Harvey water trade as not only significant to Western Australia, but also as a hallmark project for the whole of Australia, and for it to be willing to put the money up and work with the Carpenter state government to deliver real benefits to the people of Western Australia.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr A.D. McRAE : Minister, since the election of the Rudd Labor government has there been a change in Canberra’s attitude to funding water projects in Western Australia? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member very much for his question. The answer is yes, we have seen a very welcome change in the federal government’s attitude to Western Australia’s water funding. When the Howard government was in power, it handed out hundreds of millions of dollars all around Australia. Western Australia got a few crumbs for its water projects. What really irked was that former Prime Minister Howard and former federal water minister Turnbull mentioned Harvey Water as an example of what Western Australia was doing about water resources in speeches in other parts of Australia, yet the federal government did not give us a single dollar towards it—not a single dollar! When Kevin Rudd was Leader of the Opposition, he promised WA $49 million, and last night’s federal budget included a first payment of $35 million towards the Harvey water trade, with a clear commitment to continue with that full funding to help deliver Harvey water into the integrated water supply scheme. There has been a very clear and marked difference with the change of federal government. The federal Labor government recognises Western Australia and, based on last night’s budget, I am very confident that the other commitments for funding made to water projects in Western Australia will be delivered. It certainly makes a fantastic change to have a government in Canberra, the Rudd government, recognise the Harvey water trade as not only significant to Western Australia, but also as a hallmark project for the whole of Australia, and for it to be willing to put the money up and work with the Carpenter state government to deliver real benefits to the people of Western Australia.
Mr A.D. McRAE : Minister, since the election of the Rudd Labor government has there been a change in Canberra’s attitude to funding water projects in Western Australia? Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member very much for his question. The answer is yes, we have seen a very welcome change in the federal government’s attitude to Western Australia’s water funding. When the Howard government was in power, it handed out hundreds of millions of dollars all around Australia. Western Australia got a few crumbs for its water projects. What really irked was that former Prime Minister Howard and former federal water minister Turnbull mentioned Harvey Water as an example of what Western Australia was doing about water resources in speeches in other parts of Australia, yet the federal government did not give us a single dollar towards it—not a single dollar! When Kevin Rudd was Leader of the Opposition, he promised WA $49 million, and last night’s federal budget included a first payment of $35 million towards the Harvey water trade, with a clear commitment to continue with that full funding to help deliver Harvey water into the integrated water supply scheme. There has been a very clear and marked difference with the change of federal government. The federal Labor government recognises Western Australia and, based on last night’s budget, I am very confident that the other commitments for funding made to water projects in Western Australia will be delivered. It certainly makes a fantastic change to have a government in Canberra, the Rudd government, recognise the Harvey water trade as not only significant to Western Australia, but also as a hallmark project for the whole of Australia, and for it to be willing to put the money up and work with the Carpenter state government to deliver real benefits to the people of Western Australia.
Mr J.C. KOBELKE replied: I thank the member very much for his question. The answer is yes, we have seen a very welcome change in the federal government’s attitude to Western Australia’s water funding. When the Howard government was in power, it handed out hundreds of millions of dollars all around Australia. Western Australia got a few crumbs for its water projects. What really irked was that former Prime Minister Howard and former federal water minister Turnbull mentioned Harvey Water as an example of what Western Australia was doing about water resources in speeches in other parts of Australia, yet the federal government did not give us a single dollar towards it—not a single dollar! When Kevin Rudd was Leader of the Opposition, he promised WA $49 million, and last night’s federal budget included a first payment of $35 million towards the Harvey water trade, with a clear commitment to continue with that full funding to help deliver Harvey water into the integrated water supply scheme. There has been a very clear and marked difference with the change of federal government. The federal Labor government recognises Western Australia and, based on last night’s budget, I am very confident that the other commitments for funding made to water projects in Western Australia will be delivered. It certainly makes a fantastic change to have a government in Canberra, the Rudd government, recognise the Harvey water trade as not only significant to Western Australia, but also as a hallmark project for the whole of Australia, and for it to be willing to put the money up and work with the Carpenter state government to deliver real benefits to the people of Western Australia.
I thank the member very much for his question. The answer is yes, we have seen a very welcome change in the federal government’s attitude to Western Australia’s water funding. When the Howard government was in power, it handed out hundreds of millions of dollars all around Australia. Western Australia got a few crumbs for its water projects. What really irked was that former Prime Minister Howard and former federal water minister Turnbull mentioned Harvey Water as an example of what Western Australia was doing about water resources in speeches in other parts of Australia, yet the federal government did not give us a single dollar towards it—not a single dollar! When Kevin Rudd was Leader of the Opposition, he promised WA $49 million, and last night’s federal budget included a first payment of $35 million towards the Harvey water trade, with a clear commitment to continue with that full funding to help deliver Harvey water into the integrated water supply scheme. There has been a very clear and marked difference with the change of federal government. The federal Labor government recognises Western Australia and, based on last night’s budget, I am very confident that the other commitments for funding made to water projects in Western Australia will be delivered. It certainly makes a fantastic change to have a government in Canberra, the Rudd government, recognise the Harvey water trade as not only significant to Western Australia, but also as a hallmark project for the whole of Australia, and for it to be willing to put the money up and work with the Carpenter state government to deliver real benefits to the people of Western Australia.
When the Howard government was in power, it handed out hundreds of millions of dollars all around Australia. Western Australia got a few crumbs for its water projects. What really irked was that former Prime Minister Howard and former federal water minister Turnbull mentioned Harvey Water as an example of what Western Australia was doing about water resources in speeches in other parts of Australia, yet the federal government did not give us a single dollar towards it—not a single dollar! When Kevin Rudd was Leader of the Opposition, he promised WA $49 million, and last night’s federal budget included a first payment of $35 million towards the Harvey water trade, with a clear commitment to continue with that full funding to help deliver Harvey water into the integrated water supply scheme. There has been a very clear and marked difference with the change of federal government. The federal Labor government recognises Western Australia and, based on last night’s budget, I am very confident that the other commitments for funding made to water projects in Western Australia will be delivered. It certainly makes a fantastic change to have a government in Canberra, the Rudd government, recognise the Harvey water trade as not only significant to Western Australia, but also as a hallmark project for the whole of Australia, and for it to be willing to put the money up and work with the Carpenter state government to deliver real benefits to the people of Western Australia.
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