❓ Mr. Marmion questions the Premier on payroll tax cuts to stimulate the WA economy given unemployment figures. The Premier deflects, citing the previous government's financial mismanagement and highlighting current efforts to improve the economy.
AnsweredQoN 437Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PAYROLL TAX
437. Mr W.R. MARMION to the Premier:
I refer to the latest Australian
Bureau of Statistics data, which confirms that nearly 90 000 Western Australians
are out of work; a loss of 7 000 full-time jobs; and an unemployment rate that
is the second-highest in the nation. When will the Premier listen to Western Australian
business leaders like Wesfarmers chairman, Michael Chaney, and use the GST
windfall to cut his jobs tax and stimulate the Western Australian economy and create
more jobs for Western Australians?
437. Mr W.R. MARMION to the Premier:
I refer to the latest Australian
Bureau of Statistics data, which confirms that nearly 90 000 Western Australians
are out of work; a loss of 7 000 full-time jobs; and an unemployment rate that
is the second-highest in the nation. When will the Premier listen to Western Australian
business leaders like Wesfarmers chairman, Michael Chaney, and use the GST
windfall to cut his jobs tax and stimulate the Western Australian economy and create
more jobs for Western Australians?
AnswerView source ↗
The member for Nedlands was a member
of the previous government, which put up land tax three times. He was a member
of the government that put up TAFE fees by 500 per cent.
Mrs A.K. Hayden interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Darling Range, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : He was a member
of the government that took debt in Western Australia from $3.5 billion to,
across the forward estimates, more than $40 billion. He was a member of the
government that delivered the first recession in the history of Western Australia,
and he expects us to fix everything overnight. He cannot even do his maths;
the figures were wrong in his question, as they were in the question from the
Leader of the Opposition.
We have in Western Australia today
a government that works with business, works with industry, works with unions
and works with the community to get jobs and opportunities into our state. That
is what we have in Western Australia today. We have a government that is
focused on fixing the financial mess we inherited. Under the previous
government, our debt burden was producing an interest bill of more than $1 billion
a year. Last week we saw our credit rating lift, and as a consequence of that,
we are now able to reduce our interest burden by $80 million across the forward
estimates. People across Western Australia understand that this is a government
that is dedicated to creating jobs, diversifying the economy, helping employers
to take on apprentices, ensuring that we keep our strong trading relationships,
and ensuring that we deal with the mess we were left with.
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Bateman, I have warned you three times. I call you to order for the first time.
of the previous government, which put up land tax three times. He was a member
of the government that put up TAFE fees by 500 per cent.
Mrs A.K. Hayden interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Darling Range, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : He was a member
of the government that took debt in Western Australia from $3.5 billion to,
across the forward estimates, more than $40 billion. He was a member of the
government that delivered the first recession in the history of Western Australia,
and he expects us to fix everything overnight. He cannot even do his maths;
the figures were wrong in his question, as they were in the question from the
Leader of the Opposition.
We have in Western Australia today
a government that works with business, works with industry, works with unions
and works with the community to get jobs and opportunities into our state. That
is what we have in Western Australia today. We have a government that is
focused on fixing the financial mess we inherited. Under the previous
government, our debt burden was producing an interest bill of more than $1 billion
a year. Last week we saw our credit rating lift, and as a consequence of that,
we are now able to reduce our interest burden by $80 million across the forward
estimates. People across Western Australia understand that this is a government
that is dedicated to creating jobs, diversifying the economy, helping employers
to take on apprentices, ensuring that we keep our strong trading relationships,
and ensuring that we deal with the mess we were left with.
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Bateman, I have warned you three times. I call you to order for the first time.
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