❓ Question seeks Premier's awareness and stance on the Small Business Development Corporation's report regarding retail trading hours deregulation. The Premier's response avoids a direct answer, highlighting broad consultations and blaming the previous government for concealing potential financial consequences from the NCC.
AnsweredQoN 763Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I remind the Premier of his pre-election promise that he would retain existing retail trading hours and I refer to the review of retail trading hours which the Premier announced in February this year and which is being conducted by his Department of the Premier and Cabinet. (1) Is the Premier aware of the report submitted to this review by the Small Business Development Corporation, which is the Government’s lead agency responsible for providing policy advice on small business matters? (2) Has he read the report; and, if so, will the Premier advise the House whether his Government’s lead agency on small business policy advice supports or opposes further deregulation of trading hours in Western Australia? Dr G.I. GALLOP
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) The Government of Western Australia is consulting very widely on this highly contentious issue. We are consulting with the Small Business Development Corporation, which provides independent advice to the Government. It has its point of view on the subject. We are also consulting with stakeholders throughout Western Australia. Some adopt a social perspective on this issue, some a work perspective, some an economic perspective and some a financial perspective, given the National Competition Council’s threats to payments to the States. A whole range of perspectives are adopted on trading hours. We are looking at all of them in considering which way we will go forward. This is an interesting issue. A lot of people are saying that the central question is the credibility of the Government. I have made it very clear that the State of Western Australia faces a quandary. The Government when in opposition made a commitment, but as we proceeded to carry through that commitment a consequence was revealed to us by the National Competition Council that made it very difficult. We are therefore consulting with the community on our quandary. Mr P.G. Pendal: That is not true; that is false. Dr G.I. GALLOP: What is false? Mr P.G. Pendal: It is just like the stunt you tried to pull on taxis. The National Competition Council required you to review the position - just like it has with trading hours - but no more. Dr G.I. GALLOP: That is the view of the member for South Perth. If he wants to live in cloud-cuckoo-land he can. If he wants to live in a land where things do not exist, let him live there. It is an interesting world of irrelevance and fantasy. I can assure him that the National Competition Council is threatening cuts to our payments. The Leader of the Opposition and his colleagues of the former Government know where the credibility lies in this issue; it lies with the Liberal Party. Do members know why it lies with the Liberal Party? It is because before the last election the Liberal Party was advised by the Treasury officers that if trading hour regulations in Western Australia were not changed, they would be a threat to competition payments to Western Australia. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Mr P.G. Pendal: That is false. Mr C.J. Barnett: It is not true. Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not true? I have a memorandum addressed to the Treasurer. Mr C.J. Barnett: Who was? Dr G.I. GALLOP: The former Premier, Richard Court. This is what he was told - The NCC has already indicated its concern with retail trading hours restrictions in other States. It has criticised South Australia’s approach, which is less restrictive than Western Australia’s. We understand that the NCC is considering deductions from South Australia’s competition payments of between $24 and $30 million per annum. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Did it take the issue into the election campaign? Was the Liberal Party open and accountable? Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so weak. You are the weakest Premier this State has ever had. You do not even stand up to the Canberra bureaucracy. The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
(1) Is the Premier aware of the report submitted to this review by the Small Business Development Corporation, which is the Government’s lead agency responsible for providing policy advice on small business matters? (2) Has he read the report; and, if so, will the Premier advise the House whether his Government’s lead agency on small business policy advice supports or opposes further deregulation of trading hours in Western Australia? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) The Government of Western Australia is consulting very widely on this highly contentious issue. We are consulting with the Small Business Development Corporation, which provides independent advice to the Government. It has its point of view on the subject. We are also consulting with stakeholders throughout Western Australia. Some adopt a social perspective on this issue, some a work perspective, some an economic perspective and some a financial perspective, given the National Competition Council’s threats to payments to the States. A whole range of perspectives are adopted on trading hours. We are looking at all of them in considering which way we will go forward. This is an interesting issue. A lot of people are saying that the central question is the credibility of the Government. I have made it very clear that the State of Western Australia faces a quandary. The Government when in opposition made a commitment, but as we proceeded to carry through that commitment a consequence was revealed to us by the National Competition Council that made it very difficult. We are therefore consulting with the community on our quandary. Mr P.G. Pendal: That is not true; that is false. Dr G.I. GALLOP: What is false? Mr P.G. Pendal: It is just like the stunt you tried to pull on taxis. The National Competition Council required you to review the position - just like it has with trading hours - but no more. Dr G.I. GALLOP: That is the view of the member for South Perth. If he wants to live in cloud-cuckoo-land he can. If he wants to live in a land where things do not exist, let him live there. It is an interesting world of irrelevance and fantasy. I can assure him that the National Competition Council is threatening cuts to our payments. The Leader of the Opposition and his colleagues of the former Government know where the credibility lies in this issue; it lies with the Liberal Party. Do members know why it lies with the Liberal Party? It is because before the last election the Liberal Party was advised by the Treasury officers that if trading hour regulations in Western Australia were not changed, they would be a threat to competition payments to Western Australia. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Mr P.G. Pendal: That is false. Mr C.J. Barnett: It is not true. Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not true? I have a memorandum addressed to the Treasurer. Mr C.J. Barnett: Who was? Dr G.I. GALLOP: The former Premier, Richard Court. This is what he was told - The NCC has already indicated its concern with retail trading hours restrictions in other States. It has criticised South Australia’s approach, which is less restrictive than Western Australia’s. We understand that the NCC is considering deductions from South Australia’s competition payments of between $24 and $30 million per annum. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Did it take the issue into the election campaign? Was the Liberal Party open and accountable? Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so weak. You are the weakest Premier this State has ever had. You do not even stand up to the Canberra bureaucracy. The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
(2) Has he read the report; and, if so, will the Premier advise the House whether his Government’s lead agency on small business policy advice supports or opposes further deregulation of trading hours in Western Australia? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) The Government of Western Australia is consulting very widely on this highly contentious issue. We are consulting with the Small Business Development Corporation, which provides independent advice to the Government. It has its point of view on the subject. We are also consulting with stakeholders throughout Western Australia. Some adopt a social perspective on this issue, some a work perspective, some an economic perspective and some a financial perspective, given the National Competition Council’s threats to payments to the States. A whole range of perspectives are adopted on trading hours. We are looking at all of them in considering which way we will go forward. This is an interesting issue. A lot of people are saying that the central question is the credibility of the Government. I have made it very clear that the State of Western Australia faces a quandary. The Government when in opposition made a commitment, but as we proceeded to carry through that commitment a consequence was revealed to us by the National Competition Council that made it very difficult. We are therefore consulting with the community on our quandary. Mr P.G. Pendal: That is not true; that is false. Dr G.I. GALLOP: What is false? Mr P.G. Pendal: It is just like the stunt you tried to pull on taxis. The National Competition Council required you to review the position - just like it has with trading hours - but no more. Dr G.I. GALLOP: That is the view of the member for South Perth. If he wants to live in cloud-cuckoo-land he can. If he wants to live in a land where things do not exist, let him live there. It is an interesting world of irrelevance and fantasy. I can assure him that the National Competition Council is threatening cuts to our payments. The Leader of the Opposition and his colleagues of the former Government know where the credibility lies in this issue; it lies with the Liberal Party. Do members know why it lies with the Liberal Party? It is because before the last election the Liberal Party was advised by the Treasury officers that if trading hour regulations in Western Australia were not changed, they would be a threat to competition payments to Western Australia. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Mr P.G. Pendal: That is false. Mr C.J. Barnett: It is not true. Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not true? I have a memorandum addressed to the Treasurer. Mr C.J. Barnett: Who was? Dr G.I. GALLOP: The former Premier, Richard Court. This is what he was told - The NCC has already indicated its concern with retail trading hours restrictions in other States. It has criticised South Australia’s approach, which is less restrictive than Western Australia’s. We understand that the NCC is considering deductions from South Australia’s competition payments of between $24 and $30 million per annum. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Did it take the issue into the election campaign? Was the Liberal Party open and accountable? Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so weak. You are the weakest Premier this State has ever had. You do not even stand up to the Canberra bureaucracy. The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) The Government of Western Australia is consulting very widely on this highly contentious issue. We are consulting with the Small Business Development Corporation, which provides independent advice to the Government. It has its point of view on the subject. We are also consulting with stakeholders throughout Western Australia. Some adopt a social perspective on this issue, some a work perspective, some an economic perspective and some a financial perspective, given the National Competition Council’s threats to payments to the States. A whole range of perspectives are adopted on trading hours. We are looking at all of them in considering which way we will go forward. This is an interesting issue. A lot of people are saying that the central question is the credibility of the Government. I have made it very clear that the State of Western Australia faces a quandary. The Government when in opposition made a commitment, but as we proceeded to carry through that commitment a consequence was revealed to us by the National Competition Council that made it very difficult. We are therefore consulting with the community on our quandary. Mr P.G. Pendal: That is not true; that is false. Dr G.I. GALLOP: What is false? Mr P.G. Pendal: It is just like the stunt you tried to pull on taxis. The National Competition Council required you to review the position - just like it has with trading hours - but no more. Dr G.I. GALLOP: That is the view of the member for South Perth. If he wants to live in cloud-cuckoo-land he can. If he wants to live in a land where things do not exist, let him live there. It is an interesting world of irrelevance and fantasy. I can assure him that the National Competition Council is threatening cuts to our payments. The Leader of the Opposition and his colleagues of the former Government know where the credibility lies in this issue; it lies with the Liberal Party. Do members know why it lies with the Liberal Party? It is because before the last election the Liberal Party was advised by the Treasury officers that if trading hour regulations in Western Australia were not changed, they would be a threat to competition payments to Western Australia. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Mr P.G. Pendal: That is false. Mr C.J. Barnett: It is not true. Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not true? I have a memorandum addressed to the Treasurer. Mr C.J. Barnett: Who was? Dr G.I. GALLOP: The former Premier, Richard Court. This is what he was told - The NCC has already indicated its concern with retail trading hours restrictions in other States. It has criticised South Australia’s approach, which is less restrictive than Western Australia’s. We understand that the NCC is considering deductions from South Australia’s competition payments of between $24 and $30 million per annum. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Did it take the issue into the election campaign? Was the Liberal Party open and accountable? Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so weak. You are the weakest Premier this State has ever had. You do not even stand up to the Canberra bureaucracy. The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
(1)-(2) The Government of Western Australia is consulting very widely on this highly contentious issue. We are consulting with the Small Business Development Corporation, which provides independent advice to the Government. It has its point of view on the subject. We are also consulting with stakeholders throughout Western Australia. Some adopt a social perspective on this issue, some a work perspective, some an economic perspective and some a financial perspective, given the National Competition Council’s threats to payments to the States. A whole range of perspectives are adopted on trading hours. We are looking at all of them in considering which way we will go forward. This is an interesting issue. A lot of people are saying that the central question is the credibility of the Government. I have made it very clear that the State of Western Australia faces a quandary. The Government when in opposition made a commitment, but as we proceeded to carry through that commitment a consequence was revealed to us by the National Competition Council that made it very difficult. We are therefore consulting with the community on our quandary. Mr P.G. Pendal: That is not true; that is false. Dr G.I. GALLOP: What is false? Mr P.G. Pendal: It is just like the stunt you tried to pull on taxis. The National Competition Council required you to review the position - just like it has with trading hours - but no more. Dr G.I. GALLOP: That is the view of the member for South Perth. If he wants to live in cloud-cuckoo-land he can. If he wants to live in a land where things do not exist, let him live there. It is an interesting world of irrelevance and fantasy. I can assure him that the National Competition Council is threatening cuts to our payments. The Leader of the Opposition and his colleagues of the former Government know where the credibility lies in this issue; it lies with the Liberal Party. Do members know why it lies with the Liberal Party? It is because before the last election the Liberal Party was advised by the Treasury officers that if trading hour regulations in Western Australia were not changed, they would be a threat to competition payments to Western Australia. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Mr P.G. Pendal: That is false. Mr C.J. Barnett: It is not true. Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not true? I have a memorandum addressed to the Treasurer. Mr C.J. Barnett: Who was? Dr G.I. GALLOP: The former Premier, Richard Court. This is what he was told - The NCC has already indicated its concern with retail trading hours restrictions in other States. It has criticised South Australia’s approach, which is less restrictive than Western Australia’s. We understand that the NCC is considering deductions from South Australia’s competition payments of between $24 and $30 million per annum. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Did it take the issue into the election campaign? Was the Liberal Party open and accountable? Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so weak. You are the weakest Premier this State has ever had. You do not even stand up to the Canberra bureaucracy. The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
Mr P.G. Pendal: That is not true; that is false. Dr G.I. GALLOP: What is false? Mr P.G. Pendal: It is just like the stunt you tried to pull on taxis. The National Competition Council required you to review the position - just like it has with trading hours - but no more. Dr G.I. GALLOP: That is the view of the member for South Perth. If he wants to live in cloud-cuckoo-land he can. If he wants to live in a land where things do not exist, let him live there. It is an interesting world of irrelevance and fantasy. I can assure him that the National Competition Council is threatening cuts to our payments. The Leader of the Opposition and his colleagues of the former Government know where the credibility lies in this issue; it lies with the Liberal Party. Do members know why it lies with the Liberal Party? It is because before the last election the Liberal Party was advised by the Treasury officers that if trading hour regulations in Western Australia were not changed, they would be a threat to competition payments to Western Australia. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Mr P.G. Pendal: That is false. Mr C.J. Barnett: It is not true. Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not true? I have a memorandum addressed to the Treasurer. Mr C.J. Barnett: Who was? Dr G.I. GALLOP: The former Premier, Richard Court. This is what he was told - The NCC has already indicated its concern with retail trading hours restrictions in other States. It has criticised South Australia’s approach, which is less restrictive than Western Australia’s. We understand that the NCC is considering deductions from South Australia’s competition payments of between $24 and $30 million per annum. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Did it take the issue into the election campaign? Was the Liberal Party open and accountable? Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so weak. You are the weakest Premier this State has ever had. You do not even stand up to the Canberra bureaucracy. The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: What is false? Mr P.G. Pendal: It is just like the stunt you tried to pull on taxis. The National Competition Council required you to review the position - just like it has with trading hours - but no more. Dr G.I. GALLOP: That is the view of the member for South Perth. If he wants to live in cloud-cuckoo-land he can. If he wants to live in a land where things do not exist, let him live there. It is an interesting world of irrelevance and fantasy. I can assure him that the National Competition Council is threatening cuts to our payments. The Leader of the Opposition and his colleagues of the former Government know where the credibility lies in this issue; it lies with the Liberal Party. Do members know why it lies with the Liberal Party? It is because before the last election the Liberal Party was advised by the Treasury officers that if trading hour regulations in Western Australia were not changed, they would be a threat to competition payments to Western Australia. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Mr P.G. Pendal: That is false. Mr C.J. Barnett: It is not true. Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not true? I have a memorandum addressed to the Treasurer. Mr C.J. Barnett: Who was? Dr G.I. GALLOP: The former Premier, Richard Court. This is what he was told - The NCC has already indicated its concern with retail trading hours restrictions in other States. It has criticised South Australia’s approach, which is less restrictive than Western Australia’s. We understand that the NCC is considering deductions from South Australia’s competition payments of between $24 and $30 million per annum. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Did it take the issue into the election campaign? Was the Liberal Party open and accountable? Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so weak. You are the weakest Premier this State has ever had. You do not even stand up to the Canberra bureaucracy. The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
Mr P.G. Pendal: It is just like the stunt you tried to pull on taxis. The National Competition Council required you to review the position - just like it has with trading hours - but no more. Dr G.I. GALLOP: That is the view of the member for South Perth. If he wants to live in cloud-cuckoo-land he can. If he wants to live in a land where things do not exist, let him live there. It is an interesting world of irrelevance and fantasy. I can assure him that the National Competition Council is threatening cuts to our payments. The Leader of the Opposition and his colleagues of the former Government know where the credibility lies in this issue; it lies with the Liberal Party. Do members know why it lies with the Liberal Party? It is because before the last election the Liberal Party was advised by the Treasury officers that if trading hour regulations in Western Australia were not changed, they would be a threat to competition payments to Western Australia. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Mr P.G. Pendal: That is false. Mr C.J. Barnett: It is not true. Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not true? I have a memorandum addressed to the Treasurer. Mr C.J. Barnett: Who was? Dr G.I. GALLOP: The former Premier, Richard Court. This is what he was told - The NCC has already indicated its concern with retail trading hours restrictions in other States. It has criticised South Australia’s approach, which is less restrictive than Western Australia’s. We understand that the NCC is considering deductions from South Australia’s competition payments of between $24 and $30 million per annum. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Did it take the issue into the election campaign? Was the Liberal Party open and accountable? Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so weak. You are the weakest Premier this State has ever had. You do not even stand up to the Canberra bureaucracy. The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: That is the view of the member for South Perth. If he wants to live in cloud-cuckoo-land he can. If he wants to live in a land where things do not exist, let him live there. It is an interesting world of irrelevance and fantasy. I can assure him that the National Competition Council is threatening cuts to our payments. The Leader of the Opposition and his colleagues of the former Government know where the credibility lies in this issue; it lies with the Liberal Party. Do members know why it lies with the Liberal Party? It is because before the last election the Liberal Party was advised by the Treasury officers that if trading hour regulations in Western Australia were not changed, they would be a threat to competition payments to Western Australia. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Mr P.G. Pendal: That is false. Mr C.J. Barnett: It is not true. Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not true? I have a memorandum addressed to the Treasurer. Mr C.J. Barnett: Who was? Dr G.I. GALLOP: The former Premier, Richard Court. This is what he was told - The NCC has already indicated its concern with retail trading hours restrictions in other States. It has criticised South Australia’s approach, which is less restrictive than Western Australia’s. We understand that the NCC is considering deductions from South Australia’s competition payments of between $24 and $30 million per annum. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Did it take the issue into the election campaign? Was the Liberal Party open and accountable? Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so weak. You are the weakest Premier this State has ever had. You do not even stand up to the Canberra bureaucracy. The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
Mr P.G. Pendal: That is false. Mr C.J. Barnett: It is not true. Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not true? I have a memorandum addressed to the Treasurer. Mr C.J. Barnett: Who was? Dr G.I. GALLOP: The former Premier, Richard Court. This is what he was told - The NCC has already indicated its concern with retail trading hours restrictions in other States. It has criticised South Australia’s approach, which is less restrictive than Western Australia’s. We understand that the NCC is considering deductions from South Australia’s competition payments of between $24 and $30 million per annum. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Did it take the issue into the election campaign? Was the Liberal Party open and accountable? Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so weak. You are the weakest Premier this State has ever had. You do not even stand up to the Canberra bureaucracy. The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
Mr C.J. Barnett: It is not true. Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not true? I have a memorandum addressed to the Treasurer. Mr C.J. Barnett: Who was? Dr G.I. GALLOP: The former Premier, Richard Court. This is what he was told - The NCC has already indicated its concern with retail trading hours restrictions in other States. It has criticised South Australia’s approach, which is less restrictive than Western Australia’s. We understand that the NCC is considering deductions from South Australia’s competition payments of between $24 and $30 million per annum. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Did it take the issue into the election campaign? Was the Liberal Party open and accountable? Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so weak. You are the weakest Premier this State has ever had. You do not even stand up to the Canberra bureaucracy. The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not true? I have a memorandum addressed to the Treasurer. Mr C.J. Barnett: Who was? Dr G.I. GALLOP: The former Premier, Richard Court. This is what he was told - The NCC has already indicated its concern with retail trading hours restrictions in other States. It has criticised South Australia’s approach, which is less restrictive than Western Australia’s. We understand that the NCC is considering deductions from South Australia’s competition payments of between $24 and $30 million per annum. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Did it take the issue into the election campaign? Was the Liberal Party open and accountable? Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so weak. You are the weakest Premier this State has ever had. You do not even stand up to the Canberra bureaucracy. The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
Mr C.J. Barnett: Who was? Dr G.I. GALLOP: The former Premier, Richard Court. This is what he was told - The NCC has already indicated its concern with retail trading hours restrictions in other States. It has criticised South Australia’s approach, which is less restrictive than Western Australia’s. We understand that the NCC is considering deductions from South Australia’s competition payments of between $24 and $30 million per annum. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Did it take the issue into the election campaign? Was the Liberal Party open and accountable? Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so weak. You are the weakest Premier this State has ever had. You do not even stand up to the Canberra bureaucracy. The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: The former Premier, Richard Court. This is what he was told - The NCC has already indicated its concern with retail trading hours restrictions in other States. It has criticised South Australia’s approach, which is less restrictive than Western Australia’s. We understand that the NCC is considering deductions from South Australia’s competition payments of between $24 and $30 million per annum. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Did it take the issue into the election campaign? Was the Liberal Party open and accountable? Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so weak. You are the weakest Premier this State has ever had. You do not even stand up to the Canberra bureaucracy. The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so weak. You are the weakest Premier this State has ever had. You do not even stand up to the Canberra bureaucracy. The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
(1) Is the Premier aware of the report submitted to this review by the Small Business Development Corporation, which is the Government’s lead agency responsible for providing policy advice on small business matters? (2) Has he read the report; and, if so, will the Premier advise the House whether his Government’s lead agency on small business policy advice supports or opposes further deregulation of trading hours in Western Australia? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) The Government of Western Australia is consulting very widely on this highly contentious issue. We are consulting with the Small Business Development Corporation, which provides independent advice to the Government. It has its point of view on the subject. We are also consulting with stakeholders throughout Western Australia. Some adopt a social perspective on this issue, some a work perspective, some an economic perspective and some a financial perspective, given the National Competition Council’s threats to payments to the States. A whole range of perspectives are adopted on trading hours. We are looking at all of them in considering which way we will go forward. This is an interesting issue. A lot of people are saying that the central question is the credibility of the Government. I have made it very clear that the State of Western Australia faces a quandary. The Government when in opposition made a commitment, but as we proceeded to carry through that commitment a consequence was revealed to us by the National Competition Council that made it very difficult. We are therefore consulting with the community on our quandary. Mr P.G. Pendal: That is not true; that is false. Dr G.I. GALLOP: What is false? Mr P.G. Pendal: It is just like the stunt you tried to pull on taxis. The National Competition Council required you to review the position - just like it has with trading hours - but no more. Dr G.I. GALLOP: That is the view of the member for South Perth. If he wants to live in cloud-cuckoo-land he can. If he wants to live in a land where things do not exist, let him live there. It is an interesting world of irrelevance and fantasy. I can assure him that the National Competition Council is threatening cuts to our payments. The Leader of the Opposition and his colleagues of the former Government know where the credibility lies in this issue; it lies with the Liberal Party. Do members know why it lies with the Liberal Party? It is because before the last election the Liberal Party was advised by the Treasury officers that if trading hour regulations in Western Australia were not changed, they would be a threat to competition payments to Western Australia. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Mr P.G. Pendal: That is false. Mr C.J. Barnett: It is not true. Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not true? I have a memorandum addressed to the Treasurer. Mr C.J. Barnett: Who was? Dr G.I. GALLOP: The former Premier, Richard Court. This is what he was told - The NCC has already indicated its concern with retail trading hours restrictions in other States. It has criticised South Australia’s approach, which is less restrictive than Western Australia’s. We understand that the NCC is considering deductions from South Australia’s competition payments of between $24 and $30 million per annum. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Did it take the issue into the election campaign? Was the Liberal Party open and accountable? Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so weak. You are the weakest Premier this State has ever had. You do not even stand up to the Canberra bureaucracy. The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
(2) Has he read the report; and, if so, will the Premier advise the House whether his Government’s lead agency on small business policy advice supports or opposes further deregulation of trading hours in Western Australia? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) The Government of Western Australia is consulting very widely on this highly contentious issue. We are consulting with the Small Business Development Corporation, which provides independent advice to the Government. It has its point of view on the subject. We are also consulting with stakeholders throughout Western Australia. Some adopt a social perspective on this issue, some a work perspective, some an economic perspective and some a financial perspective, given the National Competition Council’s threats to payments to the States. A whole range of perspectives are adopted on trading hours. We are looking at all of them in considering which way we will go forward. This is an interesting issue. A lot of people are saying that the central question is the credibility of the Government. I have made it very clear that the State of Western Australia faces a quandary. The Government when in opposition made a commitment, but as we proceeded to carry through that commitment a consequence was revealed to us by the National Competition Council that made it very difficult. We are therefore consulting with the community on our quandary. Mr P.G. Pendal: That is not true; that is false. Dr G.I. GALLOP: What is false? Mr P.G. Pendal: It is just like the stunt you tried to pull on taxis. The National Competition Council required you to review the position - just like it has with trading hours - but no more. Dr G.I. GALLOP: That is the view of the member for South Perth. If he wants to live in cloud-cuckoo-land he can. If he wants to live in a land where things do not exist, let him live there. It is an interesting world of irrelevance and fantasy. I can assure him that the National Competition Council is threatening cuts to our payments. The Leader of the Opposition and his colleagues of the former Government know where the credibility lies in this issue; it lies with the Liberal Party. Do members know why it lies with the Liberal Party? It is because before the last election the Liberal Party was advised by the Treasury officers that if trading hour regulations in Western Australia were not changed, they would be a threat to competition payments to Western Australia. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Mr P.G. Pendal: That is false. Mr C.J. Barnett: It is not true. Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not true? I have a memorandum addressed to the Treasurer. Mr C.J. Barnett: Who was? Dr G.I. GALLOP: The former Premier, Richard Court. This is what he was told - The NCC has already indicated its concern with retail trading hours restrictions in other States. It has criticised South Australia’s approach, which is less restrictive than Western Australia’s. We understand that the NCC is considering deductions from South Australia’s competition payments of between $24 and $30 million per annum. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Did it take the issue into the election campaign? Was the Liberal Party open and accountable? Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so weak. You are the weakest Premier this State has ever had. You do not even stand up to the Canberra bureaucracy. The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) The Government of Western Australia is consulting very widely on this highly contentious issue. We are consulting with the Small Business Development Corporation, which provides independent advice to the Government. It has its point of view on the subject. We are also consulting with stakeholders throughout Western Australia. Some adopt a social perspective on this issue, some a work perspective, some an economic perspective and some a financial perspective, given the National Competition Council’s threats to payments to the States. A whole range of perspectives are adopted on trading hours. We are looking at all of them in considering which way we will go forward. This is an interesting issue. A lot of people are saying that the central question is the credibility of the Government. I have made it very clear that the State of Western Australia faces a quandary. The Government when in opposition made a commitment, but as we proceeded to carry through that commitment a consequence was revealed to us by the National Competition Council that made it very difficult. We are therefore consulting with the community on our quandary. Mr P.G. Pendal: That is not true; that is false. Dr G.I. GALLOP: What is false? Mr P.G. Pendal: It is just like the stunt you tried to pull on taxis. The National Competition Council required you to review the position - just like it has with trading hours - but no more. Dr G.I. GALLOP: That is the view of the member for South Perth. If he wants to live in cloud-cuckoo-land he can. If he wants to live in a land where things do not exist, let him live there. It is an interesting world of irrelevance and fantasy. I can assure him that the National Competition Council is threatening cuts to our payments. The Leader of the Opposition and his colleagues of the former Government know where the credibility lies in this issue; it lies with the Liberal Party. Do members know why it lies with the Liberal Party? It is because before the last election the Liberal Party was advised by the Treasury officers that if trading hour regulations in Western Australia were not changed, they would be a threat to competition payments to Western Australia. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Mr P.G. Pendal: That is false. Mr C.J. Barnett: It is not true. Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not true? I have a memorandum addressed to the Treasurer. Mr C.J. Barnett: Who was? Dr G.I. GALLOP: The former Premier, Richard Court. This is what he was told - The NCC has already indicated its concern with retail trading hours restrictions in other States. It has criticised South Australia’s approach, which is less restrictive than Western Australia’s. We understand that the NCC is considering deductions from South Australia’s competition payments of between $24 and $30 million per annum. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Did it take the issue into the election campaign? Was the Liberal Party open and accountable? Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so weak. You are the weakest Premier this State has ever had. You do not even stand up to the Canberra bureaucracy. The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
(1)-(2) The Government of Western Australia is consulting very widely on this highly contentious issue. We are consulting with the Small Business Development Corporation, which provides independent advice to the Government. It has its point of view on the subject. We are also consulting with stakeholders throughout Western Australia. Some adopt a social perspective on this issue, some a work perspective, some an economic perspective and some a financial perspective, given the National Competition Council’s threats to payments to the States. A whole range of perspectives are adopted on trading hours. We are looking at all of them in considering which way we will go forward. This is an interesting issue. A lot of people are saying that the central question is the credibility of the Government. I have made it very clear that the State of Western Australia faces a quandary. The Government when in opposition made a commitment, but as we proceeded to carry through that commitment a consequence was revealed to us by the National Competition Council that made it very difficult. We are therefore consulting with the community on our quandary. Mr P.G. Pendal: That is not true; that is false. Dr G.I. GALLOP: What is false? Mr P.G. Pendal: It is just like the stunt you tried to pull on taxis. The National Competition Council required you to review the position - just like it has with trading hours - but no more. Dr G.I. GALLOP: That is the view of the member for South Perth. If he wants to live in cloud-cuckoo-land he can. If he wants to live in a land where things do not exist, let him live there. It is an interesting world of irrelevance and fantasy. I can assure him that the National Competition Council is threatening cuts to our payments. The Leader of the Opposition and his colleagues of the former Government know where the credibility lies in this issue; it lies with the Liberal Party. Do members know why it lies with the Liberal Party? It is because before the last election the Liberal Party was advised by the Treasury officers that if trading hour regulations in Western Australia were not changed, they would be a threat to competition payments to Western Australia. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Mr P.G. Pendal: That is false. Mr C.J. Barnett: It is not true. Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not true? I have a memorandum addressed to the Treasurer. Mr C.J. Barnett: Who was? Dr G.I. GALLOP: The former Premier, Richard Court. This is what he was told - The NCC has already indicated its concern with retail trading hours restrictions in other States. It has criticised South Australia’s approach, which is less restrictive than Western Australia’s. We understand that the NCC is considering deductions from South Australia’s competition payments of between $24 and $30 million per annum. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Did it take the issue into the election campaign? Was the Liberal Party open and accountable? Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so weak. You are the weakest Premier this State has ever had. You do not even stand up to the Canberra bureaucracy. The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
Mr P.G. Pendal: That is not true; that is false. Dr G.I. GALLOP: What is false? Mr P.G. Pendal: It is just like the stunt you tried to pull on taxis. The National Competition Council required you to review the position - just like it has with trading hours - but no more. Dr G.I. GALLOP: That is the view of the member for South Perth. If he wants to live in cloud-cuckoo-land he can. If he wants to live in a land where things do not exist, let him live there. It is an interesting world of irrelevance and fantasy. I can assure him that the National Competition Council is threatening cuts to our payments. The Leader of the Opposition and his colleagues of the former Government know where the credibility lies in this issue; it lies with the Liberal Party. Do members know why it lies with the Liberal Party? It is because before the last election the Liberal Party was advised by the Treasury officers that if trading hour regulations in Western Australia were not changed, they would be a threat to competition payments to Western Australia. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Mr P.G. Pendal: That is false. Mr C.J. Barnett: It is not true. Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not true? I have a memorandum addressed to the Treasurer. Mr C.J. Barnett: Who was? Dr G.I. GALLOP: The former Premier, Richard Court. This is what he was told - The NCC has already indicated its concern with retail trading hours restrictions in other States. It has criticised South Australia’s approach, which is less restrictive than Western Australia’s. We understand that the NCC is considering deductions from South Australia’s competition payments of between $24 and $30 million per annum. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Did it take the issue into the election campaign? Was the Liberal Party open and accountable? Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so weak. You are the weakest Premier this State has ever had. You do not even stand up to the Canberra bureaucracy. The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: What is false? Mr P.G. Pendal: It is just like the stunt you tried to pull on taxis. The National Competition Council required you to review the position - just like it has with trading hours - but no more. Dr G.I. GALLOP: That is the view of the member for South Perth. If he wants to live in cloud-cuckoo-land he can. If he wants to live in a land where things do not exist, let him live there. It is an interesting world of irrelevance and fantasy. I can assure him that the National Competition Council is threatening cuts to our payments. The Leader of the Opposition and his colleagues of the former Government know where the credibility lies in this issue; it lies with the Liberal Party. Do members know why it lies with the Liberal Party? It is because before the last election the Liberal Party was advised by the Treasury officers that if trading hour regulations in Western Australia were not changed, they would be a threat to competition payments to Western Australia. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Mr P.G. Pendal: That is false. Mr C.J. Barnett: It is not true. Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not true? I have a memorandum addressed to the Treasurer. Mr C.J. Barnett: Who was? Dr G.I. GALLOP: The former Premier, Richard Court. This is what he was told - The NCC has already indicated its concern with retail trading hours restrictions in other States. It has criticised South Australia’s approach, which is less restrictive than Western Australia’s. We understand that the NCC is considering deductions from South Australia’s competition payments of between $24 and $30 million per annum. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Did it take the issue into the election campaign? Was the Liberal Party open and accountable? Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so weak. You are the weakest Premier this State has ever had. You do not even stand up to the Canberra bureaucracy. The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
Mr P.G. Pendal: It is just like the stunt you tried to pull on taxis. The National Competition Council required you to review the position - just like it has with trading hours - but no more. Dr G.I. GALLOP: That is the view of the member for South Perth. If he wants to live in cloud-cuckoo-land he can. If he wants to live in a land where things do not exist, let him live there. It is an interesting world of irrelevance and fantasy. I can assure him that the National Competition Council is threatening cuts to our payments. The Leader of the Opposition and his colleagues of the former Government know where the credibility lies in this issue; it lies with the Liberal Party. Do members know why it lies with the Liberal Party? It is because before the last election the Liberal Party was advised by the Treasury officers that if trading hour regulations in Western Australia were not changed, they would be a threat to competition payments to Western Australia. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Mr P.G. Pendal: That is false. Mr C.J. Barnett: It is not true. Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not true? I have a memorandum addressed to the Treasurer. Mr C.J. Barnett: Who was? Dr G.I. GALLOP: The former Premier, Richard Court. This is what he was told - The NCC has already indicated its concern with retail trading hours restrictions in other States. It has criticised South Australia’s approach, which is less restrictive than Western Australia’s. We understand that the NCC is considering deductions from South Australia’s competition payments of between $24 and $30 million per annum. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Did it take the issue into the election campaign? Was the Liberal Party open and accountable? Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so weak. You are the weakest Premier this State has ever had. You do not even stand up to the Canberra bureaucracy. The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: That is the view of the member for South Perth. If he wants to live in cloud-cuckoo-land he can. If he wants to live in a land where things do not exist, let him live there. It is an interesting world of irrelevance and fantasy. I can assure him that the National Competition Council is threatening cuts to our payments. The Leader of the Opposition and his colleagues of the former Government know where the credibility lies in this issue; it lies with the Liberal Party. Do members know why it lies with the Liberal Party? It is because before the last election the Liberal Party was advised by the Treasury officers that if trading hour regulations in Western Australia were not changed, they would be a threat to competition payments to Western Australia. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Mr P.G. Pendal: That is false. Mr C.J. Barnett: It is not true. Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not true? I have a memorandum addressed to the Treasurer. Mr C.J. Barnett: Who was? Dr G.I. GALLOP: The former Premier, Richard Court. This is what he was told - The NCC has already indicated its concern with retail trading hours restrictions in other States. It has criticised South Australia’s approach, which is less restrictive than Western Australia’s. We understand that the NCC is considering deductions from South Australia’s competition payments of between $24 and $30 million per annum. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Did it take the issue into the election campaign? Was the Liberal Party open and accountable? Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so weak. You are the weakest Premier this State has ever had. You do not even stand up to the Canberra bureaucracy. The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
Mr P.G. Pendal: That is false. Mr C.J. Barnett: It is not true. Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not true? I have a memorandum addressed to the Treasurer. Mr C.J. Barnett: Who was? Dr G.I. GALLOP: The former Premier, Richard Court. This is what he was told - The NCC has already indicated its concern with retail trading hours restrictions in other States. It has criticised South Australia’s approach, which is less restrictive than Western Australia’s. We understand that the NCC is considering deductions from South Australia’s competition payments of between $24 and $30 million per annum. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Did it take the issue into the election campaign? Was the Liberal Party open and accountable? Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so weak. You are the weakest Premier this State has ever had. You do not even stand up to the Canberra bureaucracy. The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
Mr C.J. Barnett: It is not true. Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not true? I have a memorandum addressed to the Treasurer. Mr C.J. Barnett: Who was? Dr G.I. GALLOP: The former Premier, Richard Court. This is what he was told - The NCC has already indicated its concern with retail trading hours restrictions in other States. It has criticised South Australia’s approach, which is less restrictive than Western Australia’s. We understand that the NCC is considering deductions from South Australia’s competition payments of between $24 and $30 million per annum. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Did it take the issue into the election campaign? Was the Liberal Party open and accountable? Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so weak. You are the weakest Premier this State has ever had. You do not even stand up to the Canberra bureaucracy. The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: It is not true? I have a memorandum addressed to the Treasurer. Mr C.J. Barnett: Who was? Dr G.I. GALLOP: The former Premier, Richard Court. This is what he was told - The NCC has already indicated its concern with retail trading hours restrictions in other States. It has criticised South Australia’s approach, which is less restrictive than Western Australia’s. We understand that the NCC is considering deductions from South Australia’s competition payments of between $24 and $30 million per annum. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Did it take the issue into the election campaign? Was the Liberal Party open and accountable? Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so weak. You are the weakest Premier this State has ever had. You do not even stand up to the Canberra bureaucracy. The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
Mr C.J. Barnett: Who was? Dr G.I. GALLOP: The former Premier, Richard Court. This is what he was told - The NCC has already indicated its concern with retail trading hours restrictions in other States. It has criticised South Australia’s approach, which is less restrictive than Western Australia’s. We understand that the NCC is considering deductions from South Australia’s competition payments of between $24 and $30 million per annum. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Did it take the issue into the election campaign? Was the Liberal Party open and accountable? Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so weak. You are the weakest Premier this State has ever had. You do not even stand up to the Canberra bureaucracy. The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: The former Premier, Richard Court. This is what he was told - The NCC has already indicated its concern with retail trading hours restrictions in other States. It has criticised South Australia’s approach, which is less restrictive than Western Australia’s. We understand that the NCC is considering deductions from South Australia’s competition payments of between $24 and $30 million per annum. Did the Liberal Party tell the people of Western Australia that? Did it take the issue into the election campaign? Was the Liberal Party open and accountable? Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so weak. You are the weakest Premier this State has ever had. You do not even stand up to the Canberra bureaucracy. The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
Mr C.J. Barnett: You are so weak. You are the weakest Premier this State has ever had. You do not even stand up to the Canberra bureaucracy. The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
The SPEAKER: Believe it or not this is not interjection time but question time. I call the Leader of the Opposition to order for the first time and I call the member for South Perth to order for the first time. Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
Dr G.I. GALLOP: I must respond to the interjection. Where does the Liberal Party stand today in respect of our very sound argument that the taxpayers and people of Western Australia are being ripped off by the Commonwealth? Where was the Liberal Party when we went into battle on salinity? Do members know where it was? It was under John Howard’s coat-tails; that is where the Liberal Party was. I will repeat the fundamental point: there is one issue of honesty in all this, and it goes to the Liberal Party. It concealed from the people of Western Australia the truth about this issue. We have exposed the truth of this issue and we are trying to deal with it as a State. The Leader of the Opposition and the Liberal Party stand condemned for concealing from the people of Western Australia a major threat to our finances. The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
The SPEAKER: I am very close to closing down question time. If members continue in this vein, we will not get any more questions. Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
Mr J.N. Hyde: Barnett’s budget black hole! The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
The SPEAKER: I call the member for Perth to order for the first time.
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