❓ Mrs. Hayden questions the Premier about support for small businesses during the COVID-19 economic recovery, alleging favouritism towards larger corporations. The Premier defends the government's actions, highlighting investments in renewable hydrogen and electricity grants for small businesses.
AnsweredQoN 589Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS —
ECONOMIC RECOVERY PACKAGE — RENEWABLE HYDROGEN STRATEGY
589. Mrs A.K. HAYDEN to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. I note
the Premier's answer that he believes the government has provided
grants to help small businesses. Unfortunately, they have not assisted our
small businesses. Can the Premier please confirm that his government has no
plan or desire to support family-run small businesses and that his priorities
are giving money to the big end of town while local small businesses go
bankrupt?
ECONOMIC RECOVERY PACKAGE — RENEWABLE HYDROGEN STRATEGY
589. Mrs A.K. HAYDEN to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. I note
the Premier's answer that he believes the government has provided
grants to help small businesses. Unfortunately, they have not assisted our
small businesses. Can the Premier please confirm that his government has no
plan or desire to support family-run small businesses and that his priorities
are giving money to the big end of town while local small businesses go
bankrupt?
AnswerView source ↗
What always happens when I answer a question
is that this member, among others, never listens to the answer. I just
explained it to her: $2 million is leveraging $32 million of investment in
hydrogen. She can shake her head. She seems to hate Fortescue Metals Group. FMG
will have the first major mine site in the world to be powered by hydrogen.
That is quite an achievement. It is quite an achievement. It uses green energy
and has no emissions. It is renewable hydrogen —
Mrs A.K. Hayden interjected.
The SPEAKER : You are on three
calls, member.
Mr
M. McGOWAN : The member sniffs
away and is sniping all the time but she does not listen to the answer. The Minister for Energy outlined the $2 500 electricity grants provided to 100 000
small businesses across the state. I repeat: $2 500 off small business
electricity bills across Western Australia. The $5.5 billion recovery plan is
important but the main thing we have done, more than any other state, is get
our economy open within our borders. Had members opposite been in office, they
would have pulled down the borders, COVID would have come back, and we would
not have been able to do so. That is what Liberal Party members would have
done. I saw them all standing behind the
Leader of the Opposition when she was out there saying, ''Pull down the
borders! Pull down the borders!'' I saw the members for Vasse and
Dawesville standing behind her. If they had had their way, our economy would be
in the doldrums and we would have COVID in Western Australia. That is what
would have happened.
The SPEAKER : That is the end
of question time.
is that this member, among others, never listens to the answer. I just
explained it to her: $2 million is leveraging $32 million of investment in
hydrogen. She can shake her head. She seems to hate Fortescue Metals Group. FMG
will have the first major mine site in the world to be powered by hydrogen.
That is quite an achievement. It is quite an achievement. It uses green energy
and has no emissions. It is renewable hydrogen —
Mrs A.K. Hayden interjected.
The SPEAKER : You are on three
calls, member.
Mr
M. McGOWAN : The member sniffs
away and is sniping all the time but she does not listen to the answer. The Minister for Energy outlined the $2 500 electricity grants provided to 100 000
small businesses across the state. I repeat: $2 500 off small business
electricity bills across Western Australia. The $5.5 billion recovery plan is
important but the main thing we have done, more than any other state, is get
our economy open within our borders. Had members opposite been in office, they
would have pulled down the borders, COVID would have come back, and we would
not have been able to do so. That is what Liberal Party members would have
done. I saw them all standing behind the
Leader of the Opposition when she was out there saying, ''Pull down the
borders! Pull down the borders!'' I saw the members for Vasse and
Dawesville standing behind her. If they had had their way, our economy would be
in the doldrums and we would have COVID in Western Australia. That is what
would have happened.
The SPEAKER : That is the end
of question time.
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