Mr Catania asks the Premier to task the Governor with pursuing ideas for a Pilbara Defence Base. The Premier affirms the Governor's role in advocating for WA and highlights Labor's past defence achievements.

AnsweredQoN 363Legislative Assembly
Asked
14 May 2019
Portfolio
Premier

QuestionView source ↗

PILBARA DEFENCE BASE
363. Mr V.A. CATANIA to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, I want
to hear this.
Mr V.A. CATANIA : Will the
Premier task the Governor, in his newly expanded role to advocate defence
issues, to pursue bold ideas such as those put forward by ''Big''
Nick?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : You do not have
to answer, Premier.

AnswerView source ↗

No, Mr Speaker; I do.
I am pleased that the member asked
me about the Governor. Members have to remember that it was the Governor, when
he was a federal MP, who moved half the Navy to Western Australia. It was Labor
that put half the Navy in Western Australia. In 1987, following the defence
white paper and the Dibb report, the defence minister announced the
establishment of half the Royal Australian Navy at HMAS Stirling in Western
Australia. The biggest defence change probably in the history of the country
was done by a Labor government. ''Big'' Kim did that, Mr Speaker.
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I am
looking at the member for South Perth; I am going to have to start calling him ''Big''
John!
''Big''
Kim did that. I look forward to the Governor of Western Australia continuing to
advocate for Western Australian industry, Western Australian defence and
Western Australian jobs, in exactly the same way that Governors of other states
do. It is an entirely appropriate role for him. I am glad the member agrees
with me.

Explore WA Government Data

Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.

Explore more