❓ Question regarding potential conflict between WA state election date and a possible federal election, and whether the Premier has discussed this with the Prime Minister. The Premier confirms the government is seeking advice to avoid inconvenience.
AnsweredQoN 806Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STATE GENERAL ELECTION —
DATE
806. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Premier:
I refer to recent revelations that
the Premier's government sought legal advice about moving Western Australia's
March state election.
(1) Has the Prime
Minister indicated to the Premier that the federal election will be in March;
and, if so, what date has he suggested?
(2) Has he warned
the Prime Minister of the significant distraction and disruption such a change
in date would cause?
DATE
806. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Premier:
I refer to recent revelations that
the Premier's government sought legal advice about moving Western Australia's
March state election.
(1) Has the Prime
Minister indicated to the Premier that the federal election will be in March;
and, if so, what date has he suggested?
(2) Has he warned
the Prime Minister of the significant distraction and disruption such a change
in date would cause?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) I
hesitate to thank the member for the question, but I thank him nevertheless.
This should not be a matter of politics; this is simply a matter of good
administration. Since 2011, the date of our elections has been fixed ever thus
following the passage of a bill introduced by the Barnett Liberal–National
government relating to the timing of elections—that is, fixed terms. In
2025, there is the potentiality, not even an indication, that there will be
some proximity of the timing of the federal election to 8 March, the date of
our election. Because of that, the government has done what all competent
governments do; that is, it has considered the potential scenarios, what those
scenarios might mean and how issues may be ameliorated. Of course, we continue
to seek all kinds of advice on these matters to make sure that as much as
possible we do not inconvenience the people
of Western Australia or the Western Australian Electoral Commission, which has the responsibility of conducting the election. That is what any responsible
and competent government would do.
hesitate to thank the member for the question, but I thank him nevertheless.
This should not be a matter of politics; this is simply a matter of good
administration. Since 2011, the date of our elections has been fixed ever thus
following the passage of a bill introduced by the Barnett Liberal–National
government relating to the timing of elections—that is, fixed terms. In
2025, there is the potentiality, not even an indication, that there will be
some proximity of the timing of the federal election to 8 March, the date of
our election. Because of that, the government has done what all competent
governments do; that is, it has considered the potential scenarios, what those
scenarios might mean and how issues may be ameliorated. Of course, we continue
to seek all kinds of advice on these matters to make sure that as much as
possible we do not inconvenience the people
of Western Australia or the Western Australian Electoral Commission, which has the responsibility of conducting the election. That is what any responsible
and competent government would do.
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