❓ Shadow Treasurer Ripper questions Treasurer Barnett about payroll tax harmonisation, fearing increased costs for employers and homebuyers. Barnett deflects, accusing Ripper of similar actions in the past, but promises careful consideration, especially regarding housing costs.
AnsweredQoN 167Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PAYROLL TAX — PROPOSED HARMONISATION MEASURES
I refer to the payroll tax harmonisation measures confirmed by the former Treasurer, the member for Vasse, to be under consideration by this government, which would draw more employers, and more employees for those employers, into the payroll tax net. (1) Will the Treasurer rule out implementing these measures as the former Labor government did? (2) Is it true that if these measures are implemented, the cost of an average house would rise by between 1.5 per cent and four per cent? (3) If the Treasurer will not rule out this tax rise, why not? Mr C.J. BARNETT
I refer to the payroll tax harmonisation measures confirmed by the former Treasurer, the member for Vasse, to be under consideration by this government, which would draw more employers, and more employees for those employers, into the payroll tax net. (1) Will the Treasurer rule out implementing these measures as the former Labor government did? (2) Is it true that if these measures are implemented, the cost of an average house would rise by between 1.5 per cent and four per cent? (3) If the Treasurer will not rule out this tax rise, why not? Mr C.J. BARNETT
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) Coming from someone who brought subcontractors into the payroll tax net, I find that question a bit rich. Does the Leader of the Opposition remember that? It was in about 2003–04 that he brought all subcontractors into payroll tax. Mr E.S. Ripper : That did not happen, but that is what is proposed here. Will you rule it out? Mr M. McGowan : You don’t remember it! Mr E.S. Ripper : You don’t remember it, because it didn’t happen. The member is right. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes I do. I remember talking to the subcontractors working in the boat-building and housing industries and everywhere else. There is some logic in having standardised definitions and rulings on the application of payroll tax, particularly for companies operating in multiple jurisdictions. I will look at it very, very carefully and if I see an impact on the cost of housing, I will probably not go down that path. I will look at it, like I look at everything else. I know members opposite think it is clever to ask detailed questions, which they are entitled to do. If they do not know me, it is about time they learnt that I do everything step by step, project by project and decision by decision. They will have to put up with that.
(1) Will the Treasurer rule out implementing these measures as the former Labor government did? (2) Is it true that if these measures are implemented, the cost of an average house would rise by between 1.5 per cent and four per cent? (3) If the Treasurer will not rule out this tax rise, why not? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(3) Coming from someone who brought subcontractors into the payroll tax net, I find that question a bit rich. Does the Leader of the Opposition remember that? It was in about 2003–04 that he brought all subcontractors into payroll tax. Mr E.S. Ripper : That did not happen, but that is what is proposed here. Will you rule it out? Mr M. McGowan : You don’t remember it! Mr E.S. Ripper : You don’t remember it, because it didn’t happen. The member is right. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes I do. I remember talking to the subcontractors working in the boat-building and housing industries and everywhere else. There is some logic in having standardised definitions and rulings on the application of payroll tax, particularly for companies operating in multiple jurisdictions. I will look at it very, very carefully and if I see an impact on the cost of housing, I will probably not go down that path. I will look at it, like I look at everything else. I know members opposite think it is clever to ask detailed questions, which they are entitled to do. If they do not know me, it is about time they learnt that I do everything step by step, project by project and decision by decision. They will have to put up with that.
(2) Is it true that if these measures are implemented, the cost of an average house would rise by between 1.5 per cent and four per cent? (3) If the Treasurer will not rule out this tax rise, why not? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(3) Coming from someone who brought subcontractors into the payroll tax net, I find that question a bit rich. Does the Leader of the Opposition remember that? It was in about 2003–04 that he brought all subcontractors into payroll tax. Mr E.S. Ripper : That did not happen, but that is what is proposed here. Will you rule it out? Mr M. McGowan : You don’t remember it! Mr E.S. Ripper : You don’t remember it, because it didn’t happen. The member is right. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes I do. I remember talking to the subcontractors working in the boat-building and housing industries and everywhere else. There is some logic in having standardised definitions and rulings on the application of payroll tax, particularly for companies operating in multiple jurisdictions. I will look at it very, very carefully and if I see an impact on the cost of housing, I will probably not go down that path. I will look at it, like I look at everything else. I know members opposite think it is clever to ask detailed questions, which they are entitled to do. If they do not know me, it is about time they learnt that I do everything step by step, project by project and decision by decision. They will have to put up with that.
(3) If the Treasurer will not rule out this tax rise, why not? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(3) Coming from someone who brought subcontractors into the payroll tax net, I find that question a bit rich. Does the Leader of the Opposition remember that? It was in about 2003–04 that he brought all subcontractors into payroll tax. Mr E.S. Ripper : That did not happen, but that is what is proposed here. Will you rule it out? Mr M. McGowan : You don’t remember it! Mr E.S. Ripper : You don’t remember it, because it didn’t happen. The member is right. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes I do. I remember talking to the subcontractors working in the boat-building and housing industries and everywhere else. There is some logic in having standardised definitions and rulings on the application of payroll tax, particularly for companies operating in multiple jurisdictions. I will look at it very, very carefully and if I see an impact on the cost of housing, I will probably not go down that path. I will look at it, like I look at everything else. I know members opposite think it is clever to ask detailed questions, which they are entitled to do. If they do not know me, it is about time they learnt that I do everything step by step, project by project and decision by decision. They will have to put up with that.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(3) Coming from someone who brought subcontractors into the payroll tax net, I find that question a bit rich. Does the Leader of the Opposition remember that? It was in about 2003–04 that he brought all subcontractors into payroll tax. Mr E.S. Ripper : That did not happen, but that is what is proposed here. Will you rule it out? Mr M. McGowan : You don’t remember it! Mr E.S. Ripper : You don’t remember it, because it didn’t happen. The member is right. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes I do. I remember talking to the subcontractors working in the boat-building and housing industries and everywhere else. There is some logic in having standardised definitions and rulings on the application of payroll tax, particularly for companies operating in multiple jurisdictions. I will look at it very, very carefully and if I see an impact on the cost of housing, I will probably not go down that path. I will look at it, like I look at everything else. I know members opposite think it is clever to ask detailed questions, which they are entitled to do. If they do not know me, it is about time they learnt that I do everything step by step, project by project and decision by decision. They will have to put up with that.
(1)–(3) Coming from someone who brought subcontractors into the payroll tax net, I find that question a bit rich. Does the Leader of the Opposition remember that? It was in about 2003–04 that he brought all subcontractors into payroll tax. Mr E.S. Ripper : That did not happen, but that is what is proposed here. Will you rule it out? Mr M. McGowan : You don’t remember it! Mr E.S. Ripper : You don’t remember it, because it didn’t happen. The member is right. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes I do. I remember talking to the subcontractors working in the boat-building and housing industries and everywhere else. There is some logic in having standardised definitions and rulings on the application of payroll tax, particularly for companies operating in multiple jurisdictions. I will look at it very, very carefully and if I see an impact on the cost of housing, I will probably not go down that path. I will look at it, like I look at everything else. I know members opposite think it is clever to ask detailed questions, which they are entitled to do. If they do not know me, it is about time they learnt that I do everything step by step, project by project and decision by decision. They will have to put up with that.
Mr E.S. Ripper : That did not happen, but that is what is proposed here. Will you rule it out? Mr M. McGowan : You don’t remember it! Mr E.S. Ripper : You don’t remember it, because it didn’t happen. The member is right. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes I do. I remember talking to the subcontractors working in the boat-building and housing industries and everywhere else. There is some logic in having standardised definitions and rulings on the application of payroll tax, particularly for companies operating in multiple jurisdictions. I will look at it very, very carefully and if I see an impact on the cost of housing, I will probably not go down that path. I will look at it, like I look at everything else. I know members opposite think it is clever to ask detailed questions, which they are entitled to do. If they do not know me, it is about time they learnt that I do everything step by step, project by project and decision by decision. They will have to put up with that.
Mr M. McGowan : You don’t remember it! Mr E.S. Ripper : You don’t remember it, because it didn’t happen. The member is right. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes I do. I remember talking to the subcontractors working in the boat-building and housing industries and everywhere else. There is some logic in having standardised definitions and rulings on the application of payroll tax, particularly for companies operating in multiple jurisdictions. I will look at it very, very carefully and if I see an impact on the cost of housing, I will probably not go down that path. I will look at it, like I look at everything else. I know members opposite think it is clever to ask detailed questions, which they are entitled to do. If they do not know me, it is about time they learnt that I do everything step by step, project by project and decision by decision. They will have to put up with that.
Mr E.S. Ripper : You don’t remember it, because it didn’t happen. The member is right. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes I do. I remember talking to the subcontractors working in the boat-building and housing industries and everywhere else. There is some logic in having standardised definitions and rulings on the application of payroll tax, particularly for companies operating in multiple jurisdictions. I will look at it very, very carefully and if I see an impact on the cost of housing, I will probably not go down that path. I will look at it, like I look at everything else. I know members opposite think it is clever to ask detailed questions, which they are entitled to do. If they do not know me, it is about time they learnt that I do everything step by step, project by project and decision by decision. They will have to put up with that.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes I do. I remember talking to the subcontractors working in the boat-building and housing industries and everywhere else. There is some logic in having standardised definitions and rulings on the application of payroll tax, particularly for companies operating in multiple jurisdictions. I will look at it very, very carefully and if I see an impact on the cost of housing, I will probably not go down that path. I will look at it, like I look at everything else. I know members opposite think it is clever to ask detailed questions, which they are entitled to do. If they do not know me, it is about time they learnt that I do everything step by step, project by project and decision by decision. They will have to put up with that.
(1) Will the Treasurer rule out implementing these measures as the former Labor government did? (2) Is it true that if these measures are implemented, the cost of an average house would rise by between 1.5 per cent and four per cent? (3) If the Treasurer will not rule out this tax rise, why not? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(3) Coming from someone who brought subcontractors into the payroll tax net, I find that question a bit rich. Does the Leader of the Opposition remember that? It was in about 2003–04 that he brought all subcontractors into payroll tax. Mr E.S. Ripper : That did not happen, but that is what is proposed here. Will you rule it out? Mr M. McGowan : You don’t remember it! Mr E.S. Ripper : You don’t remember it, because it didn’t happen. The member is right. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes I do. I remember talking to the subcontractors working in the boat-building and housing industries and everywhere else. There is some logic in having standardised definitions and rulings on the application of payroll tax, particularly for companies operating in multiple jurisdictions. I will look at it very, very carefully and if I see an impact on the cost of housing, I will probably not go down that path. I will look at it, like I look at everything else. I know members opposite think it is clever to ask detailed questions, which they are entitled to do. If they do not know me, it is about time they learnt that I do everything step by step, project by project and decision by decision. They will have to put up with that.
(2) Is it true that if these measures are implemented, the cost of an average house would rise by between 1.5 per cent and four per cent? (3) If the Treasurer will not rule out this tax rise, why not? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(3) Coming from someone who brought subcontractors into the payroll tax net, I find that question a bit rich. Does the Leader of the Opposition remember that? It was in about 2003–04 that he brought all subcontractors into payroll tax. Mr E.S. Ripper : That did not happen, but that is what is proposed here. Will you rule it out? Mr M. McGowan : You don’t remember it! Mr E.S. Ripper : You don’t remember it, because it didn’t happen. The member is right. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes I do. I remember talking to the subcontractors working in the boat-building and housing industries and everywhere else. There is some logic in having standardised definitions and rulings on the application of payroll tax, particularly for companies operating in multiple jurisdictions. I will look at it very, very carefully and if I see an impact on the cost of housing, I will probably not go down that path. I will look at it, like I look at everything else. I know members opposite think it is clever to ask detailed questions, which they are entitled to do. If they do not know me, it is about time they learnt that I do everything step by step, project by project and decision by decision. They will have to put up with that.
(3) If the Treasurer will not rule out this tax rise, why not? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(3) Coming from someone who brought subcontractors into the payroll tax net, I find that question a bit rich. Does the Leader of the Opposition remember that? It was in about 2003–04 that he brought all subcontractors into payroll tax. Mr E.S. Ripper : That did not happen, but that is what is proposed here. Will you rule it out? Mr M. McGowan : You don’t remember it! Mr E.S. Ripper : You don’t remember it, because it didn’t happen. The member is right. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes I do. I remember talking to the subcontractors working in the boat-building and housing industries and everywhere else. There is some logic in having standardised definitions and rulings on the application of payroll tax, particularly for companies operating in multiple jurisdictions. I will look at it very, very carefully and if I see an impact on the cost of housing, I will probably not go down that path. I will look at it, like I look at everything else. I know members opposite think it is clever to ask detailed questions, which they are entitled to do. If they do not know me, it is about time they learnt that I do everything step by step, project by project and decision by decision. They will have to put up with that.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(3) Coming from someone who brought subcontractors into the payroll tax net, I find that question a bit rich. Does the Leader of the Opposition remember that? It was in about 2003–04 that he brought all subcontractors into payroll tax. Mr E.S. Ripper : That did not happen, but that is what is proposed here. Will you rule it out? Mr M. McGowan : You don’t remember it! Mr E.S. Ripper : You don’t remember it, because it didn’t happen. The member is right. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes I do. I remember talking to the subcontractors working in the boat-building and housing industries and everywhere else. There is some logic in having standardised definitions and rulings on the application of payroll tax, particularly for companies operating in multiple jurisdictions. I will look at it very, very carefully and if I see an impact on the cost of housing, I will probably not go down that path. I will look at it, like I look at everything else. I know members opposite think it is clever to ask detailed questions, which they are entitled to do. If they do not know me, it is about time they learnt that I do everything step by step, project by project and decision by decision. They will have to put up with that.
(1)–(3) Coming from someone who brought subcontractors into the payroll tax net, I find that question a bit rich. Does the Leader of the Opposition remember that? It was in about 2003–04 that he brought all subcontractors into payroll tax. Mr E.S. Ripper : That did not happen, but that is what is proposed here. Will you rule it out? Mr M. McGowan : You don’t remember it! Mr E.S. Ripper : You don’t remember it, because it didn’t happen. The member is right. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes I do. I remember talking to the subcontractors working in the boat-building and housing industries and everywhere else. There is some logic in having standardised definitions and rulings on the application of payroll tax, particularly for companies operating in multiple jurisdictions. I will look at it very, very carefully and if I see an impact on the cost of housing, I will probably not go down that path. I will look at it, like I look at everything else. I know members opposite think it is clever to ask detailed questions, which they are entitled to do. If they do not know me, it is about time they learnt that I do everything step by step, project by project and decision by decision. They will have to put up with that.
Mr E.S. Ripper : That did not happen, but that is what is proposed here. Will you rule it out? Mr M. McGowan : You don’t remember it! Mr E.S. Ripper : You don’t remember it, because it didn’t happen. The member is right. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes I do. I remember talking to the subcontractors working in the boat-building and housing industries and everywhere else. There is some logic in having standardised definitions and rulings on the application of payroll tax, particularly for companies operating in multiple jurisdictions. I will look at it very, very carefully and if I see an impact on the cost of housing, I will probably not go down that path. I will look at it, like I look at everything else. I know members opposite think it is clever to ask detailed questions, which they are entitled to do. If they do not know me, it is about time they learnt that I do everything step by step, project by project and decision by decision. They will have to put up with that.
Mr M. McGowan : You don’t remember it! Mr E.S. Ripper : You don’t remember it, because it didn’t happen. The member is right. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes I do. I remember talking to the subcontractors working in the boat-building and housing industries and everywhere else. There is some logic in having standardised definitions and rulings on the application of payroll tax, particularly for companies operating in multiple jurisdictions. I will look at it very, very carefully and if I see an impact on the cost of housing, I will probably not go down that path. I will look at it, like I look at everything else. I know members opposite think it is clever to ask detailed questions, which they are entitled to do. If they do not know me, it is about time they learnt that I do everything step by step, project by project and decision by decision. They will have to put up with that.
Mr E.S. Ripper : You don’t remember it, because it didn’t happen. The member is right. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes I do. I remember talking to the subcontractors working in the boat-building and housing industries and everywhere else. There is some logic in having standardised definitions and rulings on the application of payroll tax, particularly for companies operating in multiple jurisdictions. I will look at it very, very carefully and if I see an impact on the cost of housing, I will probably not go down that path. I will look at it, like I look at everything else. I know members opposite think it is clever to ask detailed questions, which they are entitled to do. If they do not know me, it is about time they learnt that I do everything step by step, project by project and decision by decision. They will have to put up with that.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes I do. I remember talking to the subcontractors working in the boat-building and housing industries and everywhere else. There is some logic in having standardised definitions and rulings on the application of payroll tax, particularly for companies operating in multiple jurisdictions. I will look at it very, very carefully and if I see an impact on the cost of housing, I will probably not go down that path. I will look at it, like I look at everything else. I know members opposite think it is clever to ask detailed questions, which they are entitled to do. If they do not know me, it is about time they learnt that I do everything step by step, project by project and decision by decision. They will have to put up with that.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.