❓ Mr. Francis questions the Premier about potential toll roads following a federal government report. The Premier denies plans for toll roads, privatisation of Fremantle Port, or the Water Corporation, contrasting the Liberal-National government's independence with WA Labor's perceived alignment with federal Labor policy.
AnsweredQoN 300Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
TOLLWAYS — FEDERAL GOVERNMENT REPORT
300. Mr J.M. FRANCIS to the Premier:
I read with great interest the story in The Australian on a report the federal government has today
released that recommends a greater use of tollways. Premier, does the state
government plan to hit Western Australians by introducing tolls on major roads?
300. Mr J.M. FRANCIS to the Premier:
I read with great interest the story in The Australian on a report the federal government has today
released that recommends a greater use of tollways. Premier, does the state
government plan to hit Western Australians by introducing tolls on major roads?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Jandakot for the question. Given that
we have what Labor would call a privatisation debate, particularly being
targeted into the Jandakot electorate, members opposite may be interested in
this, if they have not already looked at it. This report, released by federal
Minister Albanese, is entitled ''Communicating the Imperative for Action''.
This report was delivered, I understand, as effectively the policy direction of
the federal Labor government. The report talks about the need for state
governments to privatise. It advocates privatisation. It specifically calls for
the privatisation of Fremantle port—it is named within it. That is the
Labor Party policy at a federal level. It also calls for the privatisation of
the water authority and water utilities.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Thank you, members!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Is it not interesting, Mr Speaker? WA Labor, where does it
stand? Its own federal party, the party that instructs it, is now calling for
the privatisation of Fremantle port and the privatisation of the water
utilities!
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I want to reassure the people of Western Australia —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, I formally call you to order for the
first time today. My memory tells me that that question was asked by the member
for Jandakot; I doubt that the member for Jandakot is able to hear what is
currently being said by the Premier. I would like to provide you with that
opportunity, member for Jandakot.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I wish to reassure the people of this state that the Liberal–National
government, unlike Labor policy, will not be privatising Fremantle port. We
will not be doing it.
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I also want to make it clear that although we welcome private
investment into public infrastructure, and we do, we will not be privatising
the Water Corporation, nor will we be privatising any other utilities.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for West Swan, I formally call you to order for the first
time today.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The Labor policy document also calls for the introduction of
toll roads and implies that that may in some way even be tied to federal
funding. So I want to make it very clear: this government will not privatise
Fremantle port, we will not privatise the Water Corporation and we will not
introduce toll roads into Western Australia. I think the public needs to know
that.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the first time today.
Member for Armadale, I formally call you to order for the first time today.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
If we have a government that is free to make its own policy decisions, as the
Liberal–National government in Western Australia is —
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : This state, as a result of the referendum, will not have
daylight saving, it will not have pokies in every club and pub on every corner
and neither will it have toll roads. There is a difference between this side of
the house and the other side of the house, because the Liberal–National
government here is able to set its own policies and make its own decisions;
that is not true for Labor members opposite. It is not true and —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members! I presume there are other members in this place who want
to ask a question today; I am hoping there are. Sometimes I am provided a list
with members' names on it because they would like to ask a question.
Some of you might not get to ask that question today with the way things are
going.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : We saw it so evidently yesterday—that is, the lack of
independence allowed to WA Labor—when I asked the simple question, ''Do
you support or oppose the carbon tax?'' It is self-evident to me that federal
Labor —
Mr
W.J. Johnston interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Cannington, you obviously did not listen to me. In my subtle way, I
was indicating that I do not want any further interjections. Member for
Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : It is self-evident to me and I think most Western Australians
that the Leader of the Opposition and WA Labor, as they like to call
themselves, are prevented from expressing their opposition to the carbon tax.
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I have never in my 20 years in public life seen a leader of a
—
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Armadale, I formally call you to order for the second
time today. Member for Willagee, I call you to order for the first time today.
I am quite happy to stand here for five or 10 minutes, however long it takes,
for everybody in this place to understand that this is question time, with the
ability for people to ask questions and get answers. It is not an opportunity
for people on both sides of this place to roar at each other; it does nobody in
this place any credit at all. If you want me to stand here for another five minutes
until you can stay silent, I am happy to do that. I do not want any further
interjections on this question. Premier, I want you to close the question as
soon as possible.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
conclude by making the observation that is apparent to every member of this
house and, had it been reported more widely, would be apparent to every Western
Australian: for the first time we have a leader of a major political party who
is frightened—frightened to express his view on the carbon tax. He
fails to stand in this place and say whether he supports the carbon tax or
opposes it. On probably the most significant public issue affecting people and
the cost of living in this state, we have a Leader of the Labor Party who is
either not allowed, or is too frightened, to comment.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Forrestfield, I formally call you to order for the first time today.
When I sit, I will seek another member for the call.
we have what Labor would call a privatisation debate, particularly being
targeted into the Jandakot electorate, members opposite may be interested in
this, if they have not already looked at it. This report, released by federal
Minister Albanese, is entitled ''Communicating the Imperative for Action''.
This report was delivered, I understand, as effectively the policy direction of
the federal Labor government. The report talks about the need for state
governments to privatise. It advocates privatisation. It specifically calls for
the privatisation of Fremantle port—it is named within it. That is the
Labor Party policy at a federal level. It also calls for the privatisation of
the water authority and water utilities.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Thank you, members!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Is it not interesting, Mr Speaker? WA Labor, where does it
stand? Its own federal party, the party that instructs it, is now calling for
the privatisation of Fremantle port and the privatisation of the water
utilities!
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I want to reassure the people of Western Australia —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, I formally call you to order for the
first time today. My memory tells me that that question was asked by the member
for Jandakot; I doubt that the member for Jandakot is able to hear what is
currently being said by the Premier. I would like to provide you with that
opportunity, member for Jandakot.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I wish to reassure the people of this state that the Liberal–National
government, unlike Labor policy, will not be privatising Fremantle port. We
will not be doing it.
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I also want to make it clear that although we welcome private
investment into public infrastructure, and we do, we will not be privatising
the Water Corporation, nor will we be privatising any other utilities.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for West Swan, I formally call you to order for the first
time today.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The Labor policy document also calls for the introduction of
toll roads and implies that that may in some way even be tied to federal
funding. So I want to make it very clear: this government will not privatise
Fremantle port, we will not privatise the Water Corporation and we will not
introduce toll roads into Western Australia. I think the public needs to know
that.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Cockburn, I formally call you to order for the first time today.
Member for Armadale, I formally call you to order for the first time today.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
If we have a government that is free to make its own policy decisions, as the
Liberal–National government in Western Australia is —
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : This state, as a result of the referendum, will not have
daylight saving, it will not have pokies in every club and pub on every corner
and neither will it have toll roads. There is a difference between this side of
the house and the other side of the house, because the Liberal–National
government here is able to set its own policies and make its own decisions;
that is not true for Labor members opposite. It is not true and —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members! I presume there are other members in this place who want
to ask a question today; I am hoping there are. Sometimes I am provided a list
with members' names on it because they would like to ask a question.
Some of you might not get to ask that question today with the way things are
going.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : We saw it so evidently yesterday—that is, the lack of
independence allowed to WA Labor—when I asked the simple question, ''Do
you support or oppose the carbon tax?'' It is self-evident to me that federal
Labor —
Mr
W.J. Johnston interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Cannington, you obviously did not listen to me. In my subtle way, I
was indicating that I do not want any further interjections. Member for
Cannington, I formally call you to order for the second time today.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : It is self-evident to me and I think most Western Australians
that the Leader of the Opposition and WA Labor, as they like to call
themselves, are prevented from expressing their opposition to the carbon tax.
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I have never in my 20 years in public life seen a leader of a
—
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Armadale, I formally call you to order for the second
time today. Member for Willagee, I call you to order for the first time today.
I am quite happy to stand here for five or 10 minutes, however long it takes,
for everybody in this place to understand that this is question time, with the
ability for people to ask questions and get answers. It is not an opportunity
for people on both sides of this place to roar at each other; it does nobody in
this place any credit at all. If you want me to stand here for another five minutes
until you can stay silent, I am happy to do that. I do not want any further
interjections on this question. Premier, I want you to close the question as
soon as possible.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
conclude by making the observation that is apparent to every member of this
house and, had it been reported more widely, would be apparent to every Western
Australian: for the first time we have a leader of a major political party who
is frightened—frightened to express his view on the carbon tax. He
fails to stand in this place and say whether he supports the carbon tax or
opposes it. On probably the most significant public issue affecting people and
the cost of living in this state, we have a Leader of the Labor Party who is
either not allowed, or is too frightened, to comment.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Forrestfield, I formally call you to order for the first time today.
When I sit, I will seek another member for the call.
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