❓ A WA parliamentary question regarding budget re-prioritization within the Gascoyne Development Commission, specifically concerning funding shifts towards an Aboriginal cultural centre. The Minister defends the decision by citing a previous government commitment and the board's proposal.
AnsweredQoN 1433Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
GASCOYNE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, BUDGET PRIORITIES 1433. Hon NORMAN MOORE to the Minister for the Kimberley, Pilbara and Gascoyne: I refer the minister to the budget for the Gascoyne Development Commission, in which output 1, which is policy strategies and plans, has been reduced from $843 000 to $180 000; output 2, which is industry and enterprise development, has been reduced from $1.166 million to $593 000; output 4, which is regional promotion, has been reduced from $519 000 to $324 000; and output 3, which is infrastructure identification and coordination, has been increased from $1.013 million to $3.141 million, and ask - (1) Who made the decision to drastically reduce outputs 1, 2 and 4 in order to substantially increase output 3 - the board of the commission or the minister? (2) How does the minister justify a reduction of funding for outputs 1, 2 and 4, which are the fundamental reasons for the existence of the regional development commissions, to increase output 3, which is effectively the construction of an Aboriginal heritage and cultural centre? Hon TOM STEPHENS
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(2) The decision to build an Aboriginal cultural and heritage centre was taken by the previous Government. I see no reason to break that commitment, made by the then Deputy Premier, Hon Hendy Cowan, in conjunction with the development commission. The board put up the resource proposal, with the priority arrangements, to me and they were accepted without alteration by me as a reflection of the board’s response to the economic development opportunities of its region. There is a major focus, at this point, on delivering upon Hon Hendy Cowan’s commitment to obtain an Aboriginal cultural and heritage centre for the Aboriginal community of the Gascoyne, and to link it to economic development opportunities for that town and region. It has taken the board a little longer in delivering on that objective than it originally planned, but that delay is essentially driven by the desire to ensure that the business plan makes it a sustainable economic development project, rather than something requiring ongoing funding from the State or federal Government.
GASCOYNE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, BUDGET PRIORITIES
I refer the minister to the budget for the Gascoyne Development Commission, in which output 1, which is policy strategies and plans, has been reduced from $843 000 to $180 000; output 2, which is industry and enterprise development, has been reduced from $1.166 million to $593 000; output 4, which is regional promotion, has been reduced from $519 000 to $324 000; and output 3, which is infrastructure identification and coordination, has been increased from $1.013 million to $3.141 million, and ask - (1) Who made the decision to drastically reduce outputs 1, 2 and 4 in order to substantially increase output 3 - the board of the commission or the minister? (2) How does the minister justify a reduction of funding for outputs 1, 2 and 4, which are the fundamental reasons for the existence of the regional development commissions, to increase output 3, which is effectively the construction of an Aboriginal heritage and cultural centre? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(2) The decision to build an Aboriginal cultural and heritage centre was taken by the previous Government. I see no reason to break that commitment, made by the then Deputy Premier, Hon Hendy Cowan, in conjunction with the development commission. The board put up the resource proposal, with the priority arrangements, to me and they were accepted without alteration by me as a reflection of the board’s response to the economic development opportunities of its region. There is a major focus, at this point, on delivering upon Hon Hendy Cowan’s commitment to obtain an Aboriginal cultural and heritage centre for the Aboriginal community of the Gascoyne, and to link it to economic development opportunities for that town and region. It has taken the board a little longer in delivering on that objective than it originally planned, but that delay is essentially driven by the desire to ensure that the business plan makes it a sustainable economic development project, rather than something requiring ongoing funding from the State or federal Government.
(1) Who made the decision to drastically reduce outputs 1, 2 and 4 in order to substantially increase output 3 - the board of the commission or the minister? (2) How does the minister justify a reduction of funding for outputs 1, 2 and 4, which are the fundamental reasons for the existence of the regional development commissions, to increase output 3, which is effectively the construction of an Aboriginal heritage and cultural centre? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(2) The decision to build an Aboriginal cultural and heritage centre was taken by the previous Government. I see no reason to break that commitment, made by the then Deputy Premier, Hon Hendy Cowan, in conjunction with the development commission. The board put up the resource proposal, with the priority arrangements, to me and they were accepted without alteration by me as a reflection of the board’s response to the economic development opportunities of its region. There is a major focus, at this point, on delivering upon Hon Hendy Cowan’s commitment to obtain an Aboriginal cultural and heritage centre for the Aboriginal community of the Gascoyne, and to link it to economic development opportunities for that town and region. It has taken the board a little longer in delivering on that objective than it originally planned, but that delay is essentially driven by the desire to ensure that the business plan makes it a sustainable economic development project, rather than something requiring ongoing funding from the State or federal Government.
(2) How does the minister justify a reduction of funding for outputs 1, 2 and 4, which are the fundamental reasons for the existence of the regional development commissions, to increase output 3, which is effectively the construction of an Aboriginal heritage and cultural centre? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(2) The decision to build an Aboriginal cultural and heritage centre was taken by the previous Government. I see no reason to break that commitment, made by the then Deputy Premier, Hon Hendy Cowan, in conjunction with the development commission. The board put up the resource proposal, with the priority arrangements, to me and they were accepted without alteration by me as a reflection of the board’s response to the economic development opportunities of its region. There is a major focus, at this point, on delivering upon Hon Hendy Cowan’s commitment to obtain an Aboriginal cultural and heritage centre for the Aboriginal community of the Gascoyne, and to link it to economic development opportunities for that town and region. It has taken the board a little longer in delivering on that objective than it originally planned, but that delay is essentially driven by the desire to ensure that the business plan makes it a sustainable economic development project, rather than something requiring ongoing funding from the State or federal Government.
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(2) The decision to build an Aboriginal cultural and heritage centre was taken by the previous Government. I see no reason to break that commitment, made by the then Deputy Premier, Hon Hendy Cowan, in conjunction with the development commission. The board put up the resource proposal, with the priority arrangements, to me and they were accepted without alteration by me as a reflection of the board’s response to the economic development opportunities of its region. There is a major focus, at this point, on delivering upon Hon Hendy Cowan’s commitment to obtain an Aboriginal cultural and heritage centre for the Aboriginal community of the Gascoyne, and to link it to economic development opportunities for that town and region. It has taken the board a little longer in delivering on that objective than it originally planned, but that delay is essentially driven by the desire to ensure that the business plan makes it a sustainable economic development project, rather than something requiring ongoing funding from the State or federal Government.
(1)-(2) The decision to build an Aboriginal cultural and heritage centre was taken by the previous Government. I see no reason to break that commitment, made by the then Deputy Premier, Hon Hendy Cowan, in conjunction with the development commission. The board put up the resource proposal, with the priority arrangements, to me and they were accepted without alteration by me as a reflection of the board’s response to the economic development opportunities of its region. There is a major focus, at this point, on delivering upon Hon Hendy Cowan’s commitment to obtain an Aboriginal cultural and heritage centre for the Aboriginal community of the Gascoyne, and to link it to economic development opportunities for that town and region. It has taken the board a little longer in delivering on that objective than it originally planned, but that delay is essentially driven by the desire to ensure that the business plan makes it a sustainable economic development project, rather than something requiring ongoing funding from the State or federal Government.
GASCOYNE DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION, BUDGET PRIORITIES
I refer the minister to the budget for the Gascoyne Development Commission, in which output 1, which is policy strategies and plans, has been reduced from $843 000 to $180 000; output 2, which is industry and enterprise development, has been reduced from $1.166 million to $593 000; output 4, which is regional promotion, has been reduced from $519 000 to $324 000; and output 3, which is infrastructure identification and coordination, has been increased from $1.013 million to $3.141 million, and ask - (1) Who made the decision to drastically reduce outputs 1, 2 and 4 in order to substantially increase output 3 - the board of the commission or the minister? (2) How does the minister justify a reduction of funding for outputs 1, 2 and 4, which are the fundamental reasons for the existence of the regional development commissions, to increase output 3, which is effectively the construction of an Aboriginal heritage and cultural centre? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(2) The decision to build an Aboriginal cultural and heritage centre was taken by the previous Government. I see no reason to break that commitment, made by the then Deputy Premier, Hon Hendy Cowan, in conjunction with the development commission. The board put up the resource proposal, with the priority arrangements, to me and they were accepted without alteration by me as a reflection of the board’s response to the economic development opportunities of its region. There is a major focus, at this point, on delivering upon Hon Hendy Cowan’s commitment to obtain an Aboriginal cultural and heritage centre for the Aboriginal community of the Gascoyne, and to link it to economic development opportunities for that town and region. It has taken the board a little longer in delivering on that objective than it originally planned, but that delay is essentially driven by the desire to ensure that the business plan makes it a sustainable economic development project, rather than something requiring ongoing funding from the State or federal Government.
(1) Who made the decision to drastically reduce outputs 1, 2 and 4 in order to substantially increase output 3 - the board of the commission or the minister? (2) How does the minister justify a reduction of funding for outputs 1, 2 and 4, which are the fundamental reasons for the existence of the regional development commissions, to increase output 3, which is effectively the construction of an Aboriginal heritage and cultural centre? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(2) The decision to build an Aboriginal cultural and heritage centre was taken by the previous Government. I see no reason to break that commitment, made by the then Deputy Premier, Hon Hendy Cowan, in conjunction with the development commission. The board put up the resource proposal, with the priority arrangements, to me and they were accepted without alteration by me as a reflection of the board’s response to the economic development opportunities of its region. There is a major focus, at this point, on delivering upon Hon Hendy Cowan’s commitment to obtain an Aboriginal cultural and heritage centre for the Aboriginal community of the Gascoyne, and to link it to economic development opportunities for that town and region. It has taken the board a little longer in delivering on that objective than it originally planned, but that delay is essentially driven by the desire to ensure that the business plan makes it a sustainable economic development project, rather than something requiring ongoing funding from the State or federal Government.
(2) How does the minister justify a reduction of funding for outputs 1, 2 and 4, which are the fundamental reasons for the existence of the regional development commissions, to increase output 3, which is effectively the construction of an Aboriginal heritage and cultural centre? Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(2) The decision to build an Aboriginal cultural and heritage centre was taken by the previous Government. I see no reason to break that commitment, made by the then Deputy Premier, Hon Hendy Cowan, in conjunction with the development commission. The board put up the resource proposal, with the priority arrangements, to me and they were accepted without alteration by me as a reflection of the board’s response to the economic development opportunities of its region. There is a major focus, at this point, on delivering upon Hon Hendy Cowan’s commitment to obtain an Aboriginal cultural and heritage centre for the Aboriginal community of the Gascoyne, and to link it to economic development opportunities for that town and region. It has taken the board a little longer in delivering on that objective than it originally planned, but that delay is essentially driven by the desire to ensure that the business plan makes it a sustainable economic development project, rather than something requiring ongoing funding from the State or federal Government.
Hon TOM STEPHENS replied: (1)-(2) The decision to build an Aboriginal cultural and heritage centre was taken by the previous Government. I see no reason to break that commitment, made by the then Deputy Premier, Hon Hendy Cowan, in conjunction with the development commission. The board put up the resource proposal, with the priority arrangements, to me and they were accepted without alteration by me as a reflection of the board’s response to the economic development opportunities of its region. There is a major focus, at this point, on delivering upon Hon Hendy Cowan’s commitment to obtain an Aboriginal cultural and heritage centre for the Aboriginal community of the Gascoyne, and to link it to economic development opportunities for that town and region. It has taken the board a little longer in delivering on that objective than it originally planned, but that delay is essentially driven by the desire to ensure that the business plan makes it a sustainable economic development project, rather than something requiring ongoing funding from the State or federal Government.
(1)-(2) The decision to build an Aboriginal cultural and heritage centre was taken by the previous Government. I see no reason to break that commitment, made by the then Deputy Premier, Hon Hendy Cowan, in conjunction with the development commission. The board put up the resource proposal, with the priority arrangements, to me and they were accepted without alteration by me as a reflection of the board’s response to the economic development opportunities of its region. There is a major focus, at this point, on delivering upon Hon Hendy Cowan’s commitment to obtain an Aboriginal cultural and heritage centre for the Aboriginal community of the Gascoyne, and to link it to economic development opportunities for that town and region. It has taken the board a little longer in delivering on that objective than it originally planned, but that delay is essentially driven by the desire to ensure that the business plan makes it a sustainable economic development project, rather than something requiring ongoing funding from the State or federal Government.
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