❓ Mr. Masters questions the Premier's choice of a less effective water conservation strategy and its impact on federal funding. The Premier deflects, criticises the opposition, and defends the government's water management efforts.
AnsweredQoN 423Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer the Premier to the opportunity presented to him by the Water Corporation in February last year to save between seven and 17 gigalitres of water a year when it presented three options for a water-saving strategy. (1) Why did the Premier choose the easiest option, which is expected to save between 1.1 and three gigalitres of water; that is, potentially as little as 6.5 per cent of the amount of water that the toughest of the three options would have provided? (2) In spite of grandstanding on his refusal to sign up to the National Water Initiative, why should the federal Government give Western Australia any special consideration when the Premier has taken the least effective and electorally easiest option to conserve water in Western Australia? Dr G.I. GALLOP
AnswerView source ↗
I request that if the member is going to ask a question such as this, he give me notice of the question. I do not know the exact reference to which he has referred. I have considered many issues in relation to water in the past three and a half years. I am not sure of the particular reference that the member has made, so I will answer the question in general terms. (1)-(2) The Government of Western Australia has been very active in dealing with this issue. When this issue first arose, the response from the Liberal Party was that there is no water crisis. That is the Liberal Party - there is no water crisis! Is the position of the Liberal Party on this matter still that there is no water crisis in Western Australia? We have been very active in this area in terms of urban issues, non-metropolitan issues, capital expenditure and recycling, and we will open the new water recycling plant in Kwinana later this year. I completely refute the assumption behind the member’s question that the Government has not been active in this area and has not pursued vigorous action to deal with the issue. However, a lot more needs to be done. I find it extraordinary that a member of the Western Australian Parliament, the member for Vasse, would come into this place and defend the Commonwealth Government for not distributing money to Western Australia to help deal with this issue. That is exactly what he has done. It is interesting that not only the Liberals and the Nationals, but also the member for Vasse, are lackeys of John Howard.
(1) Why did the Premier choose the easiest option, which is expected to save between 1.1 and three gigalitres of water; that is, potentially as little as 6.5 per cent of the amount of water that the toughest of the three options would have provided? (2) In spite of grandstanding on his refusal to sign up to the National Water Initiative, why should the federal Government give Western Australia any special consideration when the Premier has taken the least effective and electorally easiest option to conserve water in Western Australia? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: I request that if the member is going to ask a question such as this, he give me notice of the question. I do not know the exact reference to which he has referred. I have considered many issues in relation to water in the past three and a half years. I am not sure of the particular reference that the member has made, so I will answer the question in general terms. (1)-(2) The Government of Western Australia has been very active in dealing with this issue. When this issue first arose, the response from the Liberal Party was that there is no water crisis. That is the Liberal Party - there is no water crisis! Is the position of the Liberal Party on this matter still that there is no water crisis in Western Australia? We have been very active in this area in terms of urban issues, non-metropolitan issues, capital expenditure and recycling, and we will open the new water recycling plant in Kwinana later this year. I completely refute the assumption behind the member’s question that the Government has not been active in this area and has not pursued vigorous action to deal with the issue. However, a lot more needs to be done. I find it extraordinary that a member of the Western Australian Parliament, the member for Vasse, would come into this place and defend the Commonwealth Government for not distributing money to Western Australia to help deal with this issue. That is exactly what he has done. It is interesting that not only the Liberals and the Nationals, but also the member for Vasse, are lackeys of John Howard.
(2) In spite of grandstanding on his refusal to sign up to the National Water Initiative, why should the federal Government give Western Australia any special consideration when the Premier has taken the least effective and electorally easiest option to conserve water in Western Australia? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: I request that if the member is going to ask a question such as this, he give me notice of the question. I do not know the exact reference to which he has referred. I have considered many issues in relation to water in the past three and a half years. I am not sure of the particular reference that the member has made, so I will answer the question in general terms. (1)-(2) The Government of Western Australia has been very active in dealing with this issue. When this issue first arose, the response from the Liberal Party was that there is no water crisis. That is the Liberal Party - there is no water crisis! Is the position of the Liberal Party on this matter still that there is no water crisis in Western Australia? We have been very active in this area in terms of urban issues, non-metropolitan issues, capital expenditure and recycling, and we will open the new water recycling plant in Kwinana later this year. I completely refute the assumption behind the member’s question that the Government has not been active in this area and has not pursued vigorous action to deal with the issue. However, a lot more needs to be done. I find it extraordinary that a member of the Western Australian Parliament, the member for Vasse, would come into this place and defend the Commonwealth Government for not distributing money to Western Australia to help deal with this issue. That is exactly what he has done. It is interesting that not only the Liberals and the Nationals, but also the member for Vasse, are lackeys of John Howard.
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: I request that if the member is going to ask a question such as this, he give me notice of the question. I do not know the exact reference to which he has referred. I have considered many issues in relation to water in the past three and a half years. I am not sure of the particular reference that the member has made, so I will answer the question in general terms. (1)-(2) The Government of Western Australia has been very active in dealing with this issue. When this issue first arose, the response from the Liberal Party was that there is no water crisis. That is the Liberal Party - there is no water crisis! Is the position of the Liberal Party on this matter still that there is no water crisis in Western Australia? We have been very active in this area in terms of urban issues, non-metropolitan issues, capital expenditure and recycling, and we will open the new water recycling plant in Kwinana later this year. I completely refute the assumption behind the member’s question that the Government has not been active in this area and has not pursued vigorous action to deal with the issue. However, a lot more needs to be done. I find it extraordinary that a member of the Western Australian Parliament, the member for Vasse, would come into this place and defend the Commonwealth Government for not distributing money to Western Australia to help deal with this issue. That is exactly what he has done. It is interesting that not only the Liberals and the Nationals, but also the member for Vasse, are lackeys of John Howard.
I request that if the member is going to ask a question such as this, he give me notice of the question. I do not know the exact reference to which he has referred. I have considered many issues in relation to water in the past three and a half years. I am not sure of the particular reference that the member has made, so I will answer the question in general terms. (1)-(2) The Government of Western Australia has been very active in dealing with this issue. When this issue first arose, the response from the Liberal Party was that there is no water crisis. That is the Liberal Party - there is no water crisis! Is the position of the Liberal Party on this matter still that there is no water crisis in Western Australia? We have been very active in this area in terms of urban issues, non-metropolitan issues, capital expenditure and recycling, and we will open the new water recycling plant in Kwinana later this year. I completely refute the assumption behind the member’s question that the Government has not been active in this area and has not pursued vigorous action to deal with the issue. However, a lot more needs to be done. I find it extraordinary that a member of the Western Australian Parliament, the member for Vasse, would come into this place and defend the Commonwealth Government for not distributing money to Western Australia to help deal with this issue. That is exactly what he has done. It is interesting that not only the Liberals and the Nationals, but also the member for Vasse, are lackeys of John Howard.
(1)-(2) The Government of Western Australia has been very active in dealing with this issue. When this issue first arose, the response from the Liberal Party was that there is no water crisis. That is the Liberal Party - there is no water crisis! Is the position of the Liberal Party on this matter still that there is no water crisis in Western Australia? We have been very active in this area in terms of urban issues, non-metropolitan issues, capital expenditure and recycling, and we will open the new water recycling plant in Kwinana later this year. I completely refute the assumption behind the member’s question that the Government has not been active in this area and has not pursued vigorous action to deal with the issue. However, a lot more needs to be done. I find it extraordinary that a member of the Western Australian Parliament, the member for Vasse, would come into this place and defend the Commonwealth Government for not distributing money to Western Australia to help deal with this issue. That is exactly what he has done. It is interesting that not only the Liberals and the Nationals, but also the member for Vasse, are lackeys of John Howard.
(1) Why did the Premier choose the easiest option, which is expected to save between 1.1 and three gigalitres of water; that is, potentially as little as 6.5 per cent of the amount of water that the toughest of the three options would have provided? (2) In spite of grandstanding on his refusal to sign up to the National Water Initiative, why should the federal Government give Western Australia any special consideration when the Premier has taken the least effective and electorally easiest option to conserve water in Western Australia? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: I request that if the member is going to ask a question such as this, he give me notice of the question. I do not know the exact reference to which he has referred. I have considered many issues in relation to water in the past three and a half years. I am not sure of the particular reference that the member has made, so I will answer the question in general terms. (1)-(2) The Government of Western Australia has been very active in dealing with this issue. When this issue first arose, the response from the Liberal Party was that there is no water crisis. That is the Liberal Party - there is no water crisis! Is the position of the Liberal Party on this matter still that there is no water crisis in Western Australia? We have been very active in this area in terms of urban issues, non-metropolitan issues, capital expenditure and recycling, and we will open the new water recycling plant in Kwinana later this year. I completely refute the assumption behind the member’s question that the Government has not been active in this area and has not pursued vigorous action to deal with the issue. However, a lot more needs to be done. I find it extraordinary that a member of the Western Australian Parliament, the member for Vasse, would come into this place and defend the Commonwealth Government for not distributing money to Western Australia to help deal with this issue. That is exactly what he has done. It is interesting that not only the Liberals and the Nationals, but also the member for Vasse, are lackeys of John Howard.
(2) In spite of grandstanding on his refusal to sign up to the National Water Initiative, why should the federal Government give Western Australia any special consideration when the Premier has taken the least effective and electorally easiest option to conserve water in Western Australia? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: I request that if the member is going to ask a question such as this, he give me notice of the question. I do not know the exact reference to which he has referred. I have considered many issues in relation to water in the past three and a half years. I am not sure of the particular reference that the member has made, so I will answer the question in general terms. (1)-(2) The Government of Western Australia has been very active in dealing with this issue. When this issue first arose, the response from the Liberal Party was that there is no water crisis. That is the Liberal Party - there is no water crisis! Is the position of the Liberal Party on this matter still that there is no water crisis in Western Australia? We have been very active in this area in terms of urban issues, non-metropolitan issues, capital expenditure and recycling, and we will open the new water recycling plant in Kwinana later this year. I completely refute the assumption behind the member’s question that the Government has not been active in this area and has not pursued vigorous action to deal with the issue. However, a lot more needs to be done. I find it extraordinary that a member of the Western Australian Parliament, the member for Vasse, would come into this place and defend the Commonwealth Government for not distributing money to Western Australia to help deal with this issue. That is exactly what he has done. It is interesting that not only the Liberals and the Nationals, but also the member for Vasse, are lackeys of John Howard.
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: I request that if the member is going to ask a question such as this, he give me notice of the question. I do not know the exact reference to which he has referred. I have considered many issues in relation to water in the past three and a half years. I am not sure of the particular reference that the member has made, so I will answer the question in general terms. (1)-(2) The Government of Western Australia has been very active in dealing with this issue. When this issue first arose, the response from the Liberal Party was that there is no water crisis. That is the Liberal Party - there is no water crisis! Is the position of the Liberal Party on this matter still that there is no water crisis in Western Australia? We have been very active in this area in terms of urban issues, non-metropolitan issues, capital expenditure and recycling, and we will open the new water recycling plant in Kwinana later this year. I completely refute the assumption behind the member’s question that the Government has not been active in this area and has not pursued vigorous action to deal with the issue. However, a lot more needs to be done. I find it extraordinary that a member of the Western Australian Parliament, the member for Vasse, would come into this place and defend the Commonwealth Government for not distributing money to Western Australia to help deal with this issue. That is exactly what he has done. It is interesting that not only the Liberals and the Nationals, but also the member for Vasse, are lackeys of John Howard.
I request that if the member is going to ask a question such as this, he give me notice of the question. I do not know the exact reference to which he has referred. I have considered many issues in relation to water in the past three and a half years. I am not sure of the particular reference that the member has made, so I will answer the question in general terms. (1)-(2) The Government of Western Australia has been very active in dealing with this issue. When this issue first arose, the response from the Liberal Party was that there is no water crisis. That is the Liberal Party - there is no water crisis! Is the position of the Liberal Party on this matter still that there is no water crisis in Western Australia? We have been very active in this area in terms of urban issues, non-metropolitan issues, capital expenditure and recycling, and we will open the new water recycling plant in Kwinana later this year. I completely refute the assumption behind the member’s question that the Government has not been active in this area and has not pursued vigorous action to deal with the issue. However, a lot more needs to be done. I find it extraordinary that a member of the Western Australian Parliament, the member for Vasse, would come into this place and defend the Commonwealth Government for not distributing money to Western Australia to help deal with this issue. That is exactly what he has done. It is interesting that not only the Liberals and the Nationals, but also the member for Vasse, are lackeys of John Howard.
(1)-(2) The Government of Western Australia has been very active in dealing with this issue. When this issue first arose, the response from the Liberal Party was that there is no water crisis. That is the Liberal Party - there is no water crisis! Is the position of the Liberal Party on this matter still that there is no water crisis in Western Australia? We have been very active in this area in terms of urban issues, non-metropolitan issues, capital expenditure and recycling, and we will open the new water recycling plant in Kwinana later this year. I completely refute the assumption behind the member’s question that the Government has not been active in this area and has not pursued vigorous action to deal with the issue. However, a lot more needs to be done. I find it extraordinary that a member of the Western Australian Parliament, the member for Vasse, would come into this place and defend the Commonwealth Government for not distributing money to Western Australia to help deal with this issue. That is exactly what he has done. It is interesting that not only the Liberals and the Nationals, but also the member for Vasse, are lackeys of John Howard.
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