❓ The Treasurer criticises the Leader of the Opposition's unfunded promises and past financial mismanagement, defending the government's economic record and sustainable financial plan.
AnsweredQoN 743Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to the coalition’s recent swag of promises. Can Western Australians really afford them? Mr E.S. RIPPER
AnswerView source ↗
The Leader of the Opposition has a promise for every person but no plan to pay for those promises. He throws money away every day as if it were confetti, just as he did when he was in government. As was the case when he was in government, he has no respect for financial management considerations. A person has only to ask Richard Court. If the Leader of the Opposition wants to know why people in his party are so disloyal as to leak confidential campaign plans, he has only to look to his record of disloyalty to Richard Court, the then Treasurer, on the question of finances. He was disloyal to his then Treasurer and he is being paid back in kind as Leader of the Opposition. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER: The Leader of the Opposition does not worry about the fact that he has a divided team and disloyalty? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! I call to order the member for Warren-Blackwood and the member for Nedlands. Mr E.S. RIPPER: The coalition has announced more than 350 promises in recent years. Those announcements are worth billions of dollars. It is already over the $2 billion mark. It has more than 300 promises still to be costed. They are all to be funded; there is no coherent financial planning whatsoever. Only this week another $240 million of unfunded promises were made. The Leader of the Opposition then visited the 500 Club with another string of unfunded commitments, including the reversal of our public sector reforms to cut waste and duplication. Those reforms will save $170 million a year. That is important news for taxpayers. This must be the first Opposition in history to promise to reinstate waste and duplication in the public sector! Normally Oppositions promise to cut it, but this Opposition is promising to reinstate waste and duplication. The Leader of the Opposition does not want to be open and accountable about his plans. He is trying to sneak to the election with minimal scrutiny of his hidden agenda. However, we have seen a few fragments emerge, and not just from the secret campaign plans. Some have emerged on the Paul Murray program when the Leader of the Opposition said he would cut health by $400 million! Imagine that! He also wants to cut the desalination project by a similar amount. That is consistent with what he told the Sunday Times . He told the newspaper that he would slash spending in the public sector. We cannot go on like this as we go to the election. We must have some form of coherent financial plan from the Leader of the Opposition. It should be wine and coffee proof as well, just like his proposed message cards! After all, the Leader of the Opposition has form. Look at his record in government: the Oakajee mirage, the Windimurra collapse and the Dampier to Bunbury pipeline privatisation fiasco. The list goes on. He was a senior minister in a Government that delivered five deficits in eight budgets. That Government ran down government services and shrank the economy in its last year in office. This Government has delivered $1 billion in tax cuts to power the economy and create jobs. We are making an investment in sustainable growth for the future and spending $1.5 billion a year in new money on health, education, law and order and disability services. All our commitments are fully funded; we have a sustainable financial plan and we will keep the State’s AAA credit rating. We have a record that we can be proud of. It is real and authentic, and it has not been devised by a marketing company. On the question of marketing companies, let us look at what one says about the Liberal Opposition. It says that the party is seen as internally conflicted. That is official advice to the Liberal Party. It also says that the leader’s profile is low and there are mixed perceptions. I think that is a rather kind description of the way in which the Leader of the Opposition is viewed. It also states that there is no understanding by the public of the party’s vision and values and its core policies. Admittedly, that advice was given to the Liberal Party in February 2004. It is quite clear that nothing has changed. The party has had a whole year but it has gone nowhere. The advice it received from its marketing consultants in February 2004 is still absolutely correct. There is no way that this lot opposite can be elected. They are a risk to the State’s economy and finances and the public will not wear them.
Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: The Leader of the Opposition has a promise for every person but no plan to pay for those promises. He throws money away every day as if it were confetti, just as he did when he was in government. As was the case when he was in government, he has no respect for financial management considerations. A person has only to ask Richard Court. If the Leader of the Opposition wants to know why people in his party are so disloyal as to leak confidential campaign plans, he has only to look to his record of disloyalty to Richard Court, the then Treasurer, on the question of finances. He was disloyal to his then Treasurer and he is being paid back in kind as Leader of the Opposition. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER: The Leader of the Opposition does not worry about the fact that he has a divided team and disloyalty? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! I call to order the member for Warren-Blackwood and the member for Nedlands. Mr E.S. RIPPER: The coalition has announced more than 350 promises in recent years. Those announcements are worth billions of dollars. It is already over the $2 billion mark. It has more than 300 promises still to be costed. They are all to be funded; there is no coherent financial planning whatsoever. Only this week another $240 million of unfunded promises were made. The Leader of the Opposition then visited the 500 Club with another string of unfunded commitments, including the reversal of our public sector reforms to cut waste and duplication. Those reforms will save $170 million a year. That is important news for taxpayers. This must be the first Opposition in history to promise to reinstate waste and duplication in the public sector! Normally Oppositions promise to cut it, but this Opposition is promising to reinstate waste and duplication. The Leader of the Opposition does not want to be open and accountable about his plans. He is trying to sneak to the election with minimal scrutiny of his hidden agenda. However, we have seen a few fragments emerge, and not just from the secret campaign plans. Some have emerged on the Paul Murray program when the Leader of the Opposition said he would cut health by $400 million! Imagine that! He also wants to cut the desalination project by a similar amount. That is consistent with what he told the Sunday Times . He told the newspaper that he would slash spending in the public sector. We cannot go on like this as we go to the election. We must have some form of coherent financial plan from the Leader of the Opposition. It should be wine and coffee proof as well, just like his proposed message cards! After all, the Leader of the Opposition has form. Look at his record in government: the Oakajee mirage, the Windimurra collapse and the Dampier to Bunbury pipeline privatisation fiasco. The list goes on. He was a senior minister in a Government that delivered five deficits in eight budgets. That Government ran down government services and shrank the economy in its last year in office. This Government has delivered $1 billion in tax cuts to power the economy and create jobs. We are making an investment in sustainable growth for the future and spending $1.5 billion a year in new money on health, education, law and order and disability services. All our commitments are fully funded; we have a sustainable financial plan and we will keep the State’s AAA credit rating. We have a record that we can be proud of. It is real and authentic, and it has not been devised by a marketing company. On the question of marketing companies, let us look at what one says about the Liberal Opposition. It says that the party is seen as internally conflicted. That is official advice to the Liberal Party. It also says that the leader’s profile is low and there are mixed perceptions. I think that is a rather kind description of the way in which the Leader of the Opposition is viewed. It also states that there is no understanding by the public of the party’s vision and values and its core policies. Admittedly, that advice was given to the Liberal Party in February 2004. It is quite clear that nothing has changed. The party has had a whole year but it has gone nowhere. The advice it received from its marketing consultants in February 2004 is still absolutely correct. There is no way that this lot opposite can be elected. They are a risk to the State’s economy and finances and the public will not wear them.
The Leader of the Opposition has a promise for every person but no plan to pay for those promises. He throws money away every day as if it were confetti, just as he did when he was in government. As was the case when he was in government, he has no respect for financial management considerations. A person has only to ask Richard Court. If the Leader of the Opposition wants to know why people in his party are so disloyal as to leak confidential campaign plans, he has only to look to his record of disloyalty to Richard Court, the then Treasurer, on the question of finances. He was disloyal to his then Treasurer and he is being paid back in kind as Leader of the Opposition. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER: The Leader of the Opposition does not worry about the fact that he has a divided team and disloyalty? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! I call to order the member for Warren-Blackwood and the member for Nedlands. Mr E.S. RIPPER: The coalition has announced more than 350 promises in recent years. Those announcements are worth billions of dollars. It is already over the $2 billion mark. It has more than 300 promises still to be costed. They are all to be funded; there is no coherent financial planning whatsoever. Only this week another $240 million of unfunded promises were made. The Leader of the Opposition then visited the 500 Club with another string of unfunded commitments, including the reversal of our public sector reforms to cut waste and duplication. Those reforms will save $170 million a year. That is important news for taxpayers. This must be the first Opposition in history to promise to reinstate waste and duplication in the public sector! Normally Oppositions promise to cut it, but this Opposition is promising to reinstate waste and duplication. The Leader of the Opposition does not want to be open and accountable about his plans. He is trying to sneak to the election with minimal scrutiny of his hidden agenda. However, we have seen a few fragments emerge, and not just from the secret campaign plans. Some have emerged on the Paul Murray program when the Leader of the Opposition said he would cut health by $400 million! Imagine that! He also wants to cut the desalination project by a similar amount. That is consistent with what he told the Sunday Times . He told the newspaper that he would slash spending in the public sector. We cannot go on like this as we go to the election. We must have some form of coherent financial plan from the Leader of the Opposition. It should be wine and coffee proof as well, just like his proposed message cards! After all, the Leader of the Opposition has form. Look at his record in government: the Oakajee mirage, the Windimurra collapse and the Dampier to Bunbury pipeline privatisation fiasco. The list goes on. He was a senior minister in a Government that delivered five deficits in eight budgets. That Government ran down government services and shrank the economy in its last year in office. This Government has delivered $1 billion in tax cuts to power the economy and create jobs. We are making an investment in sustainable growth for the future and spending $1.5 billion a year in new money on health, education, law and order and disability services. All our commitments are fully funded; we have a sustainable financial plan and we will keep the State’s AAA credit rating. We have a record that we can be proud of. It is real and authentic, and it has not been devised by a marketing company. On the question of marketing companies, let us look at what one says about the Liberal Opposition. It says that the party is seen as internally conflicted. That is official advice to the Liberal Party. It also says that the leader’s profile is low and there are mixed perceptions. I think that is a rather kind description of the way in which the Leader of the Opposition is viewed. It also states that there is no understanding by the public of the party’s vision and values and its core policies. Admittedly, that advice was given to the Liberal Party in February 2004. It is quite clear that nothing has changed. The party has had a whole year but it has gone nowhere. The advice it received from its marketing consultants in February 2004 is still absolutely correct. There is no way that this lot opposite can be elected. They are a risk to the State’s economy and finances and the public will not wear them.
Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER: The Leader of the Opposition does not worry about the fact that he has a divided team and disloyalty? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! I call to order the member for Warren-Blackwood and the member for Nedlands. Mr E.S. RIPPER: The coalition has announced more than 350 promises in recent years. Those announcements are worth billions of dollars. It is already over the $2 billion mark. It has more than 300 promises still to be costed. They are all to be funded; there is no coherent financial planning whatsoever. Only this week another $240 million of unfunded promises were made. The Leader of the Opposition then visited the 500 Club with another string of unfunded commitments, including the reversal of our public sector reforms to cut waste and duplication. Those reforms will save $170 million a year. That is important news for taxpayers. This must be the first Opposition in history to promise to reinstate waste and duplication in the public sector! Normally Oppositions promise to cut it, but this Opposition is promising to reinstate waste and duplication. The Leader of the Opposition does not want to be open and accountable about his plans. He is trying to sneak to the election with minimal scrutiny of his hidden agenda. However, we have seen a few fragments emerge, and not just from the secret campaign plans. Some have emerged on the Paul Murray program when the Leader of the Opposition said he would cut health by $400 million! Imagine that! He also wants to cut the desalination project by a similar amount. That is consistent with what he told the Sunday Times . He told the newspaper that he would slash spending in the public sector. We cannot go on like this as we go to the election. We must have some form of coherent financial plan from the Leader of the Opposition. It should be wine and coffee proof as well, just like his proposed message cards! After all, the Leader of the Opposition has form. Look at his record in government: the Oakajee mirage, the Windimurra collapse and the Dampier to Bunbury pipeline privatisation fiasco. The list goes on. He was a senior minister in a Government that delivered five deficits in eight budgets. That Government ran down government services and shrank the economy in its last year in office. This Government has delivered $1 billion in tax cuts to power the economy and create jobs. We are making an investment in sustainable growth for the future and spending $1.5 billion a year in new money on health, education, law and order and disability services. All our commitments are fully funded; we have a sustainable financial plan and we will keep the State’s AAA credit rating. We have a record that we can be proud of. It is real and authentic, and it has not been devised by a marketing company. On the question of marketing companies, let us look at what one says about the Liberal Opposition. It says that the party is seen as internally conflicted. That is official advice to the Liberal Party. It also says that the leader’s profile is low and there are mixed perceptions. I think that is a rather kind description of the way in which the Leader of the Opposition is viewed. It also states that there is no understanding by the public of the party’s vision and values and its core policies. Admittedly, that advice was given to the Liberal Party in February 2004. It is quite clear that nothing has changed. The party has had a whole year but it has gone nowhere. The advice it received from its marketing consultants in February 2004 is still absolutely correct. There is no way that this lot opposite can be elected. They are a risk to the State’s economy and finances and the public will not wear them.
Mr E.S. RIPPER: The Leader of the Opposition does not worry about the fact that he has a divided team and disloyalty? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! I call to order the member for Warren-Blackwood and the member for Nedlands. Mr E.S. RIPPER: The coalition has announced more than 350 promises in recent years. Those announcements are worth billions of dollars. It is already over the $2 billion mark. It has more than 300 promises still to be costed. They are all to be funded; there is no coherent financial planning whatsoever. Only this week another $240 million of unfunded promises were made. The Leader of the Opposition then visited the 500 Club with another string of unfunded commitments, including the reversal of our public sector reforms to cut waste and duplication. Those reforms will save $170 million a year. That is important news for taxpayers. This must be the first Opposition in history to promise to reinstate waste and duplication in the public sector! Normally Oppositions promise to cut it, but this Opposition is promising to reinstate waste and duplication. The Leader of the Opposition does not want to be open and accountable about his plans. He is trying to sneak to the election with minimal scrutiny of his hidden agenda. However, we have seen a few fragments emerge, and not just from the secret campaign plans. Some have emerged on the Paul Murray program when the Leader of the Opposition said he would cut health by $400 million! Imagine that! He also wants to cut the desalination project by a similar amount. That is consistent with what he told the Sunday Times . He told the newspaper that he would slash spending in the public sector. We cannot go on like this as we go to the election. We must have some form of coherent financial plan from the Leader of the Opposition. It should be wine and coffee proof as well, just like his proposed message cards! After all, the Leader of the Opposition has form. Look at his record in government: the Oakajee mirage, the Windimurra collapse and the Dampier to Bunbury pipeline privatisation fiasco. The list goes on. He was a senior minister in a Government that delivered five deficits in eight budgets. That Government ran down government services and shrank the economy in its last year in office. This Government has delivered $1 billion in tax cuts to power the economy and create jobs. We are making an investment in sustainable growth for the future and spending $1.5 billion a year in new money on health, education, law and order and disability services. All our commitments are fully funded; we have a sustainable financial plan and we will keep the State’s AAA credit rating. We have a record that we can be proud of. It is real and authentic, and it has not been devised by a marketing company. On the question of marketing companies, let us look at what one says about the Liberal Opposition. It says that the party is seen as internally conflicted. That is official advice to the Liberal Party. It also says that the leader’s profile is low and there are mixed perceptions. I think that is a rather kind description of the way in which the Leader of the Opposition is viewed. It also states that there is no understanding by the public of the party’s vision and values and its core policies. Admittedly, that advice was given to the Liberal Party in February 2004. It is quite clear that nothing has changed. The party has had a whole year but it has gone nowhere. The advice it received from its marketing consultants in February 2004 is still absolutely correct. There is no way that this lot opposite can be elected. They are a risk to the State’s economy and finances and the public will not wear them.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! I call to order the member for Warren-Blackwood and the member for Nedlands. Mr E.S. RIPPER: The coalition has announced more than 350 promises in recent years. Those announcements are worth billions of dollars. It is already over the $2 billion mark. It has more than 300 promises still to be costed. They are all to be funded; there is no coherent financial planning whatsoever. Only this week another $240 million of unfunded promises were made. The Leader of the Opposition then visited the 500 Club with another string of unfunded commitments, including the reversal of our public sector reforms to cut waste and duplication. Those reforms will save $170 million a year. That is important news for taxpayers. This must be the first Opposition in history to promise to reinstate waste and duplication in the public sector! Normally Oppositions promise to cut it, but this Opposition is promising to reinstate waste and duplication. The Leader of the Opposition does not want to be open and accountable about his plans. He is trying to sneak to the election with minimal scrutiny of his hidden agenda. However, we have seen a few fragments emerge, and not just from the secret campaign plans. Some have emerged on the Paul Murray program when the Leader of the Opposition said he would cut health by $400 million! Imagine that! He also wants to cut the desalination project by a similar amount. That is consistent with what he told the Sunday Times . He told the newspaper that he would slash spending in the public sector. We cannot go on like this as we go to the election. We must have some form of coherent financial plan from the Leader of the Opposition. It should be wine and coffee proof as well, just like his proposed message cards! After all, the Leader of the Opposition has form. Look at his record in government: the Oakajee mirage, the Windimurra collapse and the Dampier to Bunbury pipeline privatisation fiasco. The list goes on. He was a senior minister in a Government that delivered five deficits in eight budgets. That Government ran down government services and shrank the economy in its last year in office. This Government has delivered $1 billion in tax cuts to power the economy and create jobs. We are making an investment in sustainable growth for the future and spending $1.5 billion a year in new money on health, education, law and order and disability services. All our commitments are fully funded; we have a sustainable financial plan and we will keep the State’s AAA credit rating. We have a record that we can be proud of. It is real and authentic, and it has not been devised by a marketing company. On the question of marketing companies, let us look at what one says about the Liberal Opposition. It says that the party is seen as internally conflicted. That is official advice to the Liberal Party. It also says that the leader’s profile is low and there are mixed perceptions. I think that is a rather kind description of the way in which the Leader of the Opposition is viewed. It also states that there is no understanding by the public of the party’s vision and values and its core policies. Admittedly, that advice was given to the Liberal Party in February 2004. It is quite clear that nothing has changed. The party has had a whole year but it has gone nowhere. The advice it received from its marketing consultants in February 2004 is still absolutely correct. There is no way that this lot opposite can be elected. They are a risk to the State’s economy and finances and the public will not wear them.
The SPEAKER: Order, members! I call to order the member for Warren-Blackwood and the member for Nedlands. Mr E.S. RIPPER: The coalition has announced more than 350 promises in recent years. Those announcements are worth billions of dollars. It is already over the $2 billion mark. It has more than 300 promises still to be costed. They are all to be funded; there is no coherent financial planning whatsoever. Only this week another $240 million of unfunded promises were made. The Leader of the Opposition then visited the 500 Club with another string of unfunded commitments, including the reversal of our public sector reforms to cut waste and duplication. Those reforms will save $170 million a year. That is important news for taxpayers. This must be the first Opposition in history to promise to reinstate waste and duplication in the public sector! Normally Oppositions promise to cut it, but this Opposition is promising to reinstate waste and duplication. The Leader of the Opposition does not want to be open and accountable about his plans. He is trying to sneak to the election with minimal scrutiny of his hidden agenda. However, we have seen a few fragments emerge, and not just from the secret campaign plans. Some have emerged on the Paul Murray program when the Leader of the Opposition said he would cut health by $400 million! Imagine that! He also wants to cut the desalination project by a similar amount. That is consistent with what he told the Sunday Times . He told the newspaper that he would slash spending in the public sector. We cannot go on like this as we go to the election. We must have some form of coherent financial plan from the Leader of the Opposition. It should be wine and coffee proof as well, just like his proposed message cards! After all, the Leader of the Opposition has form. Look at his record in government: the Oakajee mirage, the Windimurra collapse and the Dampier to Bunbury pipeline privatisation fiasco. The list goes on. He was a senior minister in a Government that delivered five deficits in eight budgets. That Government ran down government services and shrank the economy in its last year in office. This Government has delivered $1 billion in tax cuts to power the economy and create jobs. We are making an investment in sustainable growth for the future and spending $1.5 billion a year in new money on health, education, law and order and disability services. All our commitments are fully funded; we have a sustainable financial plan and we will keep the State’s AAA credit rating. We have a record that we can be proud of. It is real and authentic, and it has not been devised by a marketing company. On the question of marketing companies, let us look at what one says about the Liberal Opposition. It says that the party is seen as internally conflicted. That is official advice to the Liberal Party. It also says that the leader’s profile is low and there are mixed perceptions. I think that is a rather kind description of the way in which the Leader of the Opposition is viewed. It also states that there is no understanding by the public of the party’s vision and values and its core policies. Admittedly, that advice was given to the Liberal Party in February 2004. It is quite clear that nothing has changed. The party has had a whole year but it has gone nowhere. The advice it received from its marketing consultants in February 2004 is still absolutely correct. There is no way that this lot opposite can be elected. They are a risk to the State’s economy and finances and the public will not wear them.
Mr E.S. RIPPER: The coalition has announced more than 350 promises in recent years. Those announcements are worth billions of dollars. It is already over the $2 billion mark. It has more than 300 promises still to be costed. They are all to be funded; there is no coherent financial planning whatsoever. Only this week another $240 million of unfunded promises were made. The Leader of the Opposition then visited the 500 Club with another string of unfunded commitments, including the reversal of our public sector reforms to cut waste and duplication. Those reforms will save $170 million a year. That is important news for taxpayers. This must be the first Opposition in history to promise to reinstate waste and duplication in the public sector! Normally Oppositions promise to cut it, but this Opposition is promising to reinstate waste and duplication. The Leader of the Opposition does not want to be open and accountable about his plans. He is trying to sneak to the election with minimal scrutiny of his hidden agenda. However, we have seen a few fragments emerge, and not just from the secret campaign plans. Some have emerged on the Paul Murray program when the Leader of the Opposition said he would cut health by $400 million! Imagine that! He also wants to cut the desalination project by a similar amount. That is consistent with what he told the Sunday Times . He told the newspaper that he would slash spending in the public sector. We cannot go on like this as we go to the election. We must have some form of coherent financial plan from the Leader of the Opposition. It should be wine and coffee proof as well, just like his proposed message cards! After all, the Leader of the Opposition has form. Look at his record in government: the Oakajee mirage, the Windimurra collapse and the Dampier to Bunbury pipeline privatisation fiasco. The list goes on. He was a senior minister in a Government that delivered five deficits in eight budgets. That Government ran down government services and shrank the economy in its last year in office. This Government has delivered $1 billion in tax cuts to power the economy and create jobs. We are making an investment in sustainable growth for the future and spending $1.5 billion a year in new money on health, education, law and order and disability services. All our commitments are fully funded; we have a sustainable financial plan and we will keep the State’s AAA credit rating. We have a record that we can be proud of. It is real and authentic, and it has not been devised by a marketing company. On the question of marketing companies, let us look at what one says about the Liberal Opposition. It says that the party is seen as internally conflicted. That is official advice to the Liberal Party. It also says that the leader’s profile is low and there are mixed perceptions. I think that is a rather kind description of the way in which the Leader of the Opposition is viewed. It also states that there is no understanding by the public of the party’s vision and values and its core policies. Admittedly, that advice was given to the Liberal Party in February 2004. It is quite clear that nothing has changed. The party has had a whole year but it has gone nowhere. The advice it received from its marketing consultants in February 2004 is still absolutely correct. There is no way that this lot opposite can be elected. They are a risk to the State’s economy and finances and the public will not wear them.
We cannot go on like this as we go to the election. We must have some form of coherent financial plan from the Leader of the Opposition. It should be wine and coffee proof as well, just like his proposed message cards! After all, the Leader of the Opposition has form. Look at his record in government: the Oakajee mirage, the Windimurra collapse and the Dampier to Bunbury pipeline privatisation fiasco. The list goes on. He was a senior minister in a Government that delivered five deficits in eight budgets. That Government ran down government services and shrank the economy in its last year in office. This Government has delivered $1 billion in tax cuts to power the economy and create jobs. We are making an investment in sustainable growth for the future and spending $1.5 billion a year in new money on health, education, law and order and disability services. All our commitments are fully funded; we have a sustainable financial plan and we will keep the State’s AAA credit rating. We have a record that we can be proud of. It is real and authentic, and it has not been devised by a marketing company. On the question of marketing companies, let us look at what one says about the Liberal Opposition. It says that the party is seen as internally conflicted. That is official advice to the Liberal Party. It also says that the leader’s profile is low and there are mixed perceptions. I think that is a rather kind description of the way in which the Leader of the Opposition is viewed. It also states that there is no understanding by the public of the party’s vision and values and its core policies. Admittedly, that advice was given to the Liberal Party in February 2004. It is quite clear that nothing has changed. The party has had a whole year but it has gone nowhere. The advice it received from its marketing consultants in February 2004 is still absolutely correct. There is no way that this lot opposite can be elected. They are a risk to the State’s economy and finances and the public will not wear them.
Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: The Leader of the Opposition has a promise for every person but no plan to pay for those promises. He throws money away every day as if it were confetti, just as he did when he was in government. As was the case when he was in government, he has no respect for financial management considerations. A person has only to ask Richard Court. If the Leader of the Opposition wants to know why people in his party are so disloyal as to leak confidential campaign plans, he has only to look to his record of disloyalty to Richard Court, the then Treasurer, on the question of finances. He was disloyal to his then Treasurer and he is being paid back in kind as Leader of the Opposition. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER: The Leader of the Opposition does not worry about the fact that he has a divided team and disloyalty? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! I call to order the member for Warren-Blackwood and the member for Nedlands. Mr E.S. RIPPER: The coalition has announced more than 350 promises in recent years. Those announcements are worth billions of dollars. It is already over the $2 billion mark. It has more than 300 promises still to be costed. They are all to be funded; there is no coherent financial planning whatsoever. Only this week another $240 million of unfunded promises were made. The Leader of the Opposition then visited the 500 Club with another string of unfunded commitments, including the reversal of our public sector reforms to cut waste and duplication. Those reforms will save $170 million a year. That is important news for taxpayers. This must be the first Opposition in history to promise to reinstate waste and duplication in the public sector! Normally Oppositions promise to cut it, but this Opposition is promising to reinstate waste and duplication. The Leader of the Opposition does not want to be open and accountable about his plans. He is trying to sneak to the election with minimal scrutiny of his hidden agenda. However, we have seen a few fragments emerge, and not just from the secret campaign plans. Some have emerged on the Paul Murray program when the Leader of the Opposition said he would cut health by $400 million! Imagine that! He also wants to cut the desalination project by a similar amount. That is consistent with what he told the Sunday Times . He told the newspaper that he would slash spending in the public sector. We cannot go on like this as we go to the election. We must have some form of coherent financial plan from the Leader of the Opposition. It should be wine and coffee proof as well, just like his proposed message cards! After all, the Leader of the Opposition has form. Look at his record in government: the Oakajee mirage, the Windimurra collapse and the Dampier to Bunbury pipeline privatisation fiasco. The list goes on. He was a senior minister in a Government that delivered five deficits in eight budgets. That Government ran down government services and shrank the economy in its last year in office. This Government has delivered $1 billion in tax cuts to power the economy and create jobs. We are making an investment in sustainable growth for the future and spending $1.5 billion a year in new money on health, education, law and order and disability services. All our commitments are fully funded; we have a sustainable financial plan and we will keep the State’s AAA credit rating. We have a record that we can be proud of. It is real and authentic, and it has not been devised by a marketing company. On the question of marketing companies, let us look at what one says about the Liberal Opposition. It says that the party is seen as internally conflicted. That is official advice to the Liberal Party. It also says that the leader’s profile is low and there are mixed perceptions. I think that is a rather kind description of the way in which the Leader of the Opposition is viewed. It also states that there is no understanding by the public of the party’s vision and values and its core policies. Admittedly, that advice was given to the Liberal Party in February 2004. It is quite clear that nothing has changed. The party has had a whole year but it has gone nowhere. The advice it received from its marketing consultants in February 2004 is still absolutely correct. There is no way that this lot opposite can be elected. They are a risk to the State’s economy and finances and the public will not wear them.
The Leader of the Opposition has a promise for every person but no plan to pay for those promises. He throws money away every day as if it were confetti, just as he did when he was in government. As was the case when he was in government, he has no respect for financial management considerations. A person has only to ask Richard Court. If the Leader of the Opposition wants to know why people in his party are so disloyal as to leak confidential campaign plans, he has only to look to his record of disloyalty to Richard Court, the then Treasurer, on the question of finances. He was disloyal to his then Treasurer and he is being paid back in kind as Leader of the Opposition. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER: The Leader of the Opposition does not worry about the fact that he has a divided team and disloyalty? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! I call to order the member for Warren-Blackwood and the member for Nedlands. Mr E.S. RIPPER: The coalition has announced more than 350 promises in recent years. Those announcements are worth billions of dollars. It is already over the $2 billion mark. It has more than 300 promises still to be costed. They are all to be funded; there is no coherent financial planning whatsoever. Only this week another $240 million of unfunded promises were made. The Leader of the Opposition then visited the 500 Club with another string of unfunded commitments, including the reversal of our public sector reforms to cut waste and duplication. Those reforms will save $170 million a year. That is important news for taxpayers. This must be the first Opposition in history to promise to reinstate waste and duplication in the public sector! Normally Oppositions promise to cut it, but this Opposition is promising to reinstate waste and duplication. The Leader of the Opposition does not want to be open and accountable about his plans. He is trying to sneak to the election with minimal scrutiny of his hidden agenda. However, we have seen a few fragments emerge, and not just from the secret campaign plans. Some have emerged on the Paul Murray program when the Leader of the Opposition said he would cut health by $400 million! Imagine that! He also wants to cut the desalination project by a similar amount. That is consistent with what he told the Sunday Times . He told the newspaper that he would slash spending in the public sector. We cannot go on like this as we go to the election. We must have some form of coherent financial plan from the Leader of the Opposition. It should be wine and coffee proof as well, just like his proposed message cards! After all, the Leader of the Opposition has form. Look at his record in government: the Oakajee mirage, the Windimurra collapse and the Dampier to Bunbury pipeline privatisation fiasco. The list goes on. He was a senior minister in a Government that delivered five deficits in eight budgets. That Government ran down government services and shrank the economy in its last year in office. This Government has delivered $1 billion in tax cuts to power the economy and create jobs. We are making an investment in sustainable growth for the future and spending $1.5 billion a year in new money on health, education, law and order and disability services. All our commitments are fully funded; we have a sustainable financial plan and we will keep the State’s AAA credit rating. We have a record that we can be proud of. It is real and authentic, and it has not been devised by a marketing company. On the question of marketing companies, let us look at what one says about the Liberal Opposition. It says that the party is seen as internally conflicted. That is official advice to the Liberal Party. It also says that the leader’s profile is low and there are mixed perceptions. I think that is a rather kind description of the way in which the Leader of the Opposition is viewed. It also states that there is no understanding by the public of the party’s vision and values and its core policies. Admittedly, that advice was given to the Liberal Party in February 2004. It is quite clear that nothing has changed. The party has had a whole year but it has gone nowhere. The advice it received from its marketing consultants in February 2004 is still absolutely correct. There is no way that this lot opposite can be elected. They are a risk to the State’s economy and finances and the public will not wear them.
Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr E.S. RIPPER: The Leader of the Opposition does not worry about the fact that he has a divided team and disloyalty? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! I call to order the member for Warren-Blackwood and the member for Nedlands. Mr E.S. RIPPER: The coalition has announced more than 350 promises in recent years. Those announcements are worth billions of dollars. It is already over the $2 billion mark. It has more than 300 promises still to be costed. They are all to be funded; there is no coherent financial planning whatsoever. Only this week another $240 million of unfunded promises were made. The Leader of the Opposition then visited the 500 Club with another string of unfunded commitments, including the reversal of our public sector reforms to cut waste and duplication. Those reforms will save $170 million a year. That is important news for taxpayers. This must be the first Opposition in history to promise to reinstate waste and duplication in the public sector! Normally Oppositions promise to cut it, but this Opposition is promising to reinstate waste and duplication. The Leader of the Opposition does not want to be open and accountable about his plans. He is trying to sneak to the election with minimal scrutiny of his hidden agenda. However, we have seen a few fragments emerge, and not just from the secret campaign plans. Some have emerged on the Paul Murray program when the Leader of the Opposition said he would cut health by $400 million! Imagine that! He also wants to cut the desalination project by a similar amount. That is consistent with what he told the Sunday Times . He told the newspaper that he would slash spending in the public sector. We cannot go on like this as we go to the election. We must have some form of coherent financial plan from the Leader of the Opposition. It should be wine and coffee proof as well, just like his proposed message cards! After all, the Leader of the Opposition has form. Look at his record in government: the Oakajee mirage, the Windimurra collapse and the Dampier to Bunbury pipeline privatisation fiasco. The list goes on. He was a senior minister in a Government that delivered five deficits in eight budgets. That Government ran down government services and shrank the economy in its last year in office. This Government has delivered $1 billion in tax cuts to power the economy and create jobs. We are making an investment in sustainable growth for the future and spending $1.5 billion a year in new money on health, education, law and order and disability services. All our commitments are fully funded; we have a sustainable financial plan and we will keep the State’s AAA credit rating. We have a record that we can be proud of. It is real and authentic, and it has not been devised by a marketing company. On the question of marketing companies, let us look at what one says about the Liberal Opposition. It says that the party is seen as internally conflicted. That is official advice to the Liberal Party. It also says that the leader’s profile is low and there are mixed perceptions. I think that is a rather kind description of the way in which the Leader of the Opposition is viewed. It also states that there is no understanding by the public of the party’s vision and values and its core policies. Admittedly, that advice was given to the Liberal Party in February 2004. It is quite clear that nothing has changed. The party has had a whole year but it has gone nowhere. The advice it received from its marketing consultants in February 2004 is still absolutely correct. There is no way that this lot opposite can be elected. They are a risk to the State’s economy and finances and the public will not wear them.
Mr E.S. RIPPER: The Leader of the Opposition does not worry about the fact that he has a divided team and disloyalty? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! I call to order the member for Warren-Blackwood and the member for Nedlands. Mr E.S. RIPPER: The coalition has announced more than 350 promises in recent years. Those announcements are worth billions of dollars. It is already over the $2 billion mark. It has more than 300 promises still to be costed. They are all to be funded; there is no coherent financial planning whatsoever. Only this week another $240 million of unfunded promises were made. The Leader of the Opposition then visited the 500 Club with another string of unfunded commitments, including the reversal of our public sector reforms to cut waste and duplication. Those reforms will save $170 million a year. That is important news for taxpayers. This must be the first Opposition in history to promise to reinstate waste and duplication in the public sector! Normally Oppositions promise to cut it, but this Opposition is promising to reinstate waste and duplication. The Leader of the Opposition does not want to be open and accountable about his plans. He is trying to sneak to the election with minimal scrutiny of his hidden agenda. However, we have seen a few fragments emerge, and not just from the secret campaign plans. Some have emerged on the Paul Murray program when the Leader of the Opposition said he would cut health by $400 million! Imagine that! He also wants to cut the desalination project by a similar amount. That is consistent with what he told the Sunday Times . He told the newspaper that he would slash spending in the public sector. We cannot go on like this as we go to the election. We must have some form of coherent financial plan from the Leader of the Opposition. It should be wine and coffee proof as well, just like his proposed message cards! After all, the Leader of the Opposition has form. Look at his record in government: the Oakajee mirage, the Windimurra collapse and the Dampier to Bunbury pipeline privatisation fiasco. The list goes on. He was a senior minister in a Government that delivered five deficits in eight budgets. That Government ran down government services and shrank the economy in its last year in office. This Government has delivered $1 billion in tax cuts to power the economy and create jobs. We are making an investment in sustainable growth for the future and spending $1.5 billion a year in new money on health, education, law and order and disability services. All our commitments are fully funded; we have a sustainable financial plan and we will keep the State’s AAA credit rating. We have a record that we can be proud of. It is real and authentic, and it has not been devised by a marketing company. On the question of marketing companies, let us look at what one says about the Liberal Opposition. It says that the party is seen as internally conflicted. That is official advice to the Liberal Party. It also says that the leader’s profile is low and there are mixed perceptions. I think that is a rather kind description of the way in which the Leader of the Opposition is viewed. It also states that there is no understanding by the public of the party’s vision and values and its core policies. Admittedly, that advice was given to the Liberal Party in February 2004. It is quite clear that nothing has changed. The party has had a whole year but it has gone nowhere. The advice it received from its marketing consultants in February 2004 is still absolutely correct. There is no way that this lot opposite can be elected. They are a risk to the State’s economy and finances and the public will not wear them.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order, members! I call to order the member for Warren-Blackwood and the member for Nedlands. Mr E.S. RIPPER: The coalition has announced more than 350 promises in recent years. Those announcements are worth billions of dollars. It is already over the $2 billion mark. It has more than 300 promises still to be costed. They are all to be funded; there is no coherent financial planning whatsoever. Only this week another $240 million of unfunded promises were made. The Leader of the Opposition then visited the 500 Club with another string of unfunded commitments, including the reversal of our public sector reforms to cut waste and duplication. Those reforms will save $170 million a year. That is important news for taxpayers. This must be the first Opposition in history to promise to reinstate waste and duplication in the public sector! Normally Oppositions promise to cut it, but this Opposition is promising to reinstate waste and duplication. The Leader of the Opposition does not want to be open and accountable about his plans. He is trying to sneak to the election with minimal scrutiny of his hidden agenda. However, we have seen a few fragments emerge, and not just from the secret campaign plans. Some have emerged on the Paul Murray program when the Leader of the Opposition said he would cut health by $400 million! Imagine that! He also wants to cut the desalination project by a similar amount. That is consistent with what he told the Sunday Times . He told the newspaper that he would slash spending in the public sector. We cannot go on like this as we go to the election. We must have some form of coherent financial plan from the Leader of the Opposition. It should be wine and coffee proof as well, just like his proposed message cards! After all, the Leader of the Opposition has form. Look at his record in government: the Oakajee mirage, the Windimurra collapse and the Dampier to Bunbury pipeline privatisation fiasco. The list goes on. He was a senior minister in a Government that delivered five deficits in eight budgets. That Government ran down government services and shrank the economy in its last year in office. This Government has delivered $1 billion in tax cuts to power the economy and create jobs. We are making an investment in sustainable growth for the future and spending $1.5 billion a year in new money on health, education, law and order and disability services. All our commitments are fully funded; we have a sustainable financial plan and we will keep the State’s AAA credit rating. We have a record that we can be proud of. It is real and authentic, and it has not been devised by a marketing company. On the question of marketing companies, let us look at what one says about the Liberal Opposition. It says that the party is seen as internally conflicted. That is official advice to the Liberal Party. It also says that the leader’s profile is low and there are mixed perceptions. I think that is a rather kind description of the way in which the Leader of the Opposition is viewed. It also states that there is no understanding by the public of the party’s vision and values and its core policies. Admittedly, that advice was given to the Liberal Party in February 2004. It is quite clear that nothing has changed. The party has had a whole year but it has gone nowhere. The advice it received from its marketing consultants in February 2004 is still absolutely correct. There is no way that this lot opposite can be elected. They are a risk to the State’s economy and finances and the public will not wear them.
The SPEAKER: Order, members! I call to order the member for Warren-Blackwood and the member for Nedlands. Mr E.S. RIPPER: The coalition has announced more than 350 promises in recent years. Those announcements are worth billions of dollars. It is already over the $2 billion mark. It has more than 300 promises still to be costed. They are all to be funded; there is no coherent financial planning whatsoever. Only this week another $240 million of unfunded promises were made. The Leader of the Opposition then visited the 500 Club with another string of unfunded commitments, including the reversal of our public sector reforms to cut waste and duplication. Those reforms will save $170 million a year. That is important news for taxpayers. This must be the first Opposition in history to promise to reinstate waste and duplication in the public sector! Normally Oppositions promise to cut it, but this Opposition is promising to reinstate waste and duplication. The Leader of the Opposition does not want to be open and accountable about his plans. He is trying to sneak to the election with minimal scrutiny of his hidden agenda. However, we have seen a few fragments emerge, and not just from the secret campaign plans. Some have emerged on the Paul Murray program when the Leader of the Opposition said he would cut health by $400 million! Imagine that! He also wants to cut the desalination project by a similar amount. That is consistent with what he told the Sunday Times . He told the newspaper that he would slash spending in the public sector. We cannot go on like this as we go to the election. We must have some form of coherent financial plan from the Leader of the Opposition. It should be wine and coffee proof as well, just like his proposed message cards! After all, the Leader of the Opposition has form. Look at his record in government: the Oakajee mirage, the Windimurra collapse and the Dampier to Bunbury pipeline privatisation fiasco. The list goes on. He was a senior minister in a Government that delivered five deficits in eight budgets. That Government ran down government services and shrank the economy in its last year in office. This Government has delivered $1 billion in tax cuts to power the economy and create jobs. We are making an investment in sustainable growth for the future and spending $1.5 billion a year in new money on health, education, law and order and disability services. All our commitments are fully funded; we have a sustainable financial plan and we will keep the State’s AAA credit rating. We have a record that we can be proud of. It is real and authentic, and it has not been devised by a marketing company. On the question of marketing companies, let us look at what one says about the Liberal Opposition. It says that the party is seen as internally conflicted. That is official advice to the Liberal Party. It also says that the leader’s profile is low and there are mixed perceptions. I think that is a rather kind description of the way in which the Leader of the Opposition is viewed. It also states that there is no understanding by the public of the party’s vision and values and its core policies. Admittedly, that advice was given to the Liberal Party in February 2004. It is quite clear that nothing has changed. The party has had a whole year but it has gone nowhere. The advice it received from its marketing consultants in February 2004 is still absolutely correct. There is no way that this lot opposite can be elected. They are a risk to the State’s economy and finances and the public will not wear them.
Mr E.S. RIPPER: The coalition has announced more than 350 promises in recent years. Those announcements are worth billions of dollars. It is already over the $2 billion mark. It has more than 300 promises still to be costed. They are all to be funded; there is no coherent financial planning whatsoever. Only this week another $240 million of unfunded promises were made. The Leader of the Opposition then visited the 500 Club with another string of unfunded commitments, including the reversal of our public sector reforms to cut waste and duplication. Those reforms will save $170 million a year. That is important news for taxpayers. This must be the first Opposition in history to promise to reinstate waste and duplication in the public sector! Normally Oppositions promise to cut it, but this Opposition is promising to reinstate waste and duplication. The Leader of the Opposition does not want to be open and accountable about his plans. He is trying to sneak to the election with minimal scrutiny of his hidden agenda. However, we have seen a few fragments emerge, and not just from the secret campaign plans. Some have emerged on the Paul Murray program when the Leader of the Opposition said he would cut health by $400 million! Imagine that! He also wants to cut the desalination project by a similar amount. That is consistent with what he told the Sunday Times . He told the newspaper that he would slash spending in the public sector. We cannot go on like this as we go to the election. We must have some form of coherent financial plan from the Leader of the Opposition. It should be wine and coffee proof as well, just like his proposed message cards! After all, the Leader of the Opposition has form. Look at his record in government: the Oakajee mirage, the Windimurra collapse and the Dampier to Bunbury pipeline privatisation fiasco. The list goes on. He was a senior minister in a Government that delivered five deficits in eight budgets. That Government ran down government services and shrank the economy in its last year in office. This Government has delivered $1 billion in tax cuts to power the economy and create jobs. We are making an investment in sustainable growth for the future and spending $1.5 billion a year in new money on health, education, law and order and disability services. All our commitments are fully funded; we have a sustainable financial plan and we will keep the State’s AAA credit rating. We have a record that we can be proud of. It is real and authentic, and it has not been devised by a marketing company. On the question of marketing companies, let us look at what one says about the Liberal Opposition. It says that the party is seen as internally conflicted. That is official advice to the Liberal Party. It also says that the leader’s profile is low and there are mixed perceptions. I think that is a rather kind description of the way in which the Leader of the Opposition is viewed. It also states that there is no understanding by the public of the party’s vision and values and its core policies. Admittedly, that advice was given to the Liberal Party in February 2004. It is quite clear that nothing has changed. The party has had a whole year but it has gone nowhere. The advice it received from its marketing consultants in February 2004 is still absolutely correct. There is no way that this lot opposite can be elected. They are a risk to the State’s economy and finances and the public will not wear them.
We cannot go on like this as we go to the election. We must have some form of coherent financial plan from the Leader of the Opposition. It should be wine and coffee proof as well, just like his proposed message cards! After all, the Leader of the Opposition has form. Look at his record in government: the Oakajee mirage, the Windimurra collapse and the Dampier to Bunbury pipeline privatisation fiasco. The list goes on. He was a senior minister in a Government that delivered five deficits in eight budgets. That Government ran down government services and shrank the economy in its last year in office. This Government has delivered $1 billion in tax cuts to power the economy and create jobs. We are making an investment in sustainable growth for the future and spending $1.5 billion a year in new money on health, education, law and order and disability services. All our commitments are fully funded; we have a sustainable financial plan and we will keep the State’s AAA credit rating. We have a record that we can be proud of. It is real and authentic, and it has not been devised by a marketing company. On the question of marketing companies, let us look at what one says about the Liberal Opposition. It says that the party is seen as internally conflicted. That is official advice to the Liberal Party. It also says that the leader’s profile is low and there are mixed perceptions. I think that is a rather kind description of the way in which the Leader of the Opposition is viewed. It also states that there is no understanding by the public of the party’s vision and values and its core policies. Admittedly, that advice was given to the Liberal Party in February 2004. It is quite clear that nothing has changed. The party has had a whole year but it has gone nowhere. The advice it received from its marketing consultants in February 2004 is still absolutely correct. There is no way that this lot opposite can be elected. They are a risk to the State’s economy and finances and the public will not wear them.
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