❓ Mr. Zempilas questions the Premier about government spending on projects like a rugby team and racetrack, suggesting the funds could be better used for ambulance ramping and policing. The Premier deflects by criticizing the Leader of the Opposition's past projects as Lord Mayor.
AnsweredQoN 2Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Cook government—Priorities
2. Mr Basil Zempilas to the Premier :
I have a supplementary question. Does the Premier concede
that the time and money that this government has wasted on pursuing those
fantasy projects like a rugby team and a racetrack could have been better spent
on addressing ambulance ramping and getting more police on our streets?
2. Mr Basil Zempilas to the Premier :
I have a supplementary question. Does the Premier concede
that the time and money that this government has wasted on pursuing those
fantasy projects like a rugby team and a racetrack could have been better spent
on addressing ambulance ramping and getting more police on our streets?
AnswerView source ↗
I will tell members what
is fantasy.
Ms Rita Saffioti interjected.
The Speaker: Treasurer!
Mr Roger Cook: That is the fantasy that the Leader of
the Opposition created for the people of Western Australia when he was the Lord
Mayor. What were the projects that he was promoting when he was the Lord Mayor
of Perth?
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Premier! Members!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Premier!
Mr Roger Cook: Let us talk about what the Leader of
the Opposition was focused on!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Premier, we have a point of order.
Point of order
Mr David Bolt: Is the Premier ever going to answer the
question?
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr David Bolt: I refer to relevance to the question,
Mr Speaker.
Mr Paul Papalia interjected.
The Speaker: Attorney General, thank you.
A member
interjected.
The Speaker: Minister! Member, there is no point of
order. I shall not be upholding that.
Questions without
notice resumed
Mr Roger Cook: Mr Speaker, the Leader of the
Opposition asked me to talk about some fantasy projects, so that is exactly
what I am going to present. First of all, when he was the Lord Mayor, he talked
about a bigger bell tower to be built in the middle of the Swan River. He said:
Really what we need
to do is double or triple the size of it.
Hear me out! He
said:
Either that or
build a podium somewhere out on the Swan River and put it out there where it's
got nothing around it.
That would really make
it stand out! He talked about a cable car to Kings Park. He said:
… it's time
to build that cable car. It would not only become an instantly recognisable
feature, it would be a great connector.
And who can forget the redevelopment of the Swan River
foreshore—a billion-dollar project. He said:
You will see a
number of a billion dollars quoted. That's quoted because we don't want to set
unrealistic expectations.
I think that my favourite
was a dance festival modelled on Coachella. This is his solution for the
economy! He said:
It's crystal clear
Perth needs a permanent, recurring, lock-it-in the calendar event we can call
our own … a dance festival …
Or who could forget
the Commonwealth Games? We saw how well that went in Victoria.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr Roger Cook: Mr Speaker, we know that, at the end of
the day, when the Leader of the Opposition was Lord Mayor, he had other things
in mind. It was to shut down the women's shelter for women escaping domestic
violence. That is his record. I will place our record as government and our
mandate from the people of Western Australia front and centre of this team any
day.
is fantasy.
Ms Rita Saffioti interjected.
The Speaker: Treasurer!
Mr Roger Cook: That is the fantasy that the Leader of
the Opposition created for the people of Western Australia when he was the Lord
Mayor. What were the projects that he was promoting when he was the Lord Mayor
of Perth?
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Premier! Members!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Premier!
Mr Roger Cook: Let us talk about what the Leader of
the Opposition was focused on!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Premier, we have a point of order.
Point of order
Mr David Bolt: Is the Premier ever going to answer the
question?
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr David Bolt: I refer to relevance to the question,
Mr Speaker.
Mr Paul Papalia interjected.
The Speaker: Attorney General, thank you.
A member
interjected.
The Speaker: Minister! Member, there is no point of
order. I shall not be upholding that.
Questions without
notice resumed
Mr Roger Cook: Mr Speaker, the Leader of the
Opposition asked me to talk about some fantasy projects, so that is exactly
what I am going to present. First of all, when he was the Lord Mayor, he talked
about a bigger bell tower to be built in the middle of the Swan River. He said:
Really what we need
to do is double or triple the size of it.
Hear me out! He
said:
Either that or
build a podium somewhere out on the Swan River and put it out there where it's
got nothing around it.
That would really make
it stand out! He talked about a cable car to Kings Park. He said:
… it's time
to build that cable car. It would not only become an instantly recognisable
feature, it would be a great connector.
And who can forget the redevelopment of the Swan River
foreshore—a billion-dollar project. He said:
You will see a
number of a billion dollars quoted. That's quoted because we don't want to set
unrealistic expectations.
I think that my favourite
was a dance festival modelled on Coachella. This is his solution for the
economy! He said:
It's crystal clear
Perth needs a permanent, recurring, lock-it-in the calendar event we can call
our own … a dance festival …
Or who could forget
the Commonwealth Games? We saw how well that went in Victoria.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr Roger Cook: Mr Speaker, we know that, at the end of
the day, when the Leader of the Opposition was Lord Mayor, he had other things
in mind. It was to shut down the women's shelter for women escaping domestic
violence. That is his record. I will place our record as government and our
mandate from the people of Western Australia front and centre of this team any
day.
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