❓ Mrs. Hayden questions the Premier about the financial burden on WA families due to costs across portfolios. The Premier defends the government's financial management and cost recovery measures, specifically mentioning camping fees and national park funding.
AnsweredQoN 756Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
NATIONAL PARKS — CAMPING FEES
756. Mrs A.K. HAYDEN to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Why
are the costs across all the portfolios making it so difficult for struggling Western
Australian families?
756. Mrs A.K. HAYDEN to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Why
are the costs across all the portfolios making it so difficult for struggling Western
Australian families?
AnswerView source ↗
Obviously,
we do our best to keep fees and charges down, and we do our best to keep the
government spend down so that we can have debt tracking down. Western Australia
is the only state in Australia with debt going down—the only one. That
is a legacy of good financial management. Incidentally, the New South Wales
government sold its electricity utilities, as the former government wanted to
do, and its debt is skyrocketing because it has not managed its expenditure.
The debt of the Liberal Party in New South Wales is absolutely skyrocketing.
That is what happens.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : Liberal
governments want to sell an asset like Western Power, or its equivalent in the
east —
Ms S.E. Winton interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Wanneroo!
Mr M. McGOWAN : But if they do
not manage their spend, their debt goes out of control, as has happened in New South Wales under its Liberal government, and
as happened in Western Australia under the last Liberal government. This
government is managing the finances properly. I think it is entirely fair and
reasonable that we have cost recovery in camping fees. I must say that I think
our national parks are magnificent. I want to create more of them. I want to
provide more of these opportunities for families. I think places like Lane
Poole and Lucky Bay are treasures for this state that we need to preserve and
protect, and funding proper ranger services is an important part of that.
The SPEAKER : That is the end
of question time.
we do our best to keep fees and charges down, and we do our best to keep the
government spend down so that we can have debt tracking down. Western Australia
is the only state in Australia with debt going down—the only one. That
is a legacy of good financial management. Incidentally, the New South Wales
government sold its electricity utilities, as the former government wanted to
do, and its debt is skyrocketing because it has not managed its expenditure.
The debt of the Liberal Party in New South Wales is absolutely skyrocketing.
That is what happens.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : Liberal
governments want to sell an asset like Western Power, or its equivalent in the
east —
Ms S.E. Winton interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Wanneroo!
Mr M. McGOWAN : But if they do
not manage their spend, their debt goes out of control, as has happened in New South Wales under its Liberal government, and
as happened in Western Australia under the last Liberal government. This
government is managing the finances properly. I think it is entirely fair and
reasonable that we have cost recovery in camping fees. I must say that I think
our national parks are magnificent. I want to create more of them. I want to
provide more of these opportunities for families. I think places like Lane
Poole and Lucky Bay are treasures for this state that we need to preserve and
protect, and funding proper ranger services is an important part of that.
The SPEAKER : That is the end
of question time.
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