❓ Opposition questions the Treasurer on the source of the state budget surplus, attributing it to hardworking Western Australians and the mining industry. The Treasurer agrees and defends the government's management of the economy, contrasting it with previous administrations.
AnsweredQoN 297Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STATE BUDGET 2023–24 — SURPLUS
297. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Treasurer:
I refer to the state budget that the
Treasurer read in last week, in which he claimed that surpluses were ''based
on our strong economic and financial performance''.
(1) Does the Treasurer accept that it is actually
hardworking Western Australians who have enabled this surplus?
(2) Will the
Treasurer admit that without the strong performance of our mining industry, the
state budget would not be in surplus?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please,
members!
297. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Treasurer:
I refer to the state budget that the
Treasurer read in last week, in which he claimed that surpluses were ''based
on our strong economic and financial performance''.
(1) Does the Treasurer accept that it is actually
hardworking Western Australians who have enabled this surplus?
(2) Will the
Treasurer admit that without the strong performance of our mining industry, the
state budget would not be in surplus?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please,
members!
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) Yes,
I am very appreciative of the efforts of Western Australians—very
appreciative—and it is due to the efforts and work of Western Australians
that Western Australia does so well. The state's resources sector is
also a strong contributor to our economy. I am very appreciative of the efforts
of the state's resources sector.
That is why we successfully, despite the best efforts of the Liberals and
Nationals, kept the resources sector open for three years during COVID
when they were trying to shut it down and allow the virus into Western Australia,
which would have meant mass mayhem and the shutdown of the resources industry. We stood up to their colleagues in Canberra and,
indeed, to members opposite, because there were multiple comments in which they tried to undo it. We kept
the resources industry strong, so much so that the mining industry did not lose a day over that period. We are
the only place in the whole world that can say that. What did that
deliver? That delivered revenue to the commonwealth government and it delivered
revenue to us.
Of course, that revenue to the
commonwealth government went to the eastern states for the bailouts to keep
them afloat during their time of need. We are very happy to provide that
support to our eastern states brothers and sisters. Obviously, it also provided
some support to the Western Australian budget.
The
budget is also built on the work of the cabinet and the government. I thought
it was one of Ben Harvey's better efforts on Sunday—which
will no doubt now feature in some sidebar in his column!—whereby he
actually identified that at a time of higher revenue and success, if a government
wants to blow it, it can. That is what happened in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
and 2014. That is what happened. In a time of high revenues, governments can
blow it. They can blow debt; they can blow deficits; they can do it. What have we done? We have provided important
initiatives in health, infrastructure, decarbonisation and the cost of
living. At the same time, we have paid down debt and delivered surpluses. How
was that recognised? Last year, Standard and
Poor's gave us back the AAA credit rating that the previous government
lost in 2013. Moody's made very positive comments the other day
about our budget management. We are the only
government in Australia that has managed to achieve these things. We are very
grateful for the efforts of the people of Western Australia and the
resources industry, but we have managed the finances in a way that avoided the
catastrophes that members opposite inflicted on the state.
I am very appreciative of the efforts of Western Australians—very
appreciative—and it is due to the efforts and work of Western Australians
that Western Australia does so well. The state's resources sector is
also a strong contributor to our economy. I am very appreciative of the efforts
of the state's resources sector.
That is why we successfully, despite the best efforts of the Liberals and
Nationals, kept the resources sector open for three years during COVID
when they were trying to shut it down and allow the virus into Western Australia,
which would have meant mass mayhem and the shutdown of the resources industry. We stood up to their colleagues in Canberra and,
indeed, to members opposite, because there were multiple comments in which they tried to undo it. We kept
the resources industry strong, so much so that the mining industry did not lose a day over that period. We are
the only place in the whole world that can say that. What did that
deliver? That delivered revenue to the commonwealth government and it delivered
revenue to us.
Of course, that revenue to the
commonwealth government went to the eastern states for the bailouts to keep
them afloat during their time of need. We are very happy to provide that
support to our eastern states brothers and sisters. Obviously, it also provided
some support to the Western Australian budget.
The
budget is also built on the work of the cabinet and the government. I thought
it was one of Ben Harvey's better efforts on Sunday—which
will no doubt now feature in some sidebar in his column!—whereby he
actually identified that at a time of higher revenue and success, if a government
wants to blow it, it can. That is what happened in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
and 2014. That is what happened. In a time of high revenues, governments can
blow it. They can blow debt; they can blow deficits; they can do it. What have we done? We have provided important
initiatives in health, infrastructure, decarbonisation and the cost of
living. At the same time, we have paid down debt and delivered surpluses. How
was that recognised? Last year, Standard and
Poor's gave us back the AAA credit rating that the previous government
lost in 2013. Moody's made very positive comments the other day
about our budget management. We are the only
government in Australia that has managed to achieve these things. We are very
grateful for the efforts of the people of Western Australia and the
resources industry, but we have managed the finances in a way that avoided the
catastrophes that members opposite inflicted on the state.
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