Opposition questions the Premier about a discrepancy of $3.9 billion between the government's claimed capital works expenditure ($13.9 billion) and figures presented in state budget papers ($10 billion). The Premier claims ignorance of the specific budget papers and takes the question on notice.

AnsweredQoN 180Legislative Assembly
Asked
19 May 2005
Portfolio
Premier

QuestionView source ↗

Mr Speaker, before I ask my question of the Premier I advise you that the report in today’s The West Australian that I referred to you as a buffoon is factually incorrect. It was disturbing for me to read that. I refer the Premier to the Gallop government’s pre-election achievements paper, which claims that this Labor government has spent $13.9 billion on capital works in its first four years, which is a figure the Premier has repeatedly cited. (1) Will the Premier explain why the state budget papers show capital works expenditure over the past four years to be just $10 billion and not $13.9 billion? (2) Will the Premier tell us where the missing $3.9 billion in state capital works expenditure is? Dr G.I. GALLOP

AnswerView source ↗

(1)-(2) That question cannot be answered because I do not know which budget papers the Leader of the Opposition is referring to. As far as I know, we have not released the budget as yet. The $13.9 billion worth of capital works commitments is in train. We are seeing the impact of that throughout Western Australia with the creation of jobs and opportunities. I will take the question on notice with a view to trying to find out which budget papers the Leader of the Opposition is referring to. I might then be in a position to answer the question.
I refer the Premier to the Gallop government’s pre-election achievements paper, which claims that this Labor government has spent $13.9 billion on capital works in its first four years, which is a figure the Premier has repeatedly cited. (1) Will the Premier explain why the state budget papers show capital works expenditure over the past four years to be just $10 billion and not $13.9 billion? (2) Will the Premier tell us where the missing $3.9 billion in state capital works expenditure is? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) That question cannot be answered because I do not know which budget papers the Leader of the Opposition is referring to. As far as I know, we have not released the budget as yet. The $13.9 billion worth of capital works commitments is in train. We are seeing the impact of that throughout Western Australia with the creation of jobs and opportunities. I will take the question on notice with a view to trying to find out which budget papers the Leader of the Opposition is referring to. I might then be in a position to answer the question.
(1) Will the Premier explain why the state budget papers show capital works expenditure over the past four years to be just $10 billion and not $13.9 billion? (2) Will the Premier tell us where the missing $3.9 billion in state capital works expenditure is? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) That question cannot be answered because I do not know which budget papers the Leader of the Opposition is referring to. As far as I know, we have not released the budget as yet. The $13.9 billion worth of capital works commitments is in train. We are seeing the impact of that throughout Western Australia with the creation of jobs and opportunities. I will take the question on notice with a view to trying to find out which budget papers the Leader of the Opposition is referring to. I might then be in a position to answer the question.
(2) Will the Premier tell us where the missing $3.9 billion in state capital works expenditure is? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) That question cannot be answered because I do not know which budget papers the Leader of the Opposition is referring to. As far as I know, we have not released the budget as yet. The $13.9 billion worth of capital works commitments is in train. We are seeing the impact of that throughout Western Australia with the creation of jobs and opportunities. I will take the question on notice with a view to trying to find out which budget papers the Leader of the Opposition is referring to. I might then be in a position to answer the question.
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(2) That question cannot be answered because I do not know which budget papers the Leader of the Opposition is referring to. As far as I know, we have not released the budget as yet. The $13.9 billion worth of capital works commitments is in train. We are seeing the impact of that throughout Western Australia with the creation of jobs and opportunities. I will take the question on notice with a view to trying to find out which budget papers the Leader of the Opposition is referring to. I might then be in a position to answer the question.
(1)-(2) That question cannot be answered because I do not know which budget papers the Leader of the Opposition is referring to. As far as I know, we have not released the budget as yet. The $13.9 billion worth of capital works commitments is in train. We are seeing the impact of that throughout Western Australia with the creation of jobs and opportunities. I will take the question on notice with a view to trying to find out which budget papers the Leader of the Opposition is referring to. I might then be in a position to answer the question.

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