❓ Mr. Wyatt questions the Treasurer's appointment of Robert Taylor as a consultant for budget matters, given existing media advisors. The Treasurer defends the appointment, highlighting cuts to media staff and advertising budgets.
AnsweredQoN 980Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ROBERT
TAYLOR — APPOINTMENT — OFFICE OF THE TREASURER
980. Mr B.S. WYATT to the Treasurer:
I refer to the reappointment of
Robert Taylor to guide the Treasurer through the sale of his upcoming midyear
review and next year's budget for $117 500 for, at most, six months'
work.
(1) Why does the
Treasurer need to employ another highly paid consultant to sell his budget when
he already has teams of media advisers paid to deal with this task?
(2) Is it not an admission that the
Treasurer simply cannot sell his own budget?
TAYLOR — APPOINTMENT — OFFICE OF THE TREASURER
980. Mr B.S. WYATT to the Treasurer:
I refer to the reappointment of
Robert Taylor to guide the Treasurer through the sale of his upcoming midyear
review and next year's budget for $117 500 for, at most, six months'
work.
(1) Why does the
Treasurer need to employ another highly paid consultant to sell his budget when
he already has teams of media advisers paid to deal with this task?
(2) Is it not an admission that the
Treasurer simply cannot sell his own budget?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question.
(1)–(2)
If we boil it down, the member is saying that we employed the right person.
That is what he is complaining about. Robert Taylor is a good man. We all know
him.
Mr J.R. Quigley interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Butler, please! I call you to order for the first time.
Dr M.D. NAHAN :
When we came into government, we inherited a team of media advisers from Labor
of 32 people. We have cut that to 21.
Several members interjected.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : We
have cut that to 21. Ours is 50 per cent less than what Labor had.
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park!
Dr M.D. NAHAN : I
see them squirming and squeaking! The reality is when we came into government,
we cut the number of media people by nearly 50 per cent, and we also cut the
advertising budget by 50 per cent.
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park!
Dr M.D. NAHAN : We
cut the media advisers and we cut the advertising—and members opposite
complain!
Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Midland, I call you to order for the first time. A short answer,
Treasurer.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : We
have cut the media advisers sharply, and we have cut the advertising
expenditure by 50 per cent, and rather than put a term-of-government person on
for the budget, we put a temporary person on, whose skill base is beyond
repute.
(1)–(2)
If we boil it down, the member is saying that we employed the right person.
That is what he is complaining about. Robert Taylor is a good man. We all know
him.
Mr J.R. Quigley interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Butler, please! I call you to order for the first time.
Dr M.D. NAHAN :
When we came into government, we inherited a team of media advisers from Labor
of 32 people. We have cut that to 21.
Several members interjected.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : We
have cut that to 21. Ours is 50 per cent less than what Labor had.
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park!
Dr M.D. NAHAN : I
see them squirming and squeaking! The reality is when we came into government,
we cut the number of media people by nearly 50 per cent, and we also cut the
advertising budget by 50 per cent.
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park!
Dr M.D. NAHAN : We
cut the media advisers and we cut the advertising—and members opposite
complain!
Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Midland, I call you to order for the first time. A short answer,
Treasurer.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : We
have cut the media advisers sharply, and we have cut the advertising
expenditure by 50 per cent, and rather than put a term-of-government person on
for the budget, we put a temporary person on, whose skill base is beyond
repute.
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