❓ Opposition Leader McGowan questions Premier Barnett about efficiency cuts in government agencies, specifically regarding unfilled vacancies and the details of the 2% efficiency dividend. Barnett denies job losses and accuses the opposition of dishonesty.
AnsweredQoN 563Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
GOVERNMENT AGENCY EFFICIENCY CUTS
563. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Why will the Premier not be
honest with the people of Western Australia and reveal which agencies are not
having their vacancies filled; and will he reveal what his two per cent
efficiency dividend cuts will be?
563. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Why will the Premier not be
honest with the people of Western Australia and reveal which agencies are not
having their vacancies filled; and will he reveal what his two per cent
efficiency dividend cuts will be?
AnswerView source ↗
This government has been open on everything we have done.
Mr M. McGowan :
Tell us what they are.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
We go out and we make the announcements. The efficiency cuts are being made
across the public sector over the course of this year, and it is up to the
directors general to implement them. We are not dictating from cabinet where
they will be made; government agencies can do that.
Dr A.D. Buti : So
jobs will be lost then!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
No, jobs will not be lost.
Dr A.D. Buti : How
do you know? You said that you're leaving it up to them to decide.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Armadale!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
If the member for Armadale had listened for just a moment, he would have heard
me say that there will be no job losses. These are positions that are vacant
and have been vacant for a long time.
Mr D.A. Templeman interjected.
The SPEAKER : The
trouble might be, member for Mandurah, that you need to look around this place
more regularly. That is all I say.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Unlike the Labor Party, this government is honest.
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGowan :
Tell us the answer!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Let me give an example. You go around and tell the public of Western Australia
that the government is privatising hospitals. Give me an example. Where is the
privatised hospital? Is there one? No—because you are dishonest. You do
not tell the truth. Not a hospital is being privatised. So, as long as you
continue to be sneaky and tell half-truths, you will be caught out.
Withdrawal of Remark
Mrs
M.H. ROBERTS : The point of order is the personal reflection on the
Leader of the Opposition by describing him as dishonest. If I may just add
further to that point of order.
The SPEAKER : You
can add further to it.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS :
The Premier also accused the Leader of the Opposition of not telling the truth,
which is also unparliamentary.
The
SPEAKER : Members, I do not know that the Premier was personally
reflecting on the Leader of the Opposition. Certainly in my estimation, from
what I heard the Premier say, I do not think he was directing those comments to
the member for Rockingham, the Leader of the Opposition.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
In referring to child protection, if we look back at the record, we see that
the number of children in the care of the state is, from memory, approaching 3 000.
The number has increased significantly for a variety of reasons. The opposition
will find that this government, unlike the previous government, has made an
enormous increase in expenditure on child protection. I do not deny for a
minute —
Mr M. McGowan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you, members!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
do not deny for a moment that the demands are even greater, but look at the
record of this government in child protection and compare it with the previous
government's record—there is no comparison. This government has
actually cared about children and protected children.
Mr M. McGowan interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Leader of the Opposition, I formally call you to order for the first time
today. We do not need anybody interjecting across the chamber while another
member is on his feet answering a question.
Mr M. McGowan :
Tell us what they are.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
We go out and we make the announcements. The efficiency cuts are being made
across the public sector over the course of this year, and it is up to the
directors general to implement them. We are not dictating from cabinet where
they will be made; government agencies can do that.
Dr A.D. Buti : So
jobs will be lost then!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
No, jobs will not be lost.
Dr A.D. Buti : How
do you know? You said that you're leaving it up to them to decide.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Armadale!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
If the member for Armadale had listened for just a moment, he would have heard
me say that there will be no job losses. These are positions that are vacant
and have been vacant for a long time.
Mr D.A. Templeman interjected.
The SPEAKER : The
trouble might be, member for Mandurah, that you need to look around this place
more regularly. That is all I say.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Unlike the Labor Party, this government is honest.
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGowan :
Tell us the answer!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Let me give an example. You go around and tell the public of Western Australia
that the government is privatising hospitals. Give me an example. Where is the
privatised hospital? Is there one? No—because you are dishonest. You do
not tell the truth. Not a hospital is being privatised. So, as long as you
continue to be sneaky and tell half-truths, you will be caught out.
Withdrawal of Remark
Mrs
M.H. ROBERTS : The point of order is the personal reflection on the
Leader of the Opposition by describing him as dishonest. If I may just add
further to that point of order.
The SPEAKER : You
can add further to it.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS :
The Premier also accused the Leader of the Opposition of not telling the truth,
which is also unparliamentary.
The
SPEAKER : Members, I do not know that the Premier was personally
reflecting on the Leader of the Opposition. Certainly in my estimation, from
what I heard the Premier say, I do not think he was directing those comments to
the member for Rockingham, the Leader of the Opposition.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
In referring to child protection, if we look back at the record, we see that
the number of children in the care of the state is, from memory, approaching 3 000.
The number has increased significantly for a variety of reasons. The opposition
will find that this government, unlike the previous government, has made an
enormous increase in expenditure on child protection. I do not deny for a
minute —
Mr M. McGowan interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you, members!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
do not deny for a moment that the demands are even greater, but look at the
record of this government in child protection and compare it with the previous
government's record—there is no comparison. This government has
actually cared about children and protected children.
Mr M. McGowan interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Leader of the Opposition, I formally call you to order for the first time
today. We do not need anybody interjecting across the chamber while another
member is on his feet answering a question.
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