❓ Premier Gallop responds to the federal budget, highlighting opportunities in border protection funding for WA but criticising cost-shifting in pharmaceuticals and inadequate education funding. He contrasts this with the WA government's increased health and education spending and a budget surplus.
AnsweredQoN 989Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
What is the State Government’s response to last night’s federal budget? Dr GALLOP
AnswerView source ↗
The federal Government’s budget that was handed down last night represents, on the one hand, an opportunity for the State of Western Australia and, on the other hand, a cost to the State of Western Australia. I will focus first on the opportunity. There is no doubt that Western Australia, with the largest coastline of all States, has been the pressure point for many of the issues of border protection. The increased allocation of money for border protection will be important for Western Australia, as long as it is spent in Western Australia. It poses an opportunity for us. I will certainly be making clear to the Prime Minister that with the State’s 12 500 kilometres of coastline, we would expect a significant proportion of that money to come to Western Australia. On the other hand, there is the cost of the budget. I refer to the changes that have been made to the pharmaceutical benefits scheme. As Mr Chris Richardson of Access Economics said on television last night, this is a classic example of cost shifting by the Commonwealth. There is no doubt that as more pressure is put on the price of medicines and as some of the sickest people in our community battle on a weekly basis to deal with their ailments, and it is harder and harder for them, people will find their way into our State’s public hospital system. In that respect the federal budget does not represent good news for Western Australia. However, I can say to the people of Western Australia that the Government in Western Australia today understands those pressures on the health system. We will be announcing tomorrow a $100 million, 4.3 per cent increase in the health budget, which will give us some capacity to deal with these pressures resulting from the Commonwealth’s budget. Mr Board: That is a very low figure. We averaged seven per cent. Dr GALLOP: Is it not interesting that the member for Murdoch, the shadow Minister for Health, is telling us that we are not spending enough money? The Leader of the Opposition is saying that we are spending too much money. They should get their act together. Methinks that little boat trip of the member for Mitchell, the member for Kalgoorlie and the member for Murdoch up the Swan River on the MV Kalgoorlie was interesting. I might ask the member for Murdoch whether the issue of the leadership of the Parliamentary Liberal Party came up for discussion during that boat trip. Methinks that the member for Murdoch wants to shift one place to the left. It will be very interesting to see what happens down the track. Let us compare the federal budget with the state budget. Where lies the future of our nation? Where lies the future of our State? It lies in improving the skills and capacities of our people. The federal budget contains only a paltry $12 million worth of new measures for education, research and training, when the entire nation is facing these challenges. That is all the federal Government could find for new initiatives. That is about $2.50 for every student. In Western Australia’s budget, there will be a massive $142 million increase in funding for education, training and science. Most of that money will be for new measures that are needed by Western Australians so that they can meet the challenges of the future. The differences between the priorities of the federal Government and those of the State Government are there to see. A comparison can also be made between a state Liberal Government and a state Labor Government. The previous Liberal Government had four deficits; we will have a healthy surplus for the people of Western Australia. That will enable us to spend money on capital works to build the State as it faces the future. The federal Government lacks vision and the state Liberal Party cannot run a surplus. However, the state Labor Government has a vision for the future that will focus on education, training and science. We are going for growth, and we will provide the resources to make that growth possible.
Dr GALLOP replied: The federal Government’s budget that was handed down last night represents, on the one hand, an opportunity for the State of Western Australia and, on the other hand, a cost to the State of Western Australia. I will focus first on the opportunity. There is no doubt that Western Australia, with the largest coastline of all States, has been the pressure point for many of the issues of border protection. The increased allocation of money for border protection will be important for Western Australia, as long as it is spent in Western Australia. It poses an opportunity for us. I will certainly be making clear to the Prime Minister that with the State’s 12 500 kilometres of coastline, we would expect a significant proportion of that money to come to Western Australia. On the other hand, there is the cost of the budget. I refer to the changes that have been made to the pharmaceutical benefits scheme. As Mr Chris Richardson of Access Economics said on television last night, this is a classic example of cost shifting by the Commonwealth. There is no doubt that as more pressure is put on the price of medicines and as some of the sickest people in our community battle on a weekly basis to deal with their ailments, and it is harder and harder for them, people will find their way into our State’s public hospital system. In that respect the federal budget does not represent good news for Western Australia. However, I can say to the people of Western Australia that the Government in Western Australia today understands those pressures on the health system. We will be announcing tomorrow a $100 million, 4.3 per cent increase in the health budget, which will give us some capacity to deal with these pressures resulting from the Commonwealth’s budget. Mr Board: That is a very low figure. We averaged seven per cent. Dr GALLOP: Is it not interesting that the member for Murdoch, the shadow Minister for Health, is telling us that we are not spending enough money? The Leader of the Opposition is saying that we are spending too much money. They should get their act together. Methinks that little boat trip of the member for Mitchell, the member for Kalgoorlie and the member for Murdoch up the Swan River on the MV Kalgoorlie was interesting. I might ask the member for Murdoch whether the issue of the leadership of the Parliamentary Liberal Party came up for discussion during that boat trip. Methinks that the member for Murdoch wants to shift one place to the left. It will be very interesting to see what happens down the track. Let us compare the federal budget with the state budget. Where lies the future of our nation? Where lies the future of our State? It lies in improving the skills and capacities of our people. The federal budget contains only a paltry $12 million worth of new measures for education, research and training, when the entire nation is facing these challenges. That is all the federal Government could find for new initiatives. That is about $2.50 for every student. In Western Australia’s budget, there will be a massive $142 million increase in funding for education, training and science. Most of that money will be for new measures that are needed by Western Australians so that they can meet the challenges of the future. The differences between the priorities of the federal Government and those of the State Government are there to see. A comparison can also be made between a state Liberal Government and a state Labor Government. The previous Liberal Government had four deficits; we will have a healthy surplus for the people of Western Australia. That will enable us to spend money on capital works to build the State as it faces the future. The federal Government lacks vision and the state Liberal Party cannot run a surplus. However, the state Labor Government has a vision for the future that will focus on education, training and science. We are going for growth, and we will provide the resources to make that growth possible.
The federal Government’s budget that was handed down last night represents, on the one hand, an opportunity for the State of Western Australia and, on the other hand, a cost to the State of Western Australia. I will focus first on the opportunity. There is no doubt that Western Australia, with the largest coastline of all States, has been the pressure point for many of the issues of border protection. The increased allocation of money for border protection will be important for Western Australia, as long as it is spent in Western Australia. It poses an opportunity for us. I will certainly be making clear to the Prime Minister that with the State’s 12 500 kilometres of coastline, we would expect a significant proportion of that money to come to Western Australia. On the other hand, there is the cost of the budget. I refer to the changes that have been made to the pharmaceutical benefits scheme. As Mr Chris Richardson of Access Economics said on television last night, this is a classic example of cost shifting by the Commonwealth. There is no doubt that as more pressure is put on the price of medicines and as some of the sickest people in our community battle on a weekly basis to deal with their ailments, and it is harder and harder for them, people will find their way into our State’s public hospital system. In that respect the federal budget does not represent good news for Western Australia. However, I can say to the people of Western Australia that the Government in Western Australia today understands those pressures on the health system. We will be announcing tomorrow a $100 million, 4.3 per cent increase in the health budget, which will give us some capacity to deal with these pressures resulting from the Commonwealth’s budget. Mr Board: That is a very low figure. We averaged seven per cent. Dr GALLOP: Is it not interesting that the member for Murdoch, the shadow Minister for Health, is telling us that we are not spending enough money? The Leader of the Opposition is saying that we are spending too much money. They should get their act together. Methinks that little boat trip of the member for Mitchell, the member for Kalgoorlie and the member for Murdoch up the Swan River on the MV Kalgoorlie was interesting. I might ask the member for Murdoch whether the issue of the leadership of the Parliamentary Liberal Party came up for discussion during that boat trip. Methinks that the member for Murdoch wants to shift one place to the left. It will be very interesting to see what happens down the track. Let us compare the federal budget with the state budget. Where lies the future of our nation? Where lies the future of our State? It lies in improving the skills and capacities of our people. The federal budget contains only a paltry $12 million worth of new measures for education, research and training, when the entire nation is facing these challenges. That is all the federal Government could find for new initiatives. That is about $2.50 for every student. In Western Australia’s budget, there will be a massive $142 million increase in funding for education, training and science. Most of that money will be for new measures that are needed by Western Australians so that they can meet the challenges of the future. The differences between the priorities of the federal Government and those of the State Government are there to see. A comparison can also be made between a state Liberal Government and a state Labor Government. The previous Liberal Government had four deficits; we will have a healthy surplus for the people of Western Australia. That will enable us to spend money on capital works to build the State as it faces the future. The federal Government lacks vision and the state Liberal Party cannot run a surplus. However, the state Labor Government has a vision for the future that will focus on education, training and science. We are going for growth, and we will provide the resources to make that growth possible.
I refer to the changes that have been made to the pharmaceutical benefits scheme. As Mr Chris Richardson of Access Economics said on television last night, this is a classic example of cost shifting by the Commonwealth. There is no doubt that as more pressure is put on the price of medicines and as some of the sickest people in our community battle on a weekly basis to deal with their ailments, and it is harder and harder for them, people will find their way into our State’s public hospital system. In that respect the federal budget does not represent good news for Western Australia. However, I can say to the people of Western Australia that the Government in Western Australia today understands those pressures on the health system. We will be announcing tomorrow a $100 million, 4.3 per cent increase in the health budget, which will give us some capacity to deal with these pressures resulting from the Commonwealth’s budget. Mr Board: That is a very low figure. We averaged seven per cent. Dr GALLOP: Is it not interesting that the member for Murdoch, the shadow Minister for Health, is telling us that we are not spending enough money? The Leader of the Opposition is saying that we are spending too much money. They should get their act together. Methinks that little boat trip of the member for Mitchell, the member for Kalgoorlie and the member for Murdoch up the Swan River on the MV Kalgoorlie was interesting. I might ask the member for Murdoch whether the issue of the leadership of the Parliamentary Liberal Party came up for discussion during that boat trip. Methinks that the member for Murdoch wants to shift one place to the left. It will be very interesting to see what happens down the track. Let us compare the federal budget with the state budget. Where lies the future of our nation? Where lies the future of our State? It lies in improving the skills and capacities of our people. The federal budget contains only a paltry $12 million worth of new measures for education, research and training, when the entire nation is facing these challenges. That is all the federal Government could find for new initiatives. That is about $2.50 for every student. In Western Australia’s budget, there will be a massive $142 million increase in funding for education, training and science. Most of that money will be for new measures that are needed by Western Australians so that they can meet the challenges of the future. The differences between the priorities of the federal Government and those of the State Government are there to see. A comparison can also be made between a state Liberal Government and a state Labor Government. The previous Liberal Government had four deficits; we will have a healthy surplus for the people of Western Australia. That will enable us to spend money on capital works to build the State as it faces the future. The federal Government lacks vision and the state Liberal Party cannot run a surplus. However, the state Labor Government has a vision for the future that will focus on education, training and science. We are going for growth, and we will provide the resources to make that growth possible.
Mr Board: That is a very low figure. We averaged seven per cent. Dr GALLOP: Is it not interesting that the member for Murdoch, the shadow Minister for Health, is telling us that we are not spending enough money? The Leader of the Opposition is saying that we are spending too much money. They should get their act together. Methinks that little boat trip of the member for Mitchell, the member for Kalgoorlie and the member for Murdoch up the Swan River on the MV Kalgoorlie was interesting. I might ask the member for Murdoch whether the issue of the leadership of the Parliamentary Liberal Party came up for discussion during that boat trip. Methinks that the member for Murdoch wants to shift one place to the left. It will be very interesting to see what happens down the track. Let us compare the federal budget with the state budget. Where lies the future of our nation? Where lies the future of our State? It lies in improving the skills and capacities of our people. The federal budget contains only a paltry $12 million worth of new measures for education, research and training, when the entire nation is facing these challenges. That is all the federal Government could find for new initiatives. That is about $2.50 for every student. In Western Australia’s budget, there will be a massive $142 million increase in funding for education, training and science. Most of that money will be for new measures that are needed by Western Australians so that they can meet the challenges of the future. The differences between the priorities of the federal Government and those of the State Government are there to see. A comparison can also be made between a state Liberal Government and a state Labor Government. The previous Liberal Government had four deficits; we will have a healthy surplus for the people of Western Australia. That will enable us to spend money on capital works to build the State as it faces the future. The federal Government lacks vision and the state Liberal Party cannot run a surplus. However, the state Labor Government has a vision for the future that will focus on education, training and science. We are going for growth, and we will provide the resources to make that growth possible.
Dr GALLOP: Is it not interesting that the member for Murdoch, the shadow Minister for Health, is telling us that we are not spending enough money? The Leader of the Opposition is saying that we are spending too much money. They should get their act together. Methinks that little boat trip of the member for Mitchell, the member for Kalgoorlie and the member for Murdoch up the Swan River on the MV Kalgoorlie was interesting. I might ask the member for Murdoch whether the issue of the leadership of the Parliamentary Liberal Party came up for discussion during that boat trip. Methinks that the member for Murdoch wants to shift one place to the left. It will be very interesting to see what happens down the track. Let us compare the federal budget with the state budget. Where lies the future of our nation? Where lies the future of our State? It lies in improving the skills and capacities of our people. The federal budget contains only a paltry $12 million worth of new measures for education, research and training, when the entire nation is facing these challenges. That is all the federal Government could find for new initiatives. That is about $2.50 for every student. In Western Australia’s budget, there will be a massive $142 million increase in funding for education, training and science. Most of that money will be for new measures that are needed by Western Australians so that they can meet the challenges of the future. The differences between the priorities of the federal Government and those of the State Government are there to see. A comparison can also be made between a state Liberal Government and a state Labor Government. The previous Liberal Government had four deficits; we will have a healthy surplus for the people of Western Australia. That will enable us to spend money on capital works to build the State as it faces the future. The federal Government lacks vision and the state Liberal Party cannot run a surplus. However, the state Labor Government has a vision for the future that will focus on education, training and science. We are going for growth, and we will provide the resources to make that growth possible.
Let us compare the federal budget with the state budget. Where lies the future of our nation? Where lies the future of our State? It lies in improving the skills and capacities of our people. The federal budget contains only a paltry $12 million worth of new measures for education, research and training, when the entire nation is facing these challenges. That is all the federal Government could find for new initiatives. That is about $2.50 for every student. In Western Australia’s budget, there will be a massive $142 million increase in funding for education, training and science. Most of that money will be for new measures that are needed by Western Australians so that they can meet the challenges of the future. The differences between the priorities of the federal Government and those of the State Government are there to see. A comparison can also be made between a state Liberal Government and a state Labor Government. The previous Liberal Government had four deficits; we will have a healthy surplus for the people of Western Australia. That will enable us to spend money on capital works to build the State as it faces the future. The federal Government lacks vision and the state Liberal Party cannot run a surplus. However, the state Labor Government has a vision for the future that will focus on education, training and science. We are going for growth, and we will provide the resources to make that growth possible.
Dr GALLOP replied: The federal Government’s budget that was handed down last night represents, on the one hand, an opportunity for the State of Western Australia and, on the other hand, a cost to the State of Western Australia. I will focus first on the opportunity. There is no doubt that Western Australia, with the largest coastline of all States, has been the pressure point for many of the issues of border protection. The increased allocation of money for border protection will be important for Western Australia, as long as it is spent in Western Australia. It poses an opportunity for us. I will certainly be making clear to the Prime Minister that with the State’s 12 500 kilometres of coastline, we would expect a significant proportion of that money to come to Western Australia. On the other hand, there is the cost of the budget. I refer to the changes that have been made to the pharmaceutical benefits scheme. As Mr Chris Richardson of Access Economics said on television last night, this is a classic example of cost shifting by the Commonwealth. There is no doubt that as more pressure is put on the price of medicines and as some of the sickest people in our community battle on a weekly basis to deal with their ailments, and it is harder and harder for them, people will find their way into our State’s public hospital system. In that respect the federal budget does not represent good news for Western Australia. However, I can say to the people of Western Australia that the Government in Western Australia today understands those pressures on the health system. We will be announcing tomorrow a $100 million, 4.3 per cent increase in the health budget, which will give us some capacity to deal with these pressures resulting from the Commonwealth’s budget. Mr Board: That is a very low figure. We averaged seven per cent. Dr GALLOP: Is it not interesting that the member for Murdoch, the shadow Minister for Health, is telling us that we are not spending enough money? The Leader of the Opposition is saying that we are spending too much money. They should get their act together. Methinks that little boat trip of the member for Mitchell, the member for Kalgoorlie and the member for Murdoch up the Swan River on the MV Kalgoorlie was interesting. I might ask the member for Murdoch whether the issue of the leadership of the Parliamentary Liberal Party came up for discussion during that boat trip. Methinks that the member for Murdoch wants to shift one place to the left. It will be very interesting to see what happens down the track. Let us compare the federal budget with the state budget. Where lies the future of our nation? Where lies the future of our State? It lies in improving the skills and capacities of our people. The federal budget contains only a paltry $12 million worth of new measures for education, research and training, when the entire nation is facing these challenges. That is all the federal Government could find for new initiatives. That is about $2.50 for every student. In Western Australia’s budget, there will be a massive $142 million increase in funding for education, training and science. Most of that money will be for new measures that are needed by Western Australians so that they can meet the challenges of the future. The differences between the priorities of the federal Government and those of the State Government are there to see. A comparison can also be made between a state Liberal Government and a state Labor Government. The previous Liberal Government had four deficits; we will have a healthy surplus for the people of Western Australia. That will enable us to spend money on capital works to build the State as it faces the future. The federal Government lacks vision and the state Liberal Party cannot run a surplus. However, the state Labor Government has a vision for the future that will focus on education, training and science. We are going for growth, and we will provide the resources to make that growth possible.
The federal Government’s budget that was handed down last night represents, on the one hand, an opportunity for the State of Western Australia and, on the other hand, a cost to the State of Western Australia. I will focus first on the opportunity. There is no doubt that Western Australia, with the largest coastline of all States, has been the pressure point for many of the issues of border protection. The increased allocation of money for border protection will be important for Western Australia, as long as it is spent in Western Australia. It poses an opportunity for us. I will certainly be making clear to the Prime Minister that with the State’s 12 500 kilometres of coastline, we would expect a significant proportion of that money to come to Western Australia. On the other hand, there is the cost of the budget. I refer to the changes that have been made to the pharmaceutical benefits scheme. As Mr Chris Richardson of Access Economics said on television last night, this is a classic example of cost shifting by the Commonwealth. There is no doubt that as more pressure is put on the price of medicines and as some of the sickest people in our community battle on a weekly basis to deal with their ailments, and it is harder and harder for them, people will find their way into our State’s public hospital system. In that respect the federal budget does not represent good news for Western Australia. However, I can say to the people of Western Australia that the Government in Western Australia today understands those pressures on the health system. We will be announcing tomorrow a $100 million, 4.3 per cent increase in the health budget, which will give us some capacity to deal with these pressures resulting from the Commonwealth’s budget. Mr Board: That is a very low figure. We averaged seven per cent. Dr GALLOP: Is it not interesting that the member for Murdoch, the shadow Minister for Health, is telling us that we are not spending enough money? The Leader of the Opposition is saying that we are spending too much money. They should get their act together. Methinks that little boat trip of the member for Mitchell, the member for Kalgoorlie and the member for Murdoch up the Swan River on the MV Kalgoorlie was interesting. I might ask the member for Murdoch whether the issue of the leadership of the Parliamentary Liberal Party came up for discussion during that boat trip. Methinks that the member for Murdoch wants to shift one place to the left. It will be very interesting to see what happens down the track. Let us compare the federal budget with the state budget. Where lies the future of our nation? Where lies the future of our State? It lies in improving the skills and capacities of our people. The federal budget contains only a paltry $12 million worth of new measures for education, research and training, when the entire nation is facing these challenges. That is all the federal Government could find for new initiatives. That is about $2.50 for every student. In Western Australia’s budget, there will be a massive $142 million increase in funding for education, training and science. Most of that money will be for new measures that are needed by Western Australians so that they can meet the challenges of the future. The differences between the priorities of the federal Government and those of the State Government are there to see. A comparison can also be made between a state Liberal Government and a state Labor Government. The previous Liberal Government had four deficits; we will have a healthy surplus for the people of Western Australia. That will enable us to spend money on capital works to build the State as it faces the future. The federal Government lacks vision and the state Liberal Party cannot run a surplus. However, the state Labor Government has a vision for the future that will focus on education, training and science. We are going for growth, and we will provide the resources to make that growth possible.
I refer to the changes that have been made to the pharmaceutical benefits scheme. As Mr Chris Richardson of Access Economics said on television last night, this is a classic example of cost shifting by the Commonwealth. There is no doubt that as more pressure is put on the price of medicines and as some of the sickest people in our community battle on a weekly basis to deal with their ailments, and it is harder and harder for them, people will find their way into our State’s public hospital system. In that respect the federal budget does not represent good news for Western Australia. However, I can say to the people of Western Australia that the Government in Western Australia today understands those pressures on the health system. We will be announcing tomorrow a $100 million, 4.3 per cent increase in the health budget, which will give us some capacity to deal with these pressures resulting from the Commonwealth’s budget. Mr Board: That is a very low figure. We averaged seven per cent. Dr GALLOP: Is it not interesting that the member for Murdoch, the shadow Minister for Health, is telling us that we are not spending enough money? The Leader of the Opposition is saying that we are spending too much money. They should get their act together. Methinks that little boat trip of the member for Mitchell, the member for Kalgoorlie and the member for Murdoch up the Swan River on the MV Kalgoorlie was interesting. I might ask the member for Murdoch whether the issue of the leadership of the Parliamentary Liberal Party came up for discussion during that boat trip. Methinks that the member for Murdoch wants to shift one place to the left. It will be very interesting to see what happens down the track. Let us compare the federal budget with the state budget. Where lies the future of our nation? Where lies the future of our State? It lies in improving the skills and capacities of our people. The federal budget contains only a paltry $12 million worth of new measures for education, research and training, when the entire nation is facing these challenges. That is all the federal Government could find for new initiatives. That is about $2.50 for every student. In Western Australia’s budget, there will be a massive $142 million increase in funding for education, training and science. Most of that money will be for new measures that are needed by Western Australians so that they can meet the challenges of the future. The differences between the priorities of the federal Government and those of the State Government are there to see. A comparison can also be made between a state Liberal Government and a state Labor Government. The previous Liberal Government had four deficits; we will have a healthy surplus for the people of Western Australia. That will enable us to spend money on capital works to build the State as it faces the future. The federal Government lacks vision and the state Liberal Party cannot run a surplus. However, the state Labor Government has a vision for the future that will focus on education, training and science. We are going for growth, and we will provide the resources to make that growth possible.
Mr Board: That is a very low figure. We averaged seven per cent. Dr GALLOP: Is it not interesting that the member for Murdoch, the shadow Minister for Health, is telling us that we are not spending enough money? The Leader of the Opposition is saying that we are spending too much money. They should get their act together. Methinks that little boat trip of the member for Mitchell, the member for Kalgoorlie and the member for Murdoch up the Swan River on the MV Kalgoorlie was interesting. I might ask the member for Murdoch whether the issue of the leadership of the Parliamentary Liberal Party came up for discussion during that boat trip. Methinks that the member for Murdoch wants to shift one place to the left. It will be very interesting to see what happens down the track. Let us compare the federal budget with the state budget. Where lies the future of our nation? Where lies the future of our State? It lies in improving the skills and capacities of our people. The federal budget contains only a paltry $12 million worth of new measures for education, research and training, when the entire nation is facing these challenges. That is all the federal Government could find for new initiatives. That is about $2.50 for every student. In Western Australia’s budget, there will be a massive $142 million increase in funding for education, training and science. Most of that money will be for new measures that are needed by Western Australians so that they can meet the challenges of the future. The differences between the priorities of the federal Government and those of the State Government are there to see. A comparison can also be made between a state Liberal Government and a state Labor Government. The previous Liberal Government had four deficits; we will have a healthy surplus for the people of Western Australia. That will enable us to spend money on capital works to build the State as it faces the future. The federal Government lacks vision and the state Liberal Party cannot run a surplus. However, the state Labor Government has a vision for the future that will focus on education, training and science. We are going for growth, and we will provide the resources to make that growth possible.
Dr GALLOP: Is it not interesting that the member for Murdoch, the shadow Minister for Health, is telling us that we are not spending enough money? The Leader of the Opposition is saying that we are spending too much money. They should get their act together. Methinks that little boat trip of the member for Mitchell, the member for Kalgoorlie and the member for Murdoch up the Swan River on the MV Kalgoorlie was interesting. I might ask the member for Murdoch whether the issue of the leadership of the Parliamentary Liberal Party came up for discussion during that boat trip. Methinks that the member for Murdoch wants to shift one place to the left. It will be very interesting to see what happens down the track. Let us compare the federal budget with the state budget. Where lies the future of our nation? Where lies the future of our State? It lies in improving the skills and capacities of our people. The federal budget contains only a paltry $12 million worth of new measures for education, research and training, when the entire nation is facing these challenges. That is all the federal Government could find for new initiatives. That is about $2.50 for every student. In Western Australia’s budget, there will be a massive $142 million increase in funding for education, training and science. Most of that money will be for new measures that are needed by Western Australians so that they can meet the challenges of the future. The differences between the priorities of the federal Government and those of the State Government are there to see. A comparison can also be made between a state Liberal Government and a state Labor Government. The previous Liberal Government had four deficits; we will have a healthy surplus for the people of Western Australia. That will enable us to spend money on capital works to build the State as it faces the future. The federal Government lacks vision and the state Liberal Party cannot run a surplus. However, the state Labor Government has a vision for the future that will focus on education, training and science. We are going for growth, and we will provide the resources to make that growth possible.
Let us compare the federal budget with the state budget. Where lies the future of our nation? Where lies the future of our State? It lies in improving the skills and capacities of our people. The federal budget contains only a paltry $12 million worth of new measures for education, research and training, when the entire nation is facing these challenges. That is all the federal Government could find for new initiatives. That is about $2.50 for every student. In Western Australia’s budget, there will be a massive $142 million increase in funding for education, training and science. Most of that money will be for new measures that are needed by Western Australians so that they can meet the challenges of the future. The differences between the priorities of the federal Government and those of the State Government are there to see. A comparison can also be made between a state Liberal Government and a state Labor Government. The previous Liberal Government had four deficits; we will have a healthy surplus for the people of Western Australia. That will enable us to spend money on capital works to build the State as it faces the future. The federal Government lacks vision and the state Liberal Party cannot run a surplus. However, the state Labor Government has a vision for the future that will focus on education, training and science. We are going for growth, and we will provide the resources to make that growth possible.
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