❓ Shadow Minister Saffioti questions the Minister for Finance regarding a claimed record in asset investment, pointing to a reported $1 billion decrease in spending. The Minister defends the government's overall capital investment record.
AnsweredQoN 803Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
2014–15
ANNUAL REPORT ON STATE FINANCES
803. Ms R. SAFFIOTI to the Minister for
Finance:
I refer to the minister's
claim today that the state is delivering, as I quote the minister, record asset
investment.
(1) Can the minister confirm that
that is actually not the case?
(2) Can the
minister confirm that, as is shown on page 4 of the Annual Report on State Finances , spending on asset investments has
actually fallen by $1 billion from year to year?
(3) Can the
minister confirm that his appalling budget management means that he has had to
cut asset investment at a time of rising unemployment and falling private
sector investment?
ANNUAL REPORT ON STATE FINANCES
803. Ms R. SAFFIOTI to the Minister for
Finance:
I refer to the minister's
claim today that the state is delivering, as I quote the minister, record asset
investment.
(1) Can the minister confirm that
that is actually not the case?
(2) Can the
minister confirm that, as is shown on page 4 of the Annual Report on State Finances , spending on asset investments has
actually fallen by $1 billion from year to year?
(3) Can the
minister confirm that his appalling budget management means that he has had to
cut asset investment at a time of rising unemployment and falling private
sector investment?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) I
thank the member for West Swan for the question. Indeed, the table on page 4,
which I happen to have in front of me, fortunately, shows a drop-off in asset
investment.
Several members
interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
W.R. MARMION : The question stated that we are not delivering record asset
expenditure.
Ms R. Saffioti : You said it!
Mr W.R. MARMION : No, I did not. I was
talking about one particular figure.
Several members
interjected.
Mr
W.R. MARMION : The opposition is very sneaky in the way it asks questions. I
said ''record capital investment'', and that is what we have
done. Because it might go down in one particular year does not mean that total
asset expenditure is down. The government has averaged $5 billion, $6 billion
or $7 billion every year. Indeed, last year the expenditure was just below $6 billion—I
am talking billions of dollars—which was about $1 billion less than we
estimated. Nevertheless, I stand by the Treasurer. This Liberal–National
government has delivered record capital investment into Western Australia
during its eight years in government.
thank the member for West Swan for the question. Indeed, the table on page 4,
which I happen to have in front of me, fortunately, shows a drop-off in asset
investment.
Several members
interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
W.R. MARMION : The question stated that we are not delivering record asset
expenditure.
Ms R. Saffioti : You said it!
Mr W.R. MARMION : No, I did not. I was
talking about one particular figure.
Several members
interjected.
Mr
W.R. MARMION : The opposition is very sneaky in the way it asks questions. I
said ''record capital investment'', and that is what we have
done. Because it might go down in one particular year does not mean that total
asset expenditure is down. The government has averaged $5 billion, $6 billion
or $7 billion every year. Indeed, last year the expenditure was just below $6 billion—I
am talking billions of dollars—which was about $1 billion less than we
estimated. Nevertheless, I stand by the Treasurer. This Liberal–National
government has delivered record capital investment into Western Australia
during its eight years in government.
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