❓ Shadow Treasurer D.C. Nalder questions the Treasurer on the lack of jobs target and projected higher unemployment in the 2020-21 state budget, citing commentators' criticism. The Treasurer defends the budget in light of the global pandemic's economic impact.
AnsweredQoN 788Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
JOBS AND UNEMPLOYMENT —
2020–21 STATE BUDGET
788. Mr
D.C. NALDER to the Treasurer:
I refer the Treasurer to what some
commentators have called his underwhelming and unimaginative 2020–21
state budget.
(1) Why is there no jobs target?
(2) Why are the forward estimates forecasting a significantly
higher unemployment rate than pre-COVID levels?
2020–21 STATE BUDGET
788. Mr
D.C. NALDER to the Treasurer:
I refer the Treasurer to what some
commentators have called his underwhelming and unimaginative 2020–21
state budget.
(1) Why is there no jobs target?
(2) Why are the forward estimates forecasting a significantly
higher unemployment rate than pre-COVID levels?
AnswerView source ↗
I will start with the last part of
the question first.
(1)–(2) Last
night, the member for Armadale reminded the house of the timetable of the
global pandemic, which has otherwise become known as COVID-19. This may be new
to the shadow Treasurer, so he should listen in. COVID-19 has had a dramatic
impact on the economies of the entire planet. Again, this seems to have
bypassed the shadow Treasurer. What we saw in the June quarter was a 20 per cent
contraction in the United Kingdom. What we saw in the United States was a nearly
10 per cent contraction in the June quarter. The United States is still not out
of it. We saw a seven per cent contraction in Australia and a six per cent
contraction in Western Australia in the June quarter. When we have contractions,
shadow Treasurer, of that scale, unsurprisingly, it has an impact on jobs.
We have made, I think, countless
speeches in this chamber on the effort of our recovery plan and keeping people
connected to work. I have made the point that the Governor of the Reserve Bank
says publicly to the Treasurers in our
meetings that the key is about keeping people connected to work because what
history has taught us is that over
time with these great disruptions unemployment stays higher for longer than one might think, and keeping people connected to work is fundamentally important,
which is why I suspect the commonwealth
budget had such an effort around under-35-year-olds. I think as a result it
perhaps missed that there are some
Australians who are over 35 years old, but it focused on the under-35-year-olds
because it understood, in the commonwealth's case, that young
Australians need to stay connected to work; we do not want them long-term
unemployed, because it is then very, very difficult to get them into work.
As a result of the greatest global
contraction in not only our lifetime but also the last century, we are
expecting unemployment to be higher. There is nothing mysterious about that. It
is the reality of when we shut a global economy. But what we are seeing in Western
Australia is hopefully that we can keep it to the June quarter. Although we saw
record jobs lost in the June quarter, we are now seeing, in August, record job
creation. The 90 per cent of hours worked that we lost are now back and 70 per cent
of the jobs are now back. But the job is not done and that is what the budget
is focused on.
I
have not heard people say ''underwhelming'', or what was the
other word the member said—''most unkind''? I suspect
that the member is quoting himself.
Mr D.C. Nalder : 6PR said ''unimaginative''.
Mr B.S. WYATT : Interestingly, last night on 6PR there was an
interesting interview. The shadow Treasurer, I noted, went on 6PR—I am responding to the shadow
Treasurer's interjection—with Chris Ilsley. Chris Ilsley has
his show and he asks the member for Bateman on. I do like his just
incredible endorsement of the Leader of the Opposition. This endorsement is
something I have not heard. The strength, the determination of —
Mr Z.R.F.
Kirkup : Point of order.
The SPEAKER :
The thing is that the member brought up 6PR, which brought up us talking about —
Mr D.C. Nalder :
But who said it? I said 6PR said ''unimaginative''.
The SPEAKER : Okay, so now
the Treasurer is quoting from 6PR, too. The member cannot have it both ways.
Mr Z.R.F. Kirkup : I have not
given my point of order.
The SPEAKER : Okay, give it.
Point of Order
Mr Z.R.F.
KIRKUP : I believe the Treasurer is not responding to the question
that was asked.
Mr S.K. L'Estrange :
Correct!
The SPEAKER : Oh, so you are
correct are you? You think that is correct?
Mr S.K. L'Estrange :
I was just listening to the member, Sir.
The
SPEAKER : Okay. I was just seeing
how many calls to order you have. You already have two, so that is correct ,
too. This is not a point of order.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr B.S. WYATT : Thank you, Mr
Speaker.
A question was put to the member
for Bateman in respect of the Leader of the Opposition, and I quote —
Do you see her as premier material?
To which the member for Bateman
says —
I see her as taking us to the
election, �
That is strong defence of the
Leader of the Opposition! But Chris Ilsley, to his credit, says —
No, Dean, that wasn't my
question. My question was, do you see her as premier material?
The member for Bateman said —
Yeah,
but Chris what I'm saying � is right at this point in time we are
focused on doing the best we can �
A government member: Ringing
endorsement!
Mr B.S. WYATT : We have all
seen some strong endorsements for the Leader of the Opposition. That is the
strongest from the member for Bateman.
Point of Order
Mr D.C.
NALDER : This response has nothing to do with the question at hand
and I seek that he be brought back to the question.
The SPEAKER : I am sure the
Treasurer will come back to the question.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr B.S. WYATT : The budget
is very much for its times. It is about job creation. It is very much for its
times. It is interesting to note that
it must have gone okay if on the first parliamentary day after the budget, the
shadow Treasurer does not come to question time. He does not ask the
Treasurer of the day a question. He does not —
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
Mr B.S. WYATT : I can
guarantee the shadow Treasurer one thing. I held the shadow Treasurer portfolio
for a long period of time and I can guarantee him without a shadow of a doubt
that after budget day I was in here asking questions of the Treasurer. The fact
that he was not was probably because he said on Chris Ilsley's show,
when asked —
� I don't see any change at
this point in time.
Point of Order
Mr Z.R.F. KIRKUP : Mr
Speaker, you instructed the Treasurer to return to the question that was asked
of him. He continues to disobey your ruling.
Mr B.S. WYATT : Mr Speaker,
if I am going to get interjected on, I will respond.
The SPEAKER : The Treasurer
will get back to the question now.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr B.S. WYATT : The reality
is that the shadow Treasurer has not been here. He has probably, maybe, asked
six questions this year, and that is being kind. The fact that he did
not ask me a question after the budget reflects on not only him and his interest in the finances and the budget, but
also, I suspect, his interest in the Leader of the Opposition.
the question first.
(1)–(2) Last
night, the member for Armadale reminded the house of the timetable of the
global pandemic, which has otherwise become known as COVID-19. This may be new
to the shadow Treasurer, so he should listen in. COVID-19 has had a dramatic
impact on the economies of the entire planet. Again, this seems to have
bypassed the shadow Treasurer. What we saw in the June quarter was a 20 per cent
contraction in the United Kingdom. What we saw in the United States was a nearly
10 per cent contraction in the June quarter. The United States is still not out
of it. We saw a seven per cent contraction in Australia and a six per cent
contraction in Western Australia in the June quarter. When we have contractions,
shadow Treasurer, of that scale, unsurprisingly, it has an impact on jobs.
We have made, I think, countless
speeches in this chamber on the effort of our recovery plan and keeping people
connected to work. I have made the point that the Governor of the Reserve Bank
says publicly to the Treasurers in our
meetings that the key is about keeping people connected to work because what
history has taught us is that over
time with these great disruptions unemployment stays higher for longer than one might think, and keeping people connected to work is fundamentally important,
which is why I suspect the commonwealth
budget had such an effort around under-35-year-olds. I think as a result it
perhaps missed that there are some
Australians who are over 35 years old, but it focused on the under-35-year-olds
because it understood, in the commonwealth's case, that young
Australians need to stay connected to work; we do not want them long-term
unemployed, because it is then very, very difficult to get them into work.
As a result of the greatest global
contraction in not only our lifetime but also the last century, we are
expecting unemployment to be higher. There is nothing mysterious about that. It
is the reality of when we shut a global economy. But what we are seeing in Western
Australia is hopefully that we can keep it to the June quarter. Although we saw
record jobs lost in the June quarter, we are now seeing, in August, record job
creation. The 90 per cent of hours worked that we lost are now back and 70 per cent
of the jobs are now back. But the job is not done and that is what the budget
is focused on.
I
have not heard people say ''underwhelming'', or what was the
other word the member said—''most unkind''? I suspect
that the member is quoting himself.
Mr D.C. Nalder : 6PR said ''unimaginative''.
Mr B.S. WYATT : Interestingly, last night on 6PR there was an
interesting interview. The shadow Treasurer, I noted, went on 6PR—I am responding to the shadow
Treasurer's interjection—with Chris Ilsley. Chris Ilsley has
his show and he asks the member for Bateman on. I do like his just
incredible endorsement of the Leader of the Opposition. This endorsement is
something I have not heard. The strength, the determination of —
Mr Z.R.F.
Kirkup : Point of order.
The SPEAKER :
The thing is that the member brought up 6PR, which brought up us talking about —
Mr D.C. Nalder :
But who said it? I said 6PR said ''unimaginative''.
The SPEAKER : Okay, so now
the Treasurer is quoting from 6PR, too. The member cannot have it both ways.
Mr Z.R.F. Kirkup : I have not
given my point of order.
The SPEAKER : Okay, give it.
Point of Order
Mr Z.R.F.
KIRKUP : I believe the Treasurer is not responding to the question
that was asked.
Mr S.K. L'Estrange :
Correct!
The SPEAKER : Oh, so you are
correct are you? You think that is correct?
Mr S.K. L'Estrange :
I was just listening to the member, Sir.
The
SPEAKER : Okay. I was just seeing
how many calls to order you have. You already have two, so that is correct ,
too. This is not a point of order.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr B.S. WYATT : Thank you, Mr
Speaker.
A question was put to the member
for Bateman in respect of the Leader of the Opposition, and I quote —
Do you see her as premier material?
To which the member for Bateman
says —
I see her as taking us to the
election, �
That is strong defence of the
Leader of the Opposition! But Chris Ilsley, to his credit, says —
No, Dean, that wasn't my
question. My question was, do you see her as premier material?
The member for Bateman said —
Yeah,
but Chris what I'm saying � is right at this point in time we are
focused on doing the best we can �
A government member: Ringing
endorsement!
Mr B.S. WYATT : We have all
seen some strong endorsements for the Leader of the Opposition. That is the
strongest from the member for Bateman.
Point of Order
Mr D.C.
NALDER : This response has nothing to do with the question at hand
and I seek that he be brought back to the question.
The SPEAKER : I am sure the
Treasurer will come back to the question.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr B.S. WYATT : The budget
is very much for its times. It is about job creation. It is very much for its
times. It is interesting to note that
it must have gone okay if on the first parliamentary day after the budget, the
shadow Treasurer does not come to question time. He does not ask the
Treasurer of the day a question. He does not —
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
Mr B.S. WYATT : I can
guarantee the shadow Treasurer one thing. I held the shadow Treasurer portfolio
for a long period of time and I can guarantee him without a shadow of a doubt
that after budget day I was in here asking questions of the Treasurer. The fact
that he was not was probably because he said on Chris Ilsley's show,
when asked —
� I don't see any change at
this point in time.
Point of Order
Mr Z.R.F. KIRKUP : Mr
Speaker, you instructed the Treasurer to return to the question that was asked
of him. He continues to disobey your ruling.
Mr B.S. WYATT : Mr Speaker,
if I am going to get interjected on, I will respond.
The SPEAKER : The Treasurer
will get back to the question now.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr B.S. WYATT : The reality
is that the shadow Treasurer has not been here. He has probably, maybe, asked
six questions this year, and that is being kind. The fact that he did
not ask me a question after the budget reflects on not only him and his interest in the finances and the budget, but
also, I suspect, his interest in the Leader of the Opposition.
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