❓ Mr. Murray questions the consistency of allocating 12.4% of mining royalties to the Royalties for Regions program in 2016-17, compared to the National Party's 2013 promise of 25%. Minister Redman defends the government's commitment, citing a $1 billion annual investment and a previous $1 billion cap.
AnsweredQoN 353Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STATE
BUDGET 2014–15 — ROYALTIES FOR REGIONS
353. Mr M.P. MURRAY to the
Minister for Regional Development:
I refer to the minister's remarks on 720 ABC last
Thursday, when he said, ''The commitment that we've made, when
we went to the 2008 election, is consistent with this position. We haven't
breached that.'' How can allocating only 12.4 per cent of mining
royalties to royalties for regions in 2016–17 be considered consistent
with the National Party's 2013 election advertisement, which stated
that, ''In 2008 we created royalties for regions, and our plan is to
return 25 per cent of the state's royalties to regional areas''?
BUDGET 2014–15 — ROYALTIES FOR REGIONS
353. Mr M.P. MURRAY to the
Minister for Regional Development:
I refer to the minister's remarks on 720 ABC last
Thursday, when he said, ''The commitment that we've made, when
we went to the 2008 election, is consistent with this position. We haven't
breached that.'' How can allocating only 12.4 per cent of mining
royalties to royalties for regions in 2016–17 be considered consistent
with the National Party's 2013 election advertisement, which stated
that, ''In 2008 we created royalties for regions, and our plan is to
return 25 per cent of the state's royalties to regional areas''?
AnswerView source ↗
If I were in the opposition, I would be embarrassed to raise
any question about regional Western Australia —
Mr P.B. Watson interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Albany, I call you to order now for the third time.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : I
would be embarrassed, if I were in the opposition, to raise any question about
the commitment to regional Western Australia that this Liberal–National
government has delivered over the last five years —
Mr M. McGowan : You've
broken your word!
Mr D.T. REDMAN : I
will get to that, Leader of the Opposition.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Butler, I call you to order for the first time; and member for North
West Central, I call you to order for the first time. I cannot hear the
minister.
Mr D.T. REDMAN :
The reason they would be embarrassed is that I have in my hand the progress
report from July 2012 to June 2013 for royalties for regions. That report was
tabled by the former Leader of the National Party, and it shows what has been
done by royalties for regions in regional Western Australia in that one year.
We have gone from a position in which the Labor Party had a $20 million
regional development fund, to delivering in the four-year forward estimates $1 billion
per year into regional Western Australia. This report shows one year's
worth of spending on royalties for regions. That report was tabled in
Parliament. So I would be embarrassed to ask questions about that.
As to our commitment and our policy position, the member for
Collie–Preston needs to go back and read the policy that we took to the
2008 election —
Mr M. McGowan interjected.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : I
will get you a copy, Leader of the Opposition.
Not only did that policy position talk about putting 25 per
cent of mining and petroleum royalties into a fund, it also talked about a $1 billion
cap into regional Western Australia.
Mr W.J. Johnston interjected.
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : The member for Cannington is absolutely right. It is predicted
that in 2013–14 we will acquit $1 billion into regional Western
Australia. That is because of the high level of governance —
Mr
W.J. Johnston interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr
W.J. Johnston interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : It is predicted that in 2013–14—this financial
year—we will acquit $1 billion into regional Western Australia. This is
the first time that has happened. That means that in the four-year forward
estimates, we will have $4 billion over four years. That will be far greater
than what has happened in the past four years. So our commitment to regional
Western Australia is going strong. It is not dead. We have maintained the
integrity of the program. We have always said that we will be fiscally
responsible. The member for Albany can sit there and laugh, but every time
there is the opening of something in Albany, he is right there —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Pilbara, I call you to order for the second time, and
member for West Swan, for the second time.
Mr
F.M. Logan interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn!
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : What we do not get to hear in this chamber, and what we hear
out there all the time, is what members opposite think about royalties for
regions. I am sure that come Friday, when the Premier and I will be in Albany,
talking about what royalties for regions will deliver to Albany for the coming
Anzac commemorations, the member for Albany will be right there, edging himself
—
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Jandakot, I call you to order for the first time, and
member for Kwinana, for the first time.
Mr
P. Papalia interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I do not want to hear from you when I am on my
feet.
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : I am sure the member for Albany will be right there, edging
himself sideways to get into the photo frame so that he can wave the arm and
say, ''Yes, we support royalties for regions.'' Yet the member
for Collie–Preston can get up and ask a question like that, which
really is having a crack at a program that has made a huge difference. It has
not diminished in integrity. It is still there. We could gather up all the
regional members over there and they could have a meeting in a telephone booth.
I might add that they are as close to the regions as Eddie McGuire is to the
Eagles and Dockers.
any question about regional Western Australia —
Mr P.B. Watson interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Albany, I call you to order now for the third time.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : I
would be embarrassed, if I were in the opposition, to raise any question about
the commitment to regional Western Australia that this Liberal–National
government has delivered over the last five years —
Mr M. McGowan : You've
broken your word!
Mr D.T. REDMAN : I
will get to that, Leader of the Opposition.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Butler, I call you to order for the first time; and member for North
West Central, I call you to order for the first time. I cannot hear the
minister.
Mr D.T. REDMAN :
The reason they would be embarrassed is that I have in my hand the progress
report from July 2012 to June 2013 for royalties for regions. That report was
tabled by the former Leader of the National Party, and it shows what has been
done by royalties for regions in regional Western Australia in that one year.
We have gone from a position in which the Labor Party had a $20 million
regional development fund, to delivering in the four-year forward estimates $1 billion
per year into regional Western Australia. This report shows one year's
worth of spending on royalties for regions. That report was tabled in
Parliament. So I would be embarrassed to ask questions about that.
As to our commitment and our policy position, the member for
Collie–Preston needs to go back and read the policy that we took to the
2008 election —
Mr M. McGowan interjected.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : I
will get you a copy, Leader of the Opposition.
Not only did that policy position talk about putting 25 per
cent of mining and petroleum royalties into a fund, it also talked about a $1 billion
cap into regional Western Australia.
Mr W.J. Johnston interjected.
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : The member for Cannington is absolutely right. It is predicted
that in 2013–14 we will acquit $1 billion into regional Western
Australia. That is because of the high level of governance —
Mr
W.J. Johnston interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr
W.J. Johnston interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : It is predicted that in 2013–14—this financial
year—we will acquit $1 billion into regional Western Australia. This is
the first time that has happened. That means that in the four-year forward
estimates, we will have $4 billion over four years. That will be far greater
than what has happened in the past four years. So our commitment to regional
Western Australia is going strong. It is not dead. We have maintained the
integrity of the program. We have always said that we will be fiscally
responsible. The member for Albany can sit there and laugh, but every time
there is the opening of something in Albany, he is right there —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Pilbara, I call you to order for the second time, and
member for West Swan, for the second time.
Mr
F.M. Logan interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cockburn!
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : What we do not get to hear in this chamber, and what we hear
out there all the time, is what members opposite think about royalties for
regions. I am sure that come Friday, when the Premier and I will be in Albany,
talking about what royalties for regions will deliver to Albany for the coming
Anzac commemorations, the member for Albany will be right there, edging himself
—
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Jandakot, I call you to order for the first time, and
member for Kwinana, for the first time.
Mr
P. Papalia interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Warnbro, I do not want to hear from you when I am on my
feet.
Mr
D.T. REDMAN : I am sure the member for Albany will be right there, edging
himself sideways to get into the photo frame so that he can wave the arm and
say, ''Yes, we support royalties for regions.'' Yet the member
for Collie–Preston can get up and ask a question like that, which
really is having a crack at a program that has made a huge difference. It has
not diminished in integrity. It is still there. We could gather up all the
regional members over there and they could have a meeting in a telephone booth.
I might add that they are as close to the regions as Eddie McGuire is to the
Eagles and Dockers.
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