❓ A WA parliamentary question regarding the state of the WA economy under the current Labor government, comparing it to the previous Liberal-National government's performance, and addressing concerns about undermining economic confidence. The Treasurer's answer focuses on the previous government's financial mismanagement and the current government's preparedness for economic shocks.
AnsweredQoN 126Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STATE ECONOMY
126. Mr T.J. HEALY to the Treasurer:
Before I ask my question, I would
like to acknowledge the students from Rossmoyne Senior High School from the
member for Riverton's electorate and also those students who came from
the member for Jandakot's electorate and my electorate.
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to supporting business and the local economy
through measures such as its cuts to payroll tax, its rebates on stamp duty,
its cuts to TAFE fees, its boost to Keystart, and its record investment in
Metronet, road infrastructure and tourism.
(1) Can the
Treasurer update the house on the current state of the Western Australian
economy and how it compares with what was left by the Barnett–Harvey
Liberal–National government?
(2) Can the
Treasurer advise the house whether he is aware of anyone who is trying to
undermine confidence with false and uninformed claims?
The SPEAKER : Did you say ''seek
advice''—to give an opinion?
Mr T.J. HEALY : No.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member?
Mr T.J. HEALY : I can repeat
the question—the final part.
The SPEAKER : No, just the
final part, please.
Mr T.J. HEALY : Can the
Treasurer inform the house.
Several members interjected.
Mr
T.J. HEALY : Can he advise the
house whether he is aware of anyone trying to undermine confidence with false and uninformed claims?
126. Mr T.J. HEALY to the Treasurer:
Before I ask my question, I would
like to acknowledge the students from Rossmoyne Senior High School from the
member for Riverton's electorate and also those students who came from
the member for Jandakot's electorate and my electorate.
I refer to the McGowan Labor
government's commitment to supporting business and the local economy
through measures such as its cuts to payroll tax, its rebates on stamp duty,
its cuts to TAFE fees, its boost to Keystart, and its record investment in
Metronet, road infrastructure and tourism.
(1) Can the
Treasurer update the house on the current state of the Western Australian
economy and how it compares with what was left by the Barnett–Harvey
Liberal–National government?
(2) Can the
Treasurer advise the house whether he is aware of anyone who is trying to
undermine confidence with false and uninformed claims?
The SPEAKER : Did you say ''seek
advice''—to give an opinion?
Mr T.J. HEALY : No.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member?
Mr T.J. HEALY : I can repeat
the question—the final part.
The SPEAKER : No, just the
final part, please.
Mr T.J. HEALY : Can the
Treasurer inform the house.
Several members interjected.
Mr
T.J. HEALY : Can he advise the
house whether he is aware of anyone trying to undermine confidence with false and uninformed claims?
AnswerView source ↗
Thank
you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to answer that very good question from the
member for Southern River.
(1)–(2) I
often think back, because I still am scarred by the trauma of 2017, at the
first briefing I received from Treasury not long after becoming Treasurer. The
former government had left me —
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
Mr B.S. WYATT : Apparently the
shadow Treasurer said it was a fake—a fake deficit. I assure him that
the $2.5 billion operating deficit that was left to me, the gross state product
contraction that was left to me and the record debt levels that were left to me
by the former Liberal–National government were real. I make this point: had coronavirus, which came unexpectedly out
of nowhere, hit us in 2017, we in Western Australia would have been economic sitting ducks. We would have had no capacity whatsoever to respond to
this global event that is having an impact on every government around the
globe. That is because of the arrogance of the former government—I said
this a lot in opposition—that had the audacity to think that it could
take the capacity of governments into the future. That is what it did. That is
why the Premier talks about the effort of this government in ensuring that we
have a balance sheet that is able to respond to emerging shocks. We have that
now.
This morning I was
speaking to another very senior Liberal minister in the commonwealth
government. I am pleased to say that the state government and the
federal government are working very, very closely together because we
understand the importance of a unified message, a unified response to this
economic event. What we are seeing in the event now, with minimal capacity for monetary
response, is clearly there needs to be a government response as well. We are
working, as the Premier said, very, very closely with the commonwealth
government.
We
have outlined—indeed, the member for Southern River in that very good
question outlined—a range of initiatives that we have already
done. But I just want to make this point: this is something that all political
leaders need to be part of. That includes the opposition. Some people out there
may think, incorrectly, that when the opposition says something, it knows what
it is talking about. That means that the opposition also has to calibrate its
language and calibrate its activities. In
its desperation to critique, criticise and complain, it is unhelpful and it is
also not supporting our state and our nation for the opposition to go
out screaming, ''Recession'', when no recession exists. It does
not help for the opposition to make public speeches, screaming, ''Recession'',
when no recession exists. The opposition needs to reflect upon its role in this
as well, because the community is looking to us all.
We
will, as the Premier has said, continue to work with the commonwealth
government. We will roll out the stimulus measures we have already
announced and we will have more to say in the very near future. However, one
thing I know when I speak to members of the business community and, indeed, on
a regular basis, with senior members of the commonwealth government, is they
want to see better behaviour and better language from the opposition than they
have been seeing. I know that every Western Australian is keen to see from this
place a leadership that is certainly not being shown by the current opposition.
you, Mr Speaker, for the opportunity to answer that very good question from the
member for Southern River.
(1)–(2) I
often think back, because I still am scarred by the trauma of 2017, at the
first briefing I received from Treasury not long after becoming Treasurer. The
former government had left me —
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
Mr B.S. WYATT : Apparently the
shadow Treasurer said it was a fake—a fake deficit. I assure him that
the $2.5 billion operating deficit that was left to me, the gross state product
contraction that was left to me and the record debt levels that were left to me
by the former Liberal–National government were real. I make this point: had coronavirus, which came unexpectedly out
of nowhere, hit us in 2017, we in Western Australia would have been economic sitting ducks. We would have had no capacity whatsoever to respond to
this global event that is having an impact on every government around the
globe. That is because of the arrogance of the former government—I said
this a lot in opposition—that had the audacity to think that it could
take the capacity of governments into the future. That is what it did. That is
why the Premier talks about the effort of this government in ensuring that we
have a balance sheet that is able to respond to emerging shocks. We have that
now.
This morning I was
speaking to another very senior Liberal minister in the commonwealth
government. I am pleased to say that the state government and the
federal government are working very, very closely together because we
understand the importance of a unified message, a unified response to this
economic event. What we are seeing in the event now, with minimal capacity for monetary
response, is clearly there needs to be a government response as well. We are
working, as the Premier said, very, very closely with the commonwealth
government.
We
have outlined—indeed, the member for Southern River in that very good
question outlined—a range of initiatives that we have already
done. But I just want to make this point: this is something that all political
leaders need to be part of. That includes the opposition. Some people out there
may think, incorrectly, that when the opposition says something, it knows what
it is talking about. That means that the opposition also has to calibrate its
language and calibrate its activities. In
its desperation to critique, criticise and complain, it is unhelpful and it is
also not supporting our state and our nation for the opposition to go
out screaming, ''Recession'', when no recession exists. It does
not help for the opposition to make public speeches, screaming, ''Recession'',
when no recession exists. The opposition needs to reflect upon its role in this
as well, because the community is looking to us all.
We
will, as the Premier has said, continue to work with the commonwealth
government. We will roll out the stimulus measures we have already
announced and we will have more to say in the very near future. However, one
thing I know when I speak to members of the business community and, indeed, on
a regular basis, with senior members of the commonwealth government, is they
want to see better behaviour and better language from the opposition than they
have been seeing. I know that every Western Australian is keen to see from this
place a leadership that is certainly not being shown by the current opposition.
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