❓ Opposition questions Premier about potential budget cuts affecting his new office complex. Premier deflects, leading to interruptions and Speaker intervention, before eventually outlining the building's refurbishment and intended use.
AnsweredQoN 167Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STATE
BUDGET 2012–13 — CAPITAL WORKS
167. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Will the Premier's
cuts and delays apply to his new office complex?
BUDGET 2012–13 — CAPITAL WORKS
167. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Will the Premier's
cuts and delays apply to his new office complex?
AnswerView source ↗
How clever was that? How clever was that?
Mr J.N. Hyde : Very
clever.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Very clever. The member for Perth interjected then, but he
opposes the Perth Waterfront, does he not?
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Does he oppose it?
Mr M. McGowan :
Answer the question. Answer the question.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
He has come out publicly, and I just want to check whether the member for Perth
opposes the Perth Waterfront project and whether the Leader of the Opposition
opposes the stadium at Burswood.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
will get back to the question.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, I formally call you to order for
the second time today. Premier, I am going to indicate to you that I do not
think questions regarding the Perth Waterfront were asked by the Leader of the
Opposition. I direct you to the supplementary question that has been asked.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The member for Victoria Park has a serious problem with respect to the director
of government media. We will have a little bit more to say about that as the
week goes on.
Mr P. Papalia interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today.
Dr K.D. Hames :
Discipline hasn't improved.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
No, they are hopeless. A heritage-listed building, Hale House, is being
refurbished on time and on budget. It is a new public building; it is a
heritage-listed building. I think it deserves to be refurbished. It will be
used for public purposes.
Mr W.J. Johnston interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I formally call
you to order for the first time today.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
As members would be aware, it is a two-storey building. It does look quite
imposing from the street. Inside, I can assure members, it is not that big.
Like a lot of those buildings, it has a lot of staircase space and verandas and
the like; old buildings do not have a lot of interior space in them.
A member interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
It is not very big.
Mr P.C. Tinley :
No; we are talking about your ego.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
saw your caravan operation. How much are you charging up there? I saw that; I
had a very good look at that operation up there. It looked a bit exploitive to
me.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park, I formally call you to order for the first time
today. Premier, I formally call you to order for the first time today.
Mr D.A. Templeman interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Mandurah, I do not want to hear from you again at all today. I think
you understand that. Your nodding would indicate that you do. Premier, I am
going to direct you to return to the supplementary question asked by the Leader
of the Opposition.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
am trying hard, Mr Speaker.
It is a heritage-listed building. Under any circumstances,
the state would have to spend probably $3 million to $4 million on just
maintaining it to its current state. The building in the city that the
government has been in for many years, Governor Stirling Tower, is being
gutted. In fact, the government is probably only on about two or three floors,
one being my office. The government has no choice. That rental accommodation is
no longer available to us. Most ministers have moved. The Public Sector
Commissioner and the Department of the Premier and Cabinet have already moved
into Dumas House, which is now fully occupied. I will personally have one
office within that two-storey building; obviously I will. The top floor of that
building, which is not a particularly large area, will be occupied by the staff
of the Premier's office. The bottom level will be a new cabinet room.
Surely Western Australia deserves a proper cabinet room. There will also be
other public areas on the lower level, and there will be the staff from
parliamentary services. In other words, yes, my office is in that building but
also is a significant area for the cabinet room and staff from Premier and
Cabinet. It is a government building. It will be owned by the government and it
will pay for itself in saved rentals within about 10 years. Thereafter it will
be freely available for that public purpose. It is sensible for governments to
own their own premises. Why? Because governments do not pay company tax.
Therefore it is very logical for governments to own their own premises, and
indeed I think this is a good outcome. A heritage building is restored. For the
first time there will be a permanent cabinet room and there will be a permanent
Premier's office. That is the reality—and, yes, I will occupy
one room in a public building.
Mr J.N. Hyde : Very
clever.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Very clever. The member for Perth interjected then, but he
opposes the Perth Waterfront, does he not?
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Does he oppose it?
Mr M. McGowan :
Answer the question. Answer the question.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
He has come out publicly, and I just want to check whether the member for Perth
opposes the Perth Waterfront project and whether the Leader of the Opposition
opposes the stadium at Burswood.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
will get back to the question.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Victoria Park, I formally call you to order for
the second time today. Premier, I am going to indicate to you that I do not
think questions regarding the Perth Waterfront were asked by the Leader of the
Opposition. I direct you to the supplementary question that has been asked.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The member for Victoria Park has a serious problem with respect to the director
of government media. We will have a little bit more to say about that as the
week goes on.
Mr P. Papalia interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Warnbro, I formally call you to order for the first time today.
Dr K.D. Hames :
Discipline hasn't improved.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
No, they are hopeless. A heritage-listed building, Hale House, is being
refurbished on time and on budget. It is a new public building; it is a
heritage-listed building. I think it deserves to be refurbished. It will be
used for public purposes.
Mr W.J. Johnston interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Cannington, I formally call
you to order for the first time today.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
As members would be aware, it is a two-storey building. It does look quite
imposing from the street. Inside, I can assure members, it is not that big.
Like a lot of those buildings, it has a lot of staircase space and verandas and
the like; old buildings do not have a lot of interior space in them.
A member interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
It is not very big.
Mr P.C. Tinley :
No; we are talking about your ego.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
saw your caravan operation. How much are you charging up there? I saw that; I
had a very good look at that operation up there. It looked a bit exploitive to
me.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park, I formally call you to order for the first time
today. Premier, I formally call you to order for the first time today.
Mr D.A. Templeman interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Mandurah, I do not want to hear from you again at all today. I think
you understand that. Your nodding would indicate that you do. Premier, I am
going to direct you to return to the supplementary question asked by the Leader
of the Opposition.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
am trying hard, Mr Speaker.
It is a heritage-listed building. Under any circumstances,
the state would have to spend probably $3 million to $4 million on just
maintaining it to its current state. The building in the city that the
government has been in for many years, Governor Stirling Tower, is being
gutted. In fact, the government is probably only on about two or three floors,
one being my office. The government has no choice. That rental accommodation is
no longer available to us. Most ministers have moved. The Public Sector
Commissioner and the Department of the Premier and Cabinet have already moved
into Dumas House, which is now fully occupied. I will personally have one
office within that two-storey building; obviously I will. The top floor of that
building, which is not a particularly large area, will be occupied by the staff
of the Premier's office. The bottom level will be a new cabinet room.
Surely Western Australia deserves a proper cabinet room. There will also be
other public areas on the lower level, and there will be the staff from
parliamentary services. In other words, yes, my office is in that building but
also is a significant area for the cabinet room and staff from Premier and
Cabinet. It is a government building. It will be owned by the government and it
will pay for itself in saved rentals within about 10 years. Thereafter it will
be freely available for that public purpose. It is sensible for governments to
own their own premises. Why? Because governments do not pay company tax.
Therefore it is very logical for governments to own their own premises, and
indeed I think this is a good outcome. A heritage building is restored. For the
first time there will be a permanent cabinet room and there will be a permanent
Premier's office. That is the reality—and, yes, I will occupy
one room in a public building.
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