❓ Opposition questions the Premier about the Local Projects, Local Jobs program, alleging it didn't create jobs and disproportionately favoured Labor seats. The Premier refutes this, citing a committee report that endorsed the program's professional and accountable implementation.
AnsweredQoN 497Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
LOCAL PROJECTS, LOCAL JOBS —STANDING
COMMITTEE ON ESTIMATES AND FINANCIAL OPERATIONS —EIGHTY-SECOND REPORT
497. Mr Z.R.F. KIRKUP to the Premier:
I refer to the Standing Committee on
Estimates and Financial Operations report that was tabled today regarding the
government's Local Projects, Local Jobs election promise. Can the
Premier confirm that his nearly $40 million so-called jobs promise did not
actually create a single job, and can he confirm that, coincidentally, 92 per cent
of taxpayers' funding went into Labor and marginal seats?
COMMITTEE ON ESTIMATES AND FINANCIAL OPERATIONS —EIGHTY-SECOND REPORT
497. Mr Z.R.F. KIRKUP to the Premier:
I refer to the Standing Committee on
Estimates and Financial Operations report that was tabled today regarding the
government's Local Projects, Local Jobs election promise. Can the
Premier confirm that his nearly $40 million so-called jobs promise did not
actually create a single job, and can he confirm that, coincidentally, 92 per cent
of taxpayers' funding went into Labor and marginal seats?
AnswerView source ↗
It is a dream come true that the
member has asked me this question. I was hoping, and he has delivered, so I am
so happy. I have the report here.
A member interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I do; I dream
about this. I have the report here. I am going to highlight it; I am going to
annotate it.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
M. McGOWAN : It is a glowing
endorsement of the scheme. Let me read out what Hon Tjorn Sibma had to say .
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : ''Shorn''?
''Yorn''?
Mr S.A. Millman : As in what
we do when Carine is speaking!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Mount
Lawley! It is not a vaudeville act. I call you to order for the first time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to read
out some of the relevant bits. Where are the relevant bits?
Several members interjected.
Mr
M. McGOWAN : It is the entire
report. I can read the whole report if members like. We are staying late.
Liberal member of Parliament Mr Sibma indicated that the Local Projects, Local
Jobs program was implemented in a ''professional'' and ''accountable
manner'', within established ''governance arrangements''.
To quote the report —
� departments implemented the
Government's LPLJ program in a professional, transparent and
accountable manner. The Committee did not identify any deficiencies or concerns
�
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : — with
the way in which it was administered. The report continues —
� the Committee accepts that the
existing grant mechanisms were the appropriate mechanism to implement the delivery
and acquittal of projects �
It
goes on and on like that. At one point, it indicates that the program itself
did provide, and I quote, ''stimulus''. I note that in the
question asked by the member for Dawesville, he asked whether I can confirm
there was no work created. When
someone upgrades the Osborne Park RSL or Kiara College, or provides support to
the Geraldton Pollinators Inc— that
is a great organisation—or supports staffing at the Ballajura Dungeon
Youth Centre or infrastructure in the Pilbara's Ngarluma Yindjibarndi Foundation , or assists
the Darlington Sports and Recreation Association to assist with the cost of
building a new pavilion, or the Cockburn Power Boats Association to upgrade its
clubrooms, or the City of Wanneroo to install traffic calming devices, does the
member think people do not work on those? Is it his view that when those things
happen and contracts are issued to subcontractors, people do not actually do
that work? Is that his argument? Even the committee headed up by Mr Sibma indicated
that there was stimulus involved in this program. The program itself was, and I
quote Mr Sibma again —
The Government's stated
position is that the LPLJ program is not a grants program, but a program to
honour its election commitments. On this matter, the Committee agrees.
In other words, Mr Sibma endorses
the fact that the government has delivered our election commitments. As part of
that, contracts were issued to subcontractors to deliver jobs. Where is the
smoking gun? What is the member's argument here? What is he trying to
say? This is a glowing endorsement of what happened; after all the froth and
bubble, and all the ridiculous carry-on that went on, the committee produced a report
that endorses what we had to say and what we did. That is what has occurred.
Mr Speaker, I do not know whether
you know, but the announcements the Labor opposition made went half to Liberal–National
seats and half to Labor seats. Somehow, the member has constructed—or
tries to, even though Mr Sibma does not adhere to that argument now —
Mr R.S. Love : None went into
Nationals seats! How much went into Nationals seats?
Mr M. McGOWAN : Geraldton!
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Kalgoorlie as
well.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : Kalgoorlie got
grants; Geraldton got grants. I do not know whether members opposite know, but
Kalgoorlie was a National Party seat.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse!
Mr
M. McGOWAN : Half the announcements
went into Liberal–National seats and half went to Labor seats. The whole
thing on the part of the Liberal and National Parties has been the biggest
beat-up—and that is saying something—by its side of politics in
living memory.
Mr D.A. Templeman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
House, I call you to order for the first time.
member has asked me this question. I was hoping, and he has delivered, so I am
so happy. I have the report here.
A member interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I do; I dream
about this. I have the report here. I am going to highlight it; I am going to
annotate it.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
M. McGOWAN : It is a glowing
endorsement of the scheme. Let me read out what Hon Tjorn Sibma had to say .
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : ''Shorn''?
''Yorn''?
Mr S.A. Millman : As in what
we do when Carine is speaking!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Mount
Lawley! It is not a vaudeville act. I call you to order for the first time.
Mr M. McGOWAN : I want to read
out some of the relevant bits. Where are the relevant bits?
Several members interjected.
Mr
M. McGOWAN : It is the entire
report. I can read the whole report if members like. We are staying late.
Liberal member of Parliament Mr Sibma indicated that the Local Projects, Local
Jobs program was implemented in a ''professional'' and ''accountable
manner'', within established ''governance arrangements''.
To quote the report —
� departments implemented the
Government's LPLJ program in a professional, transparent and
accountable manner. The Committee did not identify any deficiencies or concerns
�
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : — with
the way in which it was administered. The report continues —
� the Committee accepts that the
existing grant mechanisms were the appropriate mechanism to implement the delivery
and acquittal of projects �
It
goes on and on like that. At one point, it indicates that the program itself
did provide, and I quote, ''stimulus''. I note that in the
question asked by the member for Dawesville, he asked whether I can confirm
there was no work created. When
someone upgrades the Osborne Park RSL or Kiara College, or provides support to
the Geraldton Pollinators Inc— that
is a great organisation—or supports staffing at the Ballajura Dungeon
Youth Centre or infrastructure in the Pilbara's Ngarluma Yindjibarndi Foundation , or assists
the Darlington Sports and Recreation Association to assist with the cost of
building a new pavilion, or the Cockburn Power Boats Association to upgrade its
clubrooms, or the City of Wanneroo to install traffic calming devices, does the
member think people do not work on those? Is it his view that when those things
happen and contracts are issued to subcontractors, people do not actually do
that work? Is that his argument? Even the committee headed up by Mr Sibma indicated
that there was stimulus involved in this program. The program itself was, and I
quote Mr Sibma again —
The Government's stated
position is that the LPLJ program is not a grants program, but a program to
honour its election commitments. On this matter, the Committee agrees.
In other words, Mr Sibma endorses
the fact that the government has delivered our election commitments. As part of
that, contracts were issued to subcontractors to deliver jobs. Where is the
smoking gun? What is the member's argument here? What is he trying to
say? This is a glowing endorsement of what happened; after all the froth and
bubble, and all the ridiculous carry-on that went on, the committee produced a report
that endorses what we had to say and what we did. That is what has occurred.
Mr Speaker, I do not know whether
you know, but the announcements the Labor opposition made went half to Liberal–National
seats and half to Labor seats. Somehow, the member has constructed—or
tries to, even though Mr Sibma does not adhere to that argument now —
Mr R.S. Love : None went into
Nationals seats! How much went into Nationals seats?
Mr M. McGOWAN : Geraldton!
Several members interjected.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Kalgoorlie as
well.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr M. McGOWAN : Kalgoorlie got
grants; Geraldton got grants. I do not know whether members opposite know, but
Kalgoorlie was a National Party seat.
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Vasse!
Mr
M. McGOWAN : Half the announcements
went into Liberal–National seats and half went to Labor seats. The whole
thing on the part of the Liberal and National Parties has been the biggest
beat-up—and that is saying something—by its side of politics in
living memory.
Mr D.A. Templeman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
House, I call you to order for the first time.
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