❓ Mr Watson asks the Treasurer to outline the history of budget balances in WA. Mr Ripper responds by highlighting the current government's surpluses and criticising the opposition's past deficit record and alleged hypocrisy regarding consultancy expenditure.
AnsweredQoN 769Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
My question is to the world’s best Treasurer! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Roe! Mr P.B. WATSON : Will the Treasurer outline the history of budget balances in this state? Mr E.S. RIPPER
AnswerView source ↗
Speaking of electorates, we do spend a bit of money in Albany and we can see why! As the house is well aware, this state government has balanced each of its budgets. In its five budgets it has produced five surpluses. That is our record. The Liberal Party also has a record, and it is in two parts: deficits and deficit denial. That record is its inheritance. It is passed down from leader to leader. Firstly, former Premier Richard Court denied that he was delivering deficits, then the member for Cottesloe did so and today the Leader of the Opposition - once again true to the Liberal inheritance - is denying that the Liberal Party has ever delivered deficit budgets. It might be genetic, although I think the member for Cottesloe would object to any suggestion of a genetic relationship between him and the member for Kalgoorlie. Some Liberal Party members of this house are relatively new, therefore, they might not have seen the chart I am holding. I thought that on the last day of our 2005 parliamentary sittings, I might bring out the chart that I used in the government’s first term. It shows the deficits in red - one, two, three, four, five budget deficits - for the Leader of the Opposition to see. Although the Leader of the Opposition stood opposite and denied the obvious, it was good to hear him actually say something. Strangely, the Leader of the Opposition has been missing in action in recent weeks. What is going on? Why will he not front the media? Is there an issue from which he is running scared? Why will he not face the journalists? Instead of the shadow Treasurer fronting the media, the shadow, shadow Treasurer - the member for Vasse - has been doing all the work. I will offer some advice to the Leader of the Opposition. He cannot leave all the work to the member for Vasse. Dr G.I. Gallop : He’s got a record. Mr E.S. RIPPER : He has a record. He was the president of the Busselton shire council when the cost of consultancies blew out from $70 000 to $600 000 - an 857 per cent increase. What did he do to finance that increase? In his very short term as president he increased the rates by almost 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Tax and spend is his record. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Nedlands and Roe. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : Again I draw the house’s attention to standing order 78, which reads very simply - An answer must be relevant to the question. What the Treasurer is talking about now has something to do with Busselton and nothing to do with budget deficits. The SPEAKER : Once again we are in a position in which those who have asked a question do not particularly like the answer. The answer is in accordance with the question. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Roe! Mr P.B. WATSON : Will the Treasurer outline the history of budget balances in this state? Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: Speaking of electorates, we do spend a bit of money in Albany and we can see why! As the house is well aware, this state government has balanced each of its budgets. In its five budgets it has produced five surpluses. That is our record. The Liberal Party also has a record, and it is in two parts: deficits and deficit denial. That record is its inheritance. It is passed down from leader to leader. Firstly, former Premier Richard Court denied that he was delivering deficits, then the member for Cottesloe did so and today the Leader of the Opposition - once again true to the Liberal inheritance - is denying that the Liberal Party has ever delivered deficit budgets. It might be genetic, although I think the member for Cottesloe would object to any suggestion of a genetic relationship between him and the member for Kalgoorlie. Some Liberal Party members of this house are relatively new, therefore, they might not have seen the chart I am holding. I thought that on the last day of our 2005 parliamentary sittings, I might bring out the chart that I used in the government’s first term. It shows the deficits in red - one, two, three, four, five budget deficits - for the Leader of the Opposition to see. Although the Leader of the Opposition stood opposite and denied the obvious, it was good to hear him actually say something. Strangely, the Leader of the Opposition has been missing in action in recent weeks. What is going on? Why will he not front the media? Is there an issue from which he is running scared? Why will he not face the journalists? Instead of the shadow Treasurer fronting the media, the shadow, shadow Treasurer - the member for Vasse - has been doing all the work. I will offer some advice to the Leader of the Opposition. He cannot leave all the work to the member for Vasse. Dr G.I. Gallop : He’s got a record. Mr E.S. RIPPER : He has a record. He was the president of the Busselton shire council when the cost of consultancies blew out from $70 000 to $600 000 - an 857 per cent increase. What did he do to finance that increase? In his very short term as president he increased the rates by almost 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Tax and spend is his record. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Nedlands and Roe. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : Again I draw the house’s attention to standing order 78, which reads very simply - An answer must be relevant to the question. What the Treasurer is talking about now has something to do with Busselton and nothing to do with budget deficits. The SPEAKER : Once again we are in a position in which those who have asked a question do not particularly like the answer. The answer is in accordance with the question. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
The SPEAKER : Order, member for Roe! Mr P.B. WATSON : Will the Treasurer outline the history of budget balances in this state? Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: Speaking of electorates, we do spend a bit of money in Albany and we can see why! As the house is well aware, this state government has balanced each of its budgets. In its five budgets it has produced five surpluses. That is our record. The Liberal Party also has a record, and it is in two parts: deficits and deficit denial. That record is its inheritance. It is passed down from leader to leader. Firstly, former Premier Richard Court denied that he was delivering deficits, then the member for Cottesloe did so and today the Leader of the Opposition - once again true to the Liberal inheritance - is denying that the Liberal Party has ever delivered deficit budgets. It might be genetic, although I think the member for Cottesloe would object to any suggestion of a genetic relationship between him and the member for Kalgoorlie. Some Liberal Party members of this house are relatively new, therefore, they might not have seen the chart I am holding. I thought that on the last day of our 2005 parliamentary sittings, I might bring out the chart that I used in the government’s first term. It shows the deficits in red - one, two, three, four, five budget deficits - for the Leader of the Opposition to see. Although the Leader of the Opposition stood opposite and denied the obvious, it was good to hear him actually say something. Strangely, the Leader of the Opposition has been missing in action in recent weeks. What is going on? Why will he not front the media? Is there an issue from which he is running scared? Why will he not face the journalists? Instead of the shadow Treasurer fronting the media, the shadow, shadow Treasurer - the member for Vasse - has been doing all the work. I will offer some advice to the Leader of the Opposition. He cannot leave all the work to the member for Vasse. Dr G.I. Gallop : He’s got a record. Mr E.S. RIPPER : He has a record. He was the president of the Busselton shire council when the cost of consultancies blew out from $70 000 to $600 000 - an 857 per cent increase. What did he do to finance that increase? In his very short term as president he increased the rates by almost 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Tax and spend is his record. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Nedlands and Roe. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : Again I draw the house’s attention to standing order 78, which reads very simply - An answer must be relevant to the question. What the Treasurer is talking about now has something to do with Busselton and nothing to do with budget deficits. The SPEAKER : Once again we are in a position in which those who have asked a question do not particularly like the answer. The answer is in accordance with the question. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
Mr P.B. WATSON : Will the Treasurer outline the history of budget balances in this state? Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: Speaking of electorates, we do spend a bit of money in Albany and we can see why! As the house is well aware, this state government has balanced each of its budgets. In its five budgets it has produced five surpluses. That is our record. The Liberal Party also has a record, and it is in two parts: deficits and deficit denial. That record is its inheritance. It is passed down from leader to leader. Firstly, former Premier Richard Court denied that he was delivering deficits, then the member for Cottesloe did so and today the Leader of the Opposition - once again true to the Liberal inheritance - is denying that the Liberal Party has ever delivered deficit budgets. It might be genetic, although I think the member for Cottesloe would object to any suggestion of a genetic relationship between him and the member for Kalgoorlie. Some Liberal Party members of this house are relatively new, therefore, they might not have seen the chart I am holding. I thought that on the last day of our 2005 parliamentary sittings, I might bring out the chart that I used in the government’s first term. It shows the deficits in red - one, two, three, four, five budget deficits - for the Leader of the Opposition to see. Although the Leader of the Opposition stood opposite and denied the obvious, it was good to hear him actually say something. Strangely, the Leader of the Opposition has been missing in action in recent weeks. What is going on? Why will he not front the media? Is there an issue from which he is running scared? Why will he not face the journalists? Instead of the shadow Treasurer fronting the media, the shadow, shadow Treasurer - the member for Vasse - has been doing all the work. I will offer some advice to the Leader of the Opposition. He cannot leave all the work to the member for Vasse. Dr G.I. Gallop : He’s got a record. Mr E.S. RIPPER : He has a record. He was the president of the Busselton shire council when the cost of consultancies blew out from $70 000 to $600 000 - an 857 per cent increase. What did he do to finance that increase? In his very short term as president he increased the rates by almost 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Tax and spend is his record. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Nedlands and Roe. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : Again I draw the house’s attention to standing order 78, which reads very simply - An answer must be relevant to the question. What the Treasurer is talking about now has something to do with Busselton and nothing to do with budget deficits. The SPEAKER : Once again we are in a position in which those who have asked a question do not particularly like the answer. The answer is in accordance with the question. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: Speaking of electorates, we do spend a bit of money in Albany and we can see why! As the house is well aware, this state government has balanced each of its budgets. In its five budgets it has produced five surpluses. That is our record. The Liberal Party also has a record, and it is in two parts: deficits and deficit denial. That record is its inheritance. It is passed down from leader to leader. Firstly, former Premier Richard Court denied that he was delivering deficits, then the member for Cottesloe did so and today the Leader of the Opposition - once again true to the Liberal inheritance - is denying that the Liberal Party has ever delivered deficit budgets. It might be genetic, although I think the member for Cottesloe would object to any suggestion of a genetic relationship between him and the member for Kalgoorlie. Some Liberal Party members of this house are relatively new, therefore, they might not have seen the chart I am holding. I thought that on the last day of our 2005 parliamentary sittings, I might bring out the chart that I used in the government’s first term. It shows the deficits in red - one, two, three, four, five budget deficits - for the Leader of the Opposition to see. Although the Leader of the Opposition stood opposite and denied the obvious, it was good to hear him actually say something. Strangely, the Leader of the Opposition has been missing in action in recent weeks. What is going on? Why will he not front the media? Is there an issue from which he is running scared? Why will he not face the journalists? Instead of the shadow Treasurer fronting the media, the shadow, shadow Treasurer - the member for Vasse - has been doing all the work. I will offer some advice to the Leader of the Opposition. He cannot leave all the work to the member for Vasse. Dr G.I. Gallop : He’s got a record. Mr E.S. RIPPER : He has a record. He was the president of the Busselton shire council when the cost of consultancies blew out from $70 000 to $600 000 - an 857 per cent increase. What did he do to finance that increase? In his very short term as president he increased the rates by almost 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Tax and spend is his record. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Nedlands and Roe. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : Again I draw the house’s attention to standing order 78, which reads very simply - An answer must be relevant to the question. What the Treasurer is talking about now has something to do with Busselton and nothing to do with budget deficits. The SPEAKER : Once again we are in a position in which those who have asked a question do not particularly like the answer. The answer is in accordance with the question. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
Speaking of electorates, we do spend a bit of money in Albany and we can see why! As the house is well aware, this state government has balanced each of its budgets. In its five budgets it has produced five surpluses. That is our record. The Liberal Party also has a record, and it is in two parts: deficits and deficit denial. That record is its inheritance. It is passed down from leader to leader. Firstly, former Premier Richard Court denied that he was delivering deficits, then the member for Cottesloe did so and today the Leader of the Opposition - once again true to the Liberal inheritance - is denying that the Liberal Party has ever delivered deficit budgets. It might be genetic, although I think the member for Cottesloe would object to any suggestion of a genetic relationship between him and the member for Kalgoorlie. Some Liberal Party members of this house are relatively new, therefore, they might not have seen the chart I am holding. I thought that on the last day of our 2005 parliamentary sittings, I might bring out the chart that I used in the government’s first term. It shows the deficits in red - one, two, three, four, five budget deficits - for the Leader of the Opposition to see. Although the Leader of the Opposition stood opposite and denied the obvious, it was good to hear him actually say something. Strangely, the Leader of the Opposition has been missing in action in recent weeks. What is going on? Why will he not front the media? Is there an issue from which he is running scared? Why will he not face the journalists? Instead of the shadow Treasurer fronting the media, the shadow, shadow Treasurer - the member for Vasse - has been doing all the work. I will offer some advice to the Leader of the Opposition. He cannot leave all the work to the member for Vasse. Dr G.I. Gallop : He’s got a record. Mr E.S. RIPPER : He has a record. He was the president of the Busselton shire council when the cost of consultancies blew out from $70 000 to $600 000 - an 857 per cent increase. What did he do to finance that increase? In his very short term as president he increased the rates by almost 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Tax and spend is his record. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Nedlands and Roe. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : Again I draw the house’s attention to standing order 78, which reads very simply - An answer must be relevant to the question. What the Treasurer is talking about now has something to do with Busselton and nothing to do with budget deficits. The SPEAKER : Once again we are in a position in which those who have asked a question do not particularly like the answer. The answer is in accordance with the question. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
As the house is well aware, this state government has balanced each of its budgets. In its five budgets it has produced five surpluses. That is our record. The Liberal Party also has a record, and it is in two parts: deficits and deficit denial. That record is its inheritance. It is passed down from leader to leader. Firstly, former Premier Richard Court denied that he was delivering deficits, then the member for Cottesloe did so and today the Leader of the Opposition - once again true to the Liberal inheritance - is denying that the Liberal Party has ever delivered deficit budgets. It might be genetic, although I think the member for Cottesloe would object to any suggestion of a genetic relationship between him and the member for Kalgoorlie. Some Liberal Party members of this house are relatively new, therefore, they might not have seen the chart I am holding. I thought that on the last day of our 2005 parliamentary sittings, I might bring out the chart that I used in the government’s first term. It shows the deficits in red - one, two, three, four, five budget deficits - for the Leader of the Opposition to see. Although the Leader of the Opposition stood opposite and denied the obvious, it was good to hear him actually say something. Strangely, the Leader of the Opposition has been missing in action in recent weeks. What is going on? Why will he not front the media? Is there an issue from which he is running scared? Why will he not face the journalists? Instead of the shadow Treasurer fronting the media, the shadow, shadow Treasurer - the member for Vasse - has been doing all the work. I will offer some advice to the Leader of the Opposition. He cannot leave all the work to the member for Vasse. Dr G.I. Gallop : He’s got a record. Mr E.S. RIPPER : He has a record. He was the president of the Busselton shire council when the cost of consultancies blew out from $70 000 to $600 000 - an 857 per cent increase. What did he do to finance that increase? In his very short term as president he increased the rates by almost 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Tax and spend is his record. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Nedlands and Roe. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : Again I draw the house’s attention to standing order 78, which reads very simply - An answer must be relevant to the question. What the Treasurer is talking about now has something to do with Busselton and nothing to do with budget deficits. The SPEAKER : Once again we are in a position in which those who have asked a question do not particularly like the answer. The answer is in accordance with the question. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
Although the Leader of the Opposition stood opposite and denied the obvious, it was good to hear him actually say something. Strangely, the Leader of the Opposition has been missing in action in recent weeks. What is going on? Why will he not front the media? Is there an issue from which he is running scared? Why will he not face the journalists? Instead of the shadow Treasurer fronting the media, the shadow, shadow Treasurer - the member for Vasse - has been doing all the work. I will offer some advice to the Leader of the Opposition. He cannot leave all the work to the member for Vasse. Dr G.I. Gallop : He’s got a record. Mr E.S. RIPPER : He has a record. He was the president of the Busselton shire council when the cost of consultancies blew out from $70 000 to $600 000 - an 857 per cent increase. What did he do to finance that increase? In his very short term as president he increased the rates by almost 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Tax and spend is his record. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Nedlands and Roe. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : Again I draw the house’s attention to standing order 78, which reads very simply - An answer must be relevant to the question. What the Treasurer is talking about now has something to do with Busselton and nothing to do with budget deficits. The SPEAKER : Once again we are in a position in which those who have asked a question do not particularly like the answer. The answer is in accordance with the question. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
Dr G.I. Gallop : He’s got a record. Mr E.S. RIPPER : He has a record. He was the president of the Busselton shire council when the cost of consultancies blew out from $70 000 to $600 000 - an 857 per cent increase. What did he do to finance that increase? In his very short term as president he increased the rates by almost 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Tax and spend is his record. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Nedlands and Roe. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : Again I draw the house’s attention to standing order 78, which reads very simply - An answer must be relevant to the question. What the Treasurer is talking about now has something to do with Busselton and nothing to do with budget deficits. The SPEAKER : Once again we are in a position in which those who have asked a question do not particularly like the answer. The answer is in accordance with the question. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
Mr E.S. RIPPER : He has a record. He was the president of the Busselton shire council when the cost of consultancies blew out from $70 000 to $600 000 - an 857 per cent increase. What did he do to finance that increase? In his very short term as president he increased the rates by almost 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Tax and spend is his record. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Nedlands and Roe. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : Again I draw the house’s attention to standing order 78, which reads very simply - An answer must be relevant to the question. What the Treasurer is talking about now has something to do with Busselton and nothing to do with budget deficits. The SPEAKER : Once again we are in a position in which those who have asked a question do not particularly like the answer. The answer is in accordance with the question. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Tax and spend is his record. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Nedlands and Roe. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : Again I draw the house’s attention to standing order 78, which reads very simply - An answer must be relevant to the question. What the Treasurer is talking about now has something to do with Busselton and nothing to do with budget deficits. The SPEAKER : Once again we are in a position in which those who have asked a question do not particularly like the answer. The answer is in accordance with the question. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Tax and spend is his record. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Nedlands and Roe. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : Again I draw the house’s attention to standing order 78, which reads very simply - An answer must be relevant to the question. What the Treasurer is talking about now has something to do with Busselton and nothing to do with budget deficits. The SPEAKER : Once again we are in a position in which those who have asked a question do not particularly like the answer. The answer is in accordance with the question. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
Mr E.S. RIPPER : Tax and spend is his record. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Nedlands and Roe. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : Again I draw the house’s attention to standing order 78, which reads very simply - An answer must be relevant to the question. What the Treasurer is talking about now has something to do with Busselton and nothing to do with budget deficits. The SPEAKER : Once again we are in a position in which those who have asked a question do not particularly like the answer. The answer is in accordance with the question. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Nedlands and Roe. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : Again I draw the house’s attention to standing order 78, which reads very simply - An answer must be relevant to the question. What the Treasurer is talking about now has something to do with Busselton and nothing to do with budget deficits. The SPEAKER : Once again we are in a position in which those who have asked a question do not particularly like the answer. The answer is in accordance with the question. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
The SPEAKER : Once again we are in a position in which those who have asked a question do not particularly like the answer. The answer is in accordance with the question. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, member for Roe! Mr P.B. WATSON : Will the Treasurer outline the history of budget balances in this state? Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: Speaking of electorates, we do spend a bit of money in Albany and we can see why! As the house is well aware, this state government has balanced each of its budgets. In its five budgets it has produced five surpluses. That is our record. The Liberal Party also has a record, and it is in two parts: deficits and deficit denial. That record is its inheritance. It is passed down from leader to leader. Firstly, former Premier Richard Court denied that he was delivering deficits, then the member for Cottesloe did so and today the Leader of the Opposition - once again true to the Liberal inheritance - is denying that the Liberal Party has ever delivered deficit budgets. It might be genetic, although I think the member for Cottesloe would object to any suggestion of a genetic relationship between him and the member for Kalgoorlie. Some Liberal Party members of this house are relatively new, therefore, they might not have seen the chart I am holding. I thought that on the last day of our 2005 parliamentary sittings, I might bring out the chart that I used in the government’s first term. It shows the deficits in red - one, two, three, four, five budget deficits - for the Leader of the Opposition to see. Although the Leader of the Opposition stood opposite and denied the obvious, it was good to hear him actually say something. Strangely, the Leader of the Opposition has been missing in action in recent weeks. What is going on? Why will he not front the media? Is there an issue from which he is running scared? Why will he not face the journalists? Instead of the shadow Treasurer fronting the media, the shadow, shadow Treasurer - the member for Vasse - has been doing all the work. I will offer some advice to the Leader of the Opposition. He cannot leave all the work to the member for Vasse. Dr G.I. Gallop : He’s got a record. Mr E.S. RIPPER : He has a record. He was the president of the Busselton shire council when the cost of consultancies blew out from $70 000 to $600 000 - an 857 per cent increase. What did he do to finance that increase? In his very short term as president he increased the rates by almost 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Tax and spend is his record. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Nedlands and Roe. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : Again I draw the house’s attention to standing order 78, which reads very simply - An answer must be relevant to the question. What the Treasurer is talking about now has something to do with Busselton and nothing to do with budget deficits. The SPEAKER : Once again we are in a position in which those who have asked a question do not particularly like the answer. The answer is in accordance with the question. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
The SPEAKER : Order, member for Roe! Mr P.B. WATSON : Will the Treasurer outline the history of budget balances in this state? Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: Speaking of electorates, we do spend a bit of money in Albany and we can see why! As the house is well aware, this state government has balanced each of its budgets. In its five budgets it has produced five surpluses. That is our record. The Liberal Party also has a record, and it is in two parts: deficits and deficit denial. That record is its inheritance. It is passed down from leader to leader. Firstly, former Premier Richard Court denied that he was delivering deficits, then the member for Cottesloe did so and today the Leader of the Opposition - once again true to the Liberal inheritance - is denying that the Liberal Party has ever delivered deficit budgets. It might be genetic, although I think the member for Cottesloe would object to any suggestion of a genetic relationship between him and the member for Kalgoorlie. Some Liberal Party members of this house are relatively new, therefore, they might not have seen the chart I am holding. I thought that on the last day of our 2005 parliamentary sittings, I might bring out the chart that I used in the government’s first term. It shows the deficits in red - one, two, three, four, five budget deficits - for the Leader of the Opposition to see. Although the Leader of the Opposition stood opposite and denied the obvious, it was good to hear him actually say something. Strangely, the Leader of the Opposition has been missing in action in recent weeks. What is going on? Why will he not front the media? Is there an issue from which he is running scared? Why will he not face the journalists? Instead of the shadow Treasurer fronting the media, the shadow, shadow Treasurer - the member for Vasse - has been doing all the work. I will offer some advice to the Leader of the Opposition. He cannot leave all the work to the member for Vasse. Dr G.I. Gallop : He’s got a record. Mr E.S. RIPPER : He has a record. He was the president of the Busselton shire council when the cost of consultancies blew out from $70 000 to $600 000 - an 857 per cent increase. What did he do to finance that increase? In his very short term as president he increased the rates by almost 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Tax and spend is his record. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Nedlands and Roe. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : Again I draw the house’s attention to standing order 78, which reads very simply - An answer must be relevant to the question. What the Treasurer is talking about now has something to do with Busselton and nothing to do with budget deficits. The SPEAKER : Once again we are in a position in which those who have asked a question do not particularly like the answer. The answer is in accordance with the question. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
Mr P.B. WATSON : Will the Treasurer outline the history of budget balances in this state? Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: Speaking of electorates, we do spend a bit of money in Albany and we can see why! As the house is well aware, this state government has balanced each of its budgets. In its five budgets it has produced five surpluses. That is our record. The Liberal Party also has a record, and it is in two parts: deficits and deficit denial. That record is its inheritance. It is passed down from leader to leader. Firstly, former Premier Richard Court denied that he was delivering deficits, then the member for Cottesloe did so and today the Leader of the Opposition - once again true to the Liberal inheritance - is denying that the Liberal Party has ever delivered deficit budgets. It might be genetic, although I think the member for Cottesloe would object to any suggestion of a genetic relationship between him and the member for Kalgoorlie. Some Liberal Party members of this house are relatively new, therefore, they might not have seen the chart I am holding. I thought that on the last day of our 2005 parliamentary sittings, I might bring out the chart that I used in the government’s first term. It shows the deficits in red - one, two, three, four, five budget deficits - for the Leader of the Opposition to see. Although the Leader of the Opposition stood opposite and denied the obvious, it was good to hear him actually say something. Strangely, the Leader of the Opposition has been missing in action in recent weeks. What is going on? Why will he not front the media? Is there an issue from which he is running scared? Why will he not face the journalists? Instead of the shadow Treasurer fronting the media, the shadow, shadow Treasurer - the member for Vasse - has been doing all the work. I will offer some advice to the Leader of the Opposition. He cannot leave all the work to the member for Vasse. Dr G.I. Gallop : He’s got a record. Mr E.S. RIPPER : He has a record. He was the president of the Busselton shire council when the cost of consultancies blew out from $70 000 to $600 000 - an 857 per cent increase. What did he do to finance that increase? In his very short term as president he increased the rates by almost 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Tax and spend is his record. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Nedlands and Roe. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : Again I draw the house’s attention to standing order 78, which reads very simply - An answer must be relevant to the question. What the Treasurer is talking about now has something to do with Busselton and nothing to do with budget deficits. The SPEAKER : Once again we are in a position in which those who have asked a question do not particularly like the answer. The answer is in accordance with the question. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: Speaking of electorates, we do spend a bit of money in Albany and we can see why! As the house is well aware, this state government has balanced each of its budgets. In its five budgets it has produced five surpluses. That is our record. The Liberal Party also has a record, and it is in two parts: deficits and deficit denial. That record is its inheritance. It is passed down from leader to leader. Firstly, former Premier Richard Court denied that he was delivering deficits, then the member for Cottesloe did so and today the Leader of the Opposition - once again true to the Liberal inheritance - is denying that the Liberal Party has ever delivered deficit budgets. It might be genetic, although I think the member for Cottesloe would object to any suggestion of a genetic relationship between him and the member for Kalgoorlie. Some Liberal Party members of this house are relatively new, therefore, they might not have seen the chart I am holding. I thought that on the last day of our 2005 parliamentary sittings, I might bring out the chart that I used in the government’s first term. It shows the deficits in red - one, two, three, four, five budget deficits - for the Leader of the Opposition to see. Although the Leader of the Opposition stood opposite and denied the obvious, it was good to hear him actually say something. Strangely, the Leader of the Opposition has been missing in action in recent weeks. What is going on? Why will he not front the media? Is there an issue from which he is running scared? Why will he not face the journalists? Instead of the shadow Treasurer fronting the media, the shadow, shadow Treasurer - the member for Vasse - has been doing all the work. I will offer some advice to the Leader of the Opposition. He cannot leave all the work to the member for Vasse. Dr G.I. Gallop : He’s got a record. Mr E.S. RIPPER : He has a record. He was the president of the Busselton shire council when the cost of consultancies blew out from $70 000 to $600 000 - an 857 per cent increase. What did he do to finance that increase? In his very short term as president he increased the rates by almost 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Tax and spend is his record. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Nedlands and Roe. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : Again I draw the house’s attention to standing order 78, which reads very simply - An answer must be relevant to the question. What the Treasurer is talking about now has something to do with Busselton and nothing to do with budget deficits. The SPEAKER : Once again we are in a position in which those who have asked a question do not particularly like the answer. The answer is in accordance with the question. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
Speaking of electorates, we do spend a bit of money in Albany and we can see why! As the house is well aware, this state government has balanced each of its budgets. In its five budgets it has produced five surpluses. That is our record. The Liberal Party also has a record, and it is in two parts: deficits and deficit denial. That record is its inheritance. It is passed down from leader to leader. Firstly, former Premier Richard Court denied that he was delivering deficits, then the member for Cottesloe did so and today the Leader of the Opposition - once again true to the Liberal inheritance - is denying that the Liberal Party has ever delivered deficit budgets. It might be genetic, although I think the member for Cottesloe would object to any suggestion of a genetic relationship between him and the member for Kalgoorlie. Some Liberal Party members of this house are relatively new, therefore, they might not have seen the chart I am holding. I thought that on the last day of our 2005 parliamentary sittings, I might bring out the chart that I used in the government’s first term. It shows the deficits in red - one, two, three, four, five budget deficits - for the Leader of the Opposition to see. Although the Leader of the Opposition stood opposite and denied the obvious, it was good to hear him actually say something. Strangely, the Leader of the Opposition has been missing in action in recent weeks. What is going on? Why will he not front the media? Is there an issue from which he is running scared? Why will he not face the journalists? Instead of the shadow Treasurer fronting the media, the shadow, shadow Treasurer - the member for Vasse - has been doing all the work. I will offer some advice to the Leader of the Opposition. He cannot leave all the work to the member for Vasse. Dr G.I. Gallop : He’s got a record. Mr E.S. RIPPER : He has a record. He was the president of the Busselton shire council when the cost of consultancies blew out from $70 000 to $600 000 - an 857 per cent increase. What did he do to finance that increase? In his very short term as president he increased the rates by almost 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Tax and spend is his record. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Nedlands and Roe. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : Again I draw the house’s attention to standing order 78, which reads very simply - An answer must be relevant to the question. What the Treasurer is talking about now has something to do with Busselton and nothing to do with budget deficits. The SPEAKER : Once again we are in a position in which those who have asked a question do not particularly like the answer. The answer is in accordance with the question. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
As the house is well aware, this state government has balanced each of its budgets. In its five budgets it has produced five surpluses. That is our record. The Liberal Party also has a record, and it is in two parts: deficits and deficit denial. That record is its inheritance. It is passed down from leader to leader. Firstly, former Premier Richard Court denied that he was delivering deficits, then the member for Cottesloe did so and today the Leader of the Opposition - once again true to the Liberal inheritance - is denying that the Liberal Party has ever delivered deficit budgets. It might be genetic, although I think the member for Cottesloe would object to any suggestion of a genetic relationship between him and the member for Kalgoorlie. Some Liberal Party members of this house are relatively new, therefore, they might not have seen the chart I am holding. I thought that on the last day of our 2005 parliamentary sittings, I might bring out the chart that I used in the government’s first term. It shows the deficits in red - one, two, three, four, five budget deficits - for the Leader of the Opposition to see. Although the Leader of the Opposition stood opposite and denied the obvious, it was good to hear him actually say something. Strangely, the Leader of the Opposition has been missing in action in recent weeks. What is going on? Why will he not front the media? Is there an issue from which he is running scared? Why will he not face the journalists? Instead of the shadow Treasurer fronting the media, the shadow, shadow Treasurer - the member for Vasse - has been doing all the work. I will offer some advice to the Leader of the Opposition. He cannot leave all the work to the member for Vasse. Dr G.I. Gallop : He’s got a record. Mr E.S. RIPPER : He has a record. He was the president of the Busselton shire council when the cost of consultancies blew out from $70 000 to $600 000 - an 857 per cent increase. What did he do to finance that increase? In his very short term as president he increased the rates by almost 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Tax and spend is his record. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Nedlands and Roe. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : Again I draw the house’s attention to standing order 78, which reads very simply - An answer must be relevant to the question. What the Treasurer is talking about now has something to do with Busselton and nothing to do with budget deficits. The SPEAKER : Once again we are in a position in which those who have asked a question do not particularly like the answer. The answer is in accordance with the question. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
Although the Leader of the Opposition stood opposite and denied the obvious, it was good to hear him actually say something. Strangely, the Leader of the Opposition has been missing in action in recent weeks. What is going on? Why will he not front the media? Is there an issue from which he is running scared? Why will he not face the journalists? Instead of the shadow Treasurer fronting the media, the shadow, shadow Treasurer - the member for Vasse - has been doing all the work. I will offer some advice to the Leader of the Opposition. He cannot leave all the work to the member for Vasse. Dr G.I. Gallop : He’s got a record. Mr E.S. RIPPER : He has a record. He was the president of the Busselton shire council when the cost of consultancies blew out from $70 000 to $600 000 - an 857 per cent increase. What did he do to finance that increase? In his very short term as president he increased the rates by almost 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Tax and spend is his record. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Nedlands and Roe. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : Again I draw the house’s attention to standing order 78, which reads very simply - An answer must be relevant to the question. What the Treasurer is talking about now has something to do with Busselton and nothing to do with budget deficits. The SPEAKER : Once again we are in a position in which those who have asked a question do not particularly like the answer. The answer is in accordance with the question. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
Dr G.I. Gallop : He’s got a record. Mr E.S. RIPPER : He has a record. He was the president of the Busselton shire council when the cost of consultancies blew out from $70 000 to $600 000 - an 857 per cent increase. What did he do to finance that increase? In his very short term as president he increased the rates by almost 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Tax and spend is his record. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Nedlands and Roe. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : Again I draw the house’s attention to standing order 78, which reads very simply - An answer must be relevant to the question. What the Treasurer is talking about now has something to do with Busselton and nothing to do with budget deficits. The SPEAKER : Once again we are in a position in which those who have asked a question do not particularly like the answer. The answer is in accordance with the question. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
Mr E.S. RIPPER : He has a record. He was the president of the Busselton shire council when the cost of consultancies blew out from $70 000 to $600 000 - an 857 per cent increase. What did he do to finance that increase? In his very short term as president he increased the rates by almost 15 per cent. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Tax and spend is his record. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Nedlands and Roe. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : Again I draw the house’s attention to standing order 78, which reads very simply - An answer must be relevant to the question. What the Treasurer is talking about now has something to do with Busselton and nothing to do with budget deficits. The SPEAKER : Once again we are in a position in which those who have asked a question do not particularly like the answer. The answer is in accordance with the question. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Tax and spend is his record. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Nedlands and Roe. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : Again I draw the house’s attention to standing order 78, which reads very simply - An answer must be relevant to the question. What the Treasurer is talking about now has something to do with Busselton and nothing to do with budget deficits. The SPEAKER : Once again we are in a position in which those who have asked a question do not particularly like the answer. The answer is in accordance with the question. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : Tax and spend is his record. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Nedlands and Roe. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : Again I draw the house’s attention to standing order 78, which reads very simply - An answer must be relevant to the question. What the Treasurer is talking about now has something to do with Busselton and nothing to do with budget deficits. The SPEAKER : Once again we are in a position in which those who have asked a question do not particularly like the answer. The answer is in accordance with the question. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
Mr E.S. RIPPER : Tax and spend is his record. The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Nedlands and Roe. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : Again I draw the house’s attention to standing order 78, which reads very simply - An answer must be relevant to the question. What the Treasurer is talking about now has something to do with Busselton and nothing to do with budget deficits. The SPEAKER : Once again we are in a position in which those who have asked a question do not particularly like the answer. The answer is in accordance with the question. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
The SPEAKER : I call to order the members for Nedlands and Roe. Point of Order Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : Again I draw the house’s attention to standing order 78, which reads very simply - An answer must be relevant to the question. What the Treasurer is talking about now has something to do with Busselton and nothing to do with budget deficits. The SPEAKER : Once again we are in a position in which those who have asked a question do not particularly like the answer. The answer is in accordance with the question. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
The SPEAKER : Once again we are in a position in which those who have asked a question do not particularly like the answer. The answer is in accordance with the question. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
Mr E.S. RIPPER : I thank you, Mr Speaker, for your very wise ruling. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : How does the member for Vasse justify his record of consultancy expenditure? He said that it was needed for a major structural review of the shire; yet he has the hypocrisy to criticise our consultancy expenditure. What is our consultancy expenditure supporting? It is supporting one of the most complex and major public sector reforms in memory to save money, and it is supporting one of the most significant economic reforms ever embarked upon in Western Australia; I refer to electricity reform. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition claimed on radio that it is the most money spent on consultants in eight years. In other words, eight years ago someone spent more on consultants. Who was that someone? It was Richard Court.
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