❓ Mr. Love questions the Premier's alleged refusal to provide adequate funding to the WA Electoral Commission for the 2025 state election, despite warnings of potential problems. The Premier denies the accusation, citing Treasury's approval of additional funding and the standard practice of supplementary funding requests.
AnsweredQoN 301Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Special inquiry—2025 state election
301. Mr Shane Love to
the Premier:
I have a
supplementary question. Why did the Premier, despite the fact that the Premier's
responsible minister at that point had written to Treasury referring to the
likelihood of problems, refuse to provide the necessary resources to the
Western Australian Electoral Commission as it requested?
301. Mr Shane Love to
the Premier:
I have a
supplementary question. Why did the Premier, despite the fact that the Premier's
responsible minister at that point had written to Treasury referring to the
likelihood of problems, refuse to provide the necessary resources to the
Western Australian Electoral Commission as it requested?
AnswerView source ↗
Let me be very
clear: we did not. We did not. I want to make this point very clear. I will
quote from the report:
… Treasury has pointed
out to the Inquiry, it stated in an email to the Commissioner dated 29 October 2024,
when advising that the ERC had approved additional funding of $4 million,
bringing total approved funding for the 2025 SGE to $37.5 million (as against
the original $49.5 million sought), that:
…[Whilst]
not written up in the formal minutes of the ERC meeting, the Treasurer and the
ERC did note that if these increased costs simply can't be absorbed within the
approved $37.5 million funding envelope; then [WAEC] can come back to ERC for
supplementary funding after the election.
This is the way it
has always operated.
Mr Shane Love interjected.
Mr Roger Cook: The Leader of the National Party can
continue to shout into the wind—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr Shane Love interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the National Party!
Mr Roger Cook: The Leader of the National Party has
invited me to believe one of two people: either the Leader of the National
Party—
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt!
Mr Roger Cook: —or the Under Treasurer, and I
am pretty confident about who I am actually going to believe on this one. The
way that the Leader of the Opposition characterises the funding arrangements
is, quite frankly—
Mr Shane Love interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Nationals!
Mr Roger Cook: It is quite frankly misleading, and he
should stop it.
The Speaker: Thank you. That concludes question time.
clear: we did not. We did not. I want to make this point very clear. I will
quote from the report:
… Treasury has pointed
out to the Inquiry, it stated in an email to the Commissioner dated 29 October 2024,
when advising that the ERC had approved additional funding of $4 million,
bringing total approved funding for the 2025 SGE to $37.5 million (as against
the original $49.5 million sought), that:
…[Whilst]
not written up in the formal minutes of the ERC meeting, the Treasurer and the
ERC did note that if these increased costs simply can't be absorbed within the
approved $37.5 million funding envelope; then [WAEC] can come back to ERC for
supplementary funding after the election.
This is the way it
has always operated.
Mr Shane Love interjected.
Mr Roger Cook: The Leader of the National Party can
continue to shout into the wind—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr Shane Love interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the National Party!
Mr Roger Cook: The Leader of the National Party has
invited me to believe one of two people: either the Leader of the National
Party—
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt!
Mr Roger Cook: —or the Under Treasurer, and I
am pretty confident about who I am actually going to believe on this one. The
way that the Leader of the Opposition characterises the funding arrangements
is, quite frankly—
Mr Shane Love interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Nationals!
Mr Roger Cook: It is quite frankly misleading, and he
should stop it.
The Speaker: Thank you. That concludes question time.
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