❓ Premier Carpenter outlines the WA government's initial assessment of the federal budget's impact, noting some positives in road funding and medical research, but expressing concern over insufficient infrastructure support, particularly for ports and rail, given WA's significant contribution to the national economy.
AnsweredQoN 232Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
FEDERAL BUDGET - IMPACT ON WESTERN AUSTRALIAN ECONOMY
Can the Premier please outline to the house how last night’s federal budget will impact on Western Australia’s powerhouse economy? Mr A.J. CARPENTER
Can the Premier please outline to the house how last night’s federal budget will impact on Western Australia’s powerhouse economy? Mr A.J. CARPENTER
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question, and I attribute some of the success of his local economy to his work in the Parliament and as a member of Parliament. I like budgets. I like watching budgets. I like listening to budgets. Often, it seems like Christmas, when all the packages are being unwrapped and everybody gets a bit. Mr J.E. McGrath : I can’t wait till tomorrow. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, please. Often, after the effluxion of time, people find out that it is not as attractive as they thought it was going to be. I watched the budget when it was delivered last night and, after reading the documents, at first blush I thought there were some encouraging signs for Western Australia. It was encouraging that there seemingly had been a response to the push from our Minister for Planning and Infrastructure for more road funding for Western Australia, although, after discussions with the minister, I think there may still be some issues about where we can apply that funding. There was a positive response to the work being done by the Minister for Fisheries in the other place. I think he has been an amazingly successful minister in raising the profile of illegal fishing, and there seems to have been some response to that issue. However, again, we need to work through that with the commonwealth to determine how effective that response will be for Western Australia. There are some positive signs. I welcome the additional funding in the budget for medical research. However, more broadly - I am grateful for the supportive comment from the Leader of the National Party along the same lines - there does not seem to be clear recognition of the need for support for infrastructure in Western Australia. There was some recognition of that for road funding. This is the truth of the matter as most of us in this house see it: the success of the Western Australian economy is providing the opportunity for the federal government to raise very good revenues and to do things such as pass on tax relief to people. However, the success of the Western Australian economy depends very heavily on the provision of both physical and human infrastructure in Western Australia. I do not think there was much in the way of training and skills provision, and there was not a lot for the university sector either. The funds provided in Western Australia for the physical and human infrastructure are giving wealth to the rest of the country. That is the reality. The Western Australian government, drawing funds from the local community, is sponsoring economic growth in the rest of the nation. The Treasurer has provided the figure of a net transference of $4 billion from Western Australia to the other parts of the country. I believe - I think I would be supported broadly across the political spectrum - that it would be much better if we could get a return consideration in support for that vital infrastructure. Your electorate, Mr Speaker, is absolutely critical in that area. We need more support for infrastructure from the commonwealth than we are getting. If the Western Australian economy continues to power along, the rest of Australia will go quite well. Queensland is very important as well. We are the nation’s exporters. All our ports are under pressure. I can see nothing in the federal budget for extra support for our ports. That bit of road funding is helpful, but, as you know, Mr Speaker, road construction is very expensive. The Tom Price to Karratha road is very important. Also, Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, there is nothing extra for rail. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : There was nothing extra, no; it is still less than two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We have a major issue with rail transportation in this state. The privatisation of it has left us with some serious issues. We do not want great segments of our rail network closed because companies are cherry picking the profitable parts. The commonwealth government must realise that Western Australia’s road, rail and port networks must be upgraded and improved in the interests of the entire nation. The Western Australian taxpayers should not have to shoulder that burden on their own. The state government’s budget concentrates heavily on the provision of that infrastructure because we recognise the need to do that. If we stopped doing it, the rest of Australia would be very sorry.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for the question, and I attribute some of the success of his local economy to his work in the Parliament and as a member of Parliament. I like budgets. I like watching budgets. I like listening to budgets. Often, it seems like Christmas, when all the packages are being unwrapped and everybody gets a bit. Mr J.E. McGrath : I can’t wait till tomorrow. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, please. Often, after the effluxion of time, people find out that it is not as attractive as they thought it was going to be. I watched the budget when it was delivered last night and, after reading the documents, at first blush I thought there were some encouraging signs for Western Australia. It was encouraging that there seemingly had been a response to the push from our Minister for Planning and Infrastructure for more road funding for Western Australia, although, after discussions with the minister, I think there may still be some issues about where we can apply that funding. There was a positive response to the work being done by the Minister for Fisheries in the other place. I think he has been an amazingly successful minister in raising the profile of illegal fishing, and there seems to have been some response to that issue. However, again, we need to work through that with the commonwealth to determine how effective that response will be for Western Australia. There are some positive signs. I welcome the additional funding in the budget for medical research. However, more broadly - I am grateful for the supportive comment from the Leader of the National Party along the same lines - there does not seem to be clear recognition of the need for support for infrastructure in Western Australia. There was some recognition of that for road funding. This is the truth of the matter as most of us in this house see it: the success of the Western Australian economy is providing the opportunity for the federal government to raise very good revenues and to do things such as pass on tax relief to people. However, the success of the Western Australian economy depends very heavily on the provision of both physical and human infrastructure in Western Australia. I do not think there was much in the way of training and skills provision, and there was not a lot for the university sector either. The funds provided in Western Australia for the physical and human infrastructure are giving wealth to the rest of the country. That is the reality. The Western Australian government, drawing funds from the local community, is sponsoring economic growth in the rest of the nation. The Treasurer has provided the figure of a net transference of $4 billion from Western Australia to the other parts of the country. I believe - I think I would be supported broadly across the political spectrum - that it would be much better if we could get a return consideration in support for that vital infrastructure. Your electorate, Mr Speaker, is absolutely critical in that area. We need more support for infrastructure from the commonwealth than we are getting. If the Western Australian economy continues to power along, the rest of Australia will go quite well. Queensland is very important as well. We are the nation’s exporters. All our ports are under pressure. I can see nothing in the federal budget for extra support for our ports. That bit of road funding is helpful, but, as you know, Mr Speaker, road construction is very expensive. The Tom Price to Karratha road is very important. Also, Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, there is nothing extra for rail. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : There was nothing extra, no; it is still less than two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We have a major issue with rail transportation in this state. The privatisation of it has left us with some serious issues. We do not want great segments of our rail network closed because companies are cherry picking the profitable parts. The commonwealth government must realise that Western Australia’s road, rail and port networks must be upgraded and improved in the interests of the entire nation. The Western Australian taxpayers should not have to shoulder that burden on their own. The state government’s budget concentrates heavily on the provision of that infrastructure because we recognise the need to do that. If we stopped doing it, the rest of Australia would be very sorry.
I thank the member for the question, and I attribute some of the success of his local economy to his work in the Parliament and as a member of Parliament. I like budgets. I like watching budgets. I like listening to budgets. Often, it seems like Christmas, when all the packages are being unwrapped and everybody gets a bit. Mr J.E. McGrath : I can’t wait till tomorrow. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, please. Often, after the effluxion of time, people find out that it is not as attractive as they thought it was going to be. I watched the budget when it was delivered last night and, after reading the documents, at first blush I thought there were some encouraging signs for Western Australia. It was encouraging that there seemingly had been a response to the push from our Minister for Planning and Infrastructure for more road funding for Western Australia, although, after discussions with the minister, I think there may still be some issues about where we can apply that funding. There was a positive response to the work being done by the Minister for Fisheries in the other place. I think he has been an amazingly successful minister in raising the profile of illegal fishing, and there seems to have been some response to that issue. However, again, we need to work through that with the commonwealth to determine how effective that response will be for Western Australia. There are some positive signs. I welcome the additional funding in the budget for medical research. However, more broadly - I am grateful for the supportive comment from the Leader of the National Party along the same lines - there does not seem to be clear recognition of the need for support for infrastructure in Western Australia. There was some recognition of that for road funding. This is the truth of the matter as most of us in this house see it: the success of the Western Australian economy is providing the opportunity for the federal government to raise very good revenues and to do things such as pass on tax relief to people. However, the success of the Western Australian economy depends very heavily on the provision of both physical and human infrastructure in Western Australia. I do not think there was much in the way of training and skills provision, and there was not a lot for the university sector either. The funds provided in Western Australia for the physical and human infrastructure are giving wealth to the rest of the country. That is the reality. The Western Australian government, drawing funds from the local community, is sponsoring economic growth in the rest of the nation. The Treasurer has provided the figure of a net transference of $4 billion from Western Australia to the other parts of the country. I believe - I think I would be supported broadly across the political spectrum - that it would be much better if we could get a return consideration in support for that vital infrastructure. Your electorate, Mr Speaker, is absolutely critical in that area. We need more support for infrastructure from the commonwealth than we are getting. If the Western Australian economy continues to power along, the rest of Australia will go quite well. Queensland is very important as well. We are the nation’s exporters. All our ports are under pressure. I can see nothing in the federal budget for extra support for our ports. That bit of road funding is helpful, but, as you know, Mr Speaker, road construction is very expensive. The Tom Price to Karratha road is very important. Also, Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, there is nothing extra for rail. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : There was nothing extra, no; it is still less than two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We have a major issue with rail transportation in this state. The privatisation of it has left us with some serious issues. We do not want great segments of our rail network closed because companies are cherry picking the profitable parts. The commonwealth government must realise that Western Australia’s road, rail and port networks must be upgraded and improved in the interests of the entire nation. The Western Australian taxpayers should not have to shoulder that burden on their own. The state government’s budget concentrates heavily on the provision of that infrastructure because we recognise the need to do that. If we stopped doing it, the rest of Australia would be very sorry.
Mr J.E. McGrath : I can’t wait till tomorrow. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, please. Often, after the effluxion of time, people find out that it is not as attractive as they thought it was going to be. I watched the budget when it was delivered last night and, after reading the documents, at first blush I thought there were some encouraging signs for Western Australia. It was encouraging that there seemingly had been a response to the push from our Minister for Planning and Infrastructure for more road funding for Western Australia, although, after discussions with the minister, I think there may still be some issues about where we can apply that funding. There was a positive response to the work being done by the Minister for Fisheries in the other place. I think he has been an amazingly successful minister in raising the profile of illegal fishing, and there seems to have been some response to that issue. However, again, we need to work through that with the commonwealth to determine how effective that response will be for Western Australia. There are some positive signs. I welcome the additional funding in the budget for medical research. However, more broadly - I am grateful for the supportive comment from the Leader of the National Party along the same lines - there does not seem to be clear recognition of the need for support for infrastructure in Western Australia. There was some recognition of that for road funding. This is the truth of the matter as most of us in this house see it: the success of the Western Australian economy is providing the opportunity for the federal government to raise very good revenues and to do things such as pass on tax relief to people. However, the success of the Western Australian economy depends very heavily on the provision of both physical and human infrastructure in Western Australia. I do not think there was much in the way of training and skills provision, and there was not a lot for the university sector either. The funds provided in Western Australia for the physical and human infrastructure are giving wealth to the rest of the country. That is the reality. The Western Australian government, drawing funds from the local community, is sponsoring economic growth in the rest of the nation. The Treasurer has provided the figure of a net transference of $4 billion from Western Australia to the other parts of the country. I believe - I think I would be supported broadly across the political spectrum - that it would be much better if we could get a return consideration in support for that vital infrastructure. Your electorate, Mr Speaker, is absolutely critical in that area. We need more support for infrastructure from the commonwealth than we are getting. If the Western Australian economy continues to power along, the rest of Australia will go quite well. Queensland is very important as well. We are the nation’s exporters. All our ports are under pressure. I can see nothing in the federal budget for extra support for our ports. That bit of road funding is helpful, but, as you know, Mr Speaker, road construction is very expensive. The Tom Price to Karratha road is very important. Also, Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, there is nothing extra for rail. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : There was nothing extra, no; it is still less than two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We have a major issue with rail transportation in this state. The privatisation of it has left us with some serious issues. We do not want great segments of our rail network closed because companies are cherry picking the profitable parts. The commonwealth government must realise that Western Australia’s road, rail and port networks must be upgraded and improved in the interests of the entire nation. The Western Australian taxpayers should not have to shoulder that burden on their own. The state government’s budget concentrates heavily on the provision of that infrastructure because we recognise the need to do that. If we stopped doing it, the rest of Australia would be very sorry.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, please. Often, after the effluxion of time, people find out that it is not as attractive as they thought it was going to be. I watched the budget when it was delivered last night and, after reading the documents, at first blush I thought there were some encouraging signs for Western Australia. It was encouraging that there seemingly had been a response to the push from our Minister for Planning and Infrastructure for more road funding for Western Australia, although, after discussions with the minister, I think there may still be some issues about where we can apply that funding. There was a positive response to the work being done by the Minister for Fisheries in the other place. I think he has been an amazingly successful minister in raising the profile of illegal fishing, and there seems to have been some response to that issue. However, again, we need to work through that with the commonwealth to determine how effective that response will be for Western Australia. There are some positive signs. I welcome the additional funding in the budget for medical research. However, more broadly - I am grateful for the supportive comment from the Leader of the National Party along the same lines - there does not seem to be clear recognition of the need for support for infrastructure in Western Australia. There was some recognition of that for road funding. This is the truth of the matter as most of us in this house see it: the success of the Western Australian economy is providing the opportunity for the federal government to raise very good revenues and to do things such as pass on tax relief to people. However, the success of the Western Australian economy depends very heavily on the provision of both physical and human infrastructure in Western Australia. I do not think there was much in the way of training and skills provision, and there was not a lot for the university sector either. The funds provided in Western Australia for the physical and human infrastructure are giving wealth to the rest of the country. That is the reality. The Western Australian government, drawing funds from the local community, is sponsoring economic growth in the rest of the nation. The Treasurer has provided the figure of a net transference of $4 billion from Western Australia to the other parts of the country. I believe - I think I would be supported broadly across the political spectrum - that it would be much better if we could get a return consideration in support for that vital infrastructure. Your electorate, Mr Speaker, is absolutely critical in that area. We need more support for infrastructure from the commonwealth than we are getting. If the Western Australian economy continues to power along, the rest of Australia will go quite well. Queensland is very important as well. We are the nation’s exporters. All our ports are under pressure. I can see nothing in the federal budget for extra support for our ports. That bit of road funding is helpful, but, as you know, Mr Speaker, road construction is very expensive. The Tom Price to Karratha road is very important. Also, Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, there is nothing extra for rail. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : There was nothing extra, no; it is still less than two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We have a major issue with rail transportation in this state. The privatisation of it has left us with some serious issues. We do not want great segments of our rail network closed because companies are cherry picking the profitable parts. The commonwealth government must realise that Western Australia’s road, rail and port networks must be upgraded and improved in the interests of the entire nation. The Western Australian taxpayers should not have to shoulder that burden on their own. The state government’s budget concentrates heavily on the provision of that infrastructure because we recognise the need to do that. If we stopped doing it, the rest of Australia would be very sorry.
This is the truth of the matter as most of us in this house see it: the success of the Western Australian economy is providing the opportunity for the federal government to raise very good revenues and to do things such as pass on tax relief to people. However, the success of the Western Australian economy depends very heavily on the provision of both physical and human infrastructure in Western Australia. I do not think there was much in the way of training and skills provision, and there was not a lot for the university sector either. The funds provided in Western Australia for the physical and human infrastructure are giving wealth to the rest of the country. That is the reality. The Western Australian government, drawing funds from the local community, is sponsoring economic growth in the rest of the nation. The Treasurer has provided the figure of a net transference of $4 billion from Western Australia to the other parts of the country. I believe - I think I would be supported broadly across the political spectrum - that it would be much better if we could get a return consideration in support for that vital infrastructure. Your electorate, Mr Speaker, is absolutely critical in that area. We need more support for infrastructure from the commonwealth than we are getting. If the Western Australian economy continues to power along, the rest of Australia will go quite well. Queensland is very important as well. We are the nation’s exporters. All our ports are under pressure. I can see nothing in the federal budget for extra support for our ports. That bit of road funding is helpful, but, as you know, Mr Speaker, road construction is very expensive. The Tom Price to Karratha road is very important. Also, Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, there is nothing extra for rail. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : There was nothing extra, no; it is still less than two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We have a major issue with rail transportation in this state. The privatisation of it has left us with some serious issues. We do not want great segments of our rail network closed because companies are cherry picking the profitable parts. The commonwealth government must realise that Western Australia’s road, rail and port networks must be upgraded and improved in the interests of the entire nation. The Western Australian taxpayers should not have to shoulder that burden on their own. The state government’s budget concentrates heavily on the provision of that infrastructure because we recognise the need to do that. If we stopped doing it, the rest of Australia would be very sorry.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : There was nothing extra, no; it is still less than two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We have a major issue with rail transportation in this state. The privatisation of it has left us with some serious issues. We do not want great segments of our rail network closed because companies are cherry picking the profitable parts. The commonwealth government must realise that Western Australia’s road, rail and port networks must be upgraded and improved in the interests of the entire nation. The Western Australian taxpayers should not have to shoulder that burden on their own. The state government’s budget concentrates heavily on the provision of that infrastructure because we recognise the need to do that. If we stopped doing it, the rest of Australia would be very sorry.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We have a major issue with rail transportation in this state. The privatisation of it has left us with some serious issues. We do not want great segments of our rail network closed because companies are cherry picking the profitable parts. The commonwealth government must realise that Western Australia’s road, rail and port networks must be upgraded and improved in the interests of the entire nation. The Western Australian taxpayers should not have to shoulder that burden on their own. The state government’s budget concentrates heavily on the provision of that infrastructure because we recognise the need to do that. If we stopped doing it, the rest of Australia would be very sorry.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for the question, and I attribute some of the success of his local economy to his work in the Parliament and as a member of Parliament. I like budgets. I like watching budgets. I like listening to budgets. Often, it seems like Christmas, when all the packages are being unwrapped and everybody gets a bit. Mr J.E. McGrath : I can’t wait till tomorrow. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, please. Often, after the effluxion of time, people find out that it is not as attractive as they thought it was going to be. I watched the budget when it was delivered last night and, after reading the documents, at first blush I thought there were some encouraging signs for Western Australia. It was encouraging that there seemingly had been a response to the push from our Minister for Planning and Infrastructure for more road funding for Western Australia, although, after discussions with the minister, I think there may still be some issues about where we can apply that funding. There was a positive response to the work being done by the Minister for Fisheries in the other place. I think he has been an amazingly successful minister in raising the profile of illegal fishing, and there seems to have been some response to that issue. However, again, we need to work through that with the commonwealth to determine how effective that response will be for Western Australia. There are some positive signs. I welcome the additional funding in the budget for medical research. However, more broadly - I am grateful for the supportive comment from the Leader of the National Party along the same lines - there does not seem to be clear recognition of the need for support for infrastructure in Western Australia. There was some recognition of that for road funding. This is the truth of the matter as most of us in this house see it: the success of the Western Australian economy is providing the opportunity for the federal government to raise very good revenues and to do things such as pass on tax relief to people. However, the success of the Western Australian economy depends very heavily on the provision of both physical and human infrastructure in Western Australia. I do not think there was much in the way of training and skills provision, and there was not a lot for the university sector either. The funds provided in Western Australia for the physical and human infrastructure are giving wealth to the rest of the country. That is the reality. The Western Australian government, drawing funds from the local community, is sponsoring economic growth in the rest of the nation. The Treasurer has provided the figure of a net transference of $4 billion from Western Australia to the other parts of the country. I believe - I think I would be supported broadly across the political spectrum - that it would be much better if we could get a return consideration in support for that vital infrastructure. Your electorate, Mr Speaker, is absolutely critical in that area. We need more support for infrastructure from the commonwealth than we are getting. If the Western Australian economy continues to power along, the rest of Australia will go quite well. Queensland is very important as well. We are the nation’s exporters. All our ports are under pressure. I can see nothing in the federal budget for extra support for our ports. That bit of road funding is helpful, but, as you know, Mr Speaker, road construction is very expensive. The Tom Price to Karratha road is very important. Also, Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, there is nothing extra for rail. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : There was nothing extra, no; it is still less than two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We have a major issue with rail transportation in this state. The privatisation of it has left us with some serious issues. We do not want great segments of our rail network closed because companies are cherry picking the profitable parts. The commonwealth government must realise that Western Australia’s road, rail and port networks must be upgraded and improved in the interests of the entire nation. The Western Australian taxpayers should not have to shoulder that burden on their own. The state government’s budget concentrates heavily on the provision of that infrastructure because we recognise the need to do that. If we stopped doing it, the rest of Australia would be very sorry.
I thank the member for the question, and I attribute some of the success of his local economy to his work in the Parliament and as a member of Parliament. I like budgets. I like watching budgets. I like listening to budgets. Often, it seems like Christmas, when all the packages are being unwrapped and everybody gets a bit. Mr J.E. McGrath : I can’t wait till tomorrow. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, please. Often, after the effluxion of time, people find out that it is not as attractive as they thought it was going to be. I watched the budget when it was delivered last night and, after reading the documents, at first blush I thought there were some encouraging signs for Western Australia. It was encouraging that there seemingly had been a response to the push from our Minister for Planning and Infrastructure for more road funding for Western Australia, although, after discussions with the minister, I think there may still be some issues about where we can apply that funding. There was a positive response to the work being done by the Minister for Fisheries in the other place. I think he has been an amazingly successful minister in raising the profile of illegal fishing, and there seems to have been some response to that issue. However, again, we need to work through that with the commonwealth to determine how effective that response will be for Western Australia. There are some positive signs. I welcome the additional funding in the budget for medical research. However, more broadly - I am grateful for the supportive comment from the Leader of the National Party along the same lines - there does not seem to be clear recognition of the need for support for infrastructure in Western Australia. There was some recognition of that for road funding. This is the truth of the matter as most of us in this house see it: the success of the Western Australian economy is providing the opportunity for the federal government to raise very good revenues and to do things such as pass on tax relief to people. However, the success of the Western Australian economy depends very heavily on the provision of both physical and human infrastructure in Western Australia. I do not think there was much in the way of training and skills provision, and there was not a lot for the university sector either. The funds provided in Western Australia for the physical and human infrastructure are giving wealth to the rest of the country. That is the reality. The Western Australian government, drawing funds from the local community, is sponsoring economic growth in the rest of the nation. The Treasurer has provided the figure of a net transference of $4 billion from Western Australia to the other parts of the country. I believe - I think I would be supported broadly across the political spectrum - that it would be much better if we could get a return consideration in support for that vital infrastructure. Your electorate, Mr Speaker, is absolutely critical in that area. We need more support for infrastructure from the commonwealth than we are getting. If the Western Australian economy continues to power along, the rest of Australia will go quite well. Queensland is very important as well. We are the nation’s exporters. All our ports are under pressure. I can see nothing in the federal budget for extra support for our ports. That bit of road funding is helpful, but, as you know, Mr Speaker, road construction is very expensive. The Tom Price to Karratha road is very important. Also, Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, there is nothing extra for rail. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : There was nothing extra, no; it is still less than two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We have a major issue with rail transportation in this state. The privatisation of it has left us with some serious issues. We do not want great segments of our rail network closed because companies are cherry picking the profitable parts. The commonwealth government must realise that Western Australia’s road, rail and port networks must be upgraded and improved in the interests of the entire nation. The Western Australian taxpayers should not have to shoulder that burden on their own. The state government’s budget concentrates heavily on the provision of that infrastructure because we recognise the need to do that. If we stopped doing it, the rest of Australia would be very sorry.
Mr J.E. McGrath : I can’t wait till tomorrow. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, please. Often, after the effluxion of time, people find out that it is not as attractive as they thought it was going to be. I watched the budget when it was delivered last night and, after reading the documents, at first blush I thought there were some encouraging signs for Western Australia. It was encouraging that there seemingly had been a response to the push from our Minister for Planning and Infrastructure for more road funding for Western Australia, although, after discussions with the minister, I think there may still be some issues about where we can apply that funding. There was a positive response to the work being done by the Minister for Fisheries in the other place. I think he has been an amazingly successful minister in raising the profile of illegal fishing, and there seems to have been some response to that issue. However, again, we need to work through that with the commonwealth to determine how effective that response will be for Western Australia. There are some positive signs. I welcome the additional funding in the budget for medical research. However, more broadly - I am grateful for the supportive comment from the Leader of the National Party along the same lines - there does not seem to be clear recognition of the need for support for infrastructure in Western Australia. There was some recognition of that for road funding. This is the truth of the matter as most of us in this house see it: the success of the Western Australian economy is providing the opportunity for the federal government to raise very good revenues and to do things such as pass on tax relief to people. However, the success of the Western Australian economy depends very heavily on the provision of both physical and human infrastructure in Western Australia. I do not think there was much in the way of training and skills provision, and there was not a lot for the university sector either. The funds provided in Western Australia for the physical and human infrastructure are giving wealth to the rest of the country. That is the reality. The Western Australian government, drawing funds from the local community, is sponsoring economic growth in the rest of the nation. The Treasurer has provided the figure of a net transference of $4 billion from Western Australia to the other parts of the country. I believe - I think I would be supported broadly across the political spectrum - that it would be much better if we could get a return consideration in support for that vital infrastructure. Your electorate, Mr Speaker, is absolutely critical in that area. We need more support for infrastructure from the commonwealth than we are getting. If the Western Australian economy continues to power along, the rest of Australia will go quite well. Queensland is very important as well. We are the nation’s exporters. All our ports are under pressure. I can see nothing in the federal budget for extra support for our ports. That bit of road funding is helpful, but, as you know, Mr Speaker, road construction is very expensive. The Tom Price to Karratha road is very important. Also, Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, there is nothing extra for rail. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : There was nothing extra, no; it is still less than two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We have a major issue with rail transportation in this state. The privatisation of it has left us with some serious issues. We do not want great segments of our rail network closed because companies are cherry picking the profitable parts. The commonwealth government must realise that Western Australia’s road, rail and port networks must be upgraded and improved in the interests of the entire nation. The Western Australian taxpayers should not have to shoulder that burden on their own. The state government’s budget concentrates heavily on the provision of that infrastructure because we recognise the need to do that. If we stopped doing it, the rest of Australia would be very sorry.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes, please. Often, after the effluxion of time, people find out that it is not as attractive as they thought it was going to be. I watched the budget when it was delivered last night and, after reading the documents, at first blush I thought there were some encouraging signs for Western Australia. It was encouraging that there seemingly had been a response to the push from our Minister for Planning and Infrastructure for more road funding for Western Australia, although, after discussions with the minister, I think there may still be some issues about where we can apply that funding. There was a positive response to the work being done by the Minister for Fisheries in the other place. I think he has been an amazingly successful minister in raising the profile of illegal fishing, and there seems to have been some response to that issue. However, again, we need to work through that with the commonwealth to determine how effective that response will be for Western Australia. There are some positive signs. I welcome the additional funding in the budget for medical research. However, more broadly - I am grateful for the supportive comment from the Leader of the National Party along the same lines - there does not seem to be clear recognition of the need for support for infrastructure in Western Australia. There was some recognition of that for road funding. This is the truth of the matter as most of us in this house see it: the success of the Western Australian economy is providing the opportunity for the federal government to raise very good revenues and to do things such as pass on tax relief to people. However, the success of the Western Australian economy depends very heavily on the provision of both physical and human infrastructure in Western Australia. I do not think there was much in the way of training and skills provision, and there was not a lot for the university sector either. The funds provided in Western Australia for the physical and human infrastructure are giving wealth to the rest of the country. That is the reality. The Western Australian government, drawing funds from the local community, is sponsoring economic growth in the rest of the nation. The Treasurer has provided the figure of a net transference of $4 billion from Western Australia to the other parts of the country. I believe - I think I would be supported broadly across the political spectrum - that it would be much better if we could get a return consideration in support for that vital infrastructure. Your electorate, Mr Speaker, is absolutely critical in that area. We need more support for infrastructure from the commonwealth than we are getting. If the Western Australian economy continues to power along, the rest of Australia will go quite well. Queensland is very important as well. We are the nation’s exporters. All our ports are under pressure. I can see nothing in the federal budget for extra support for our ports. That bit of road funding is helpful, but, as you know, Mr Speaker, road construction is very expensive. The Tom Price to Karratha road is very important. Also, Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, there is nothing extra for rail. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : There was nothing extra, no; it is still less than two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We have a major issue with rail transportation in this state. The privatisation of it has left us with some serious issues. We do not want great segments of our rail network closed because companies are cherry picking the profitable parts. The commonwealth government must realise that Western Australia’s road, rail and port networks must be upgraded and improved in the interests of the entire nation. The Western Australian taxpayers should not have to shoulder that burden on their own. The state government’s budget concentrates heavily on the provision of that infrastructure because we recognise the need to do that. If we stopped doing it, the rest of Australia would be very sorry.
This is the truth of the matter as most of us in this house see it: the success of the Western Australian economy is providing the opportunity for the federal government to raise very good revenues and to do things such as pass on tax relief to people. However, the success of the Western Australian economy depends very heavily on the provision of both physical and human infrastructure in Western Australia. I do not think there was much in the way of training and skills provision, and there was not a lot for the university sector either. The funds provided in Western Australia for the physical and human infrastructure are giving wealth to the rest of the country. That is the reality. The Western Australian government, drawing funds from the local community, is sponsoring economic growth in the rest of the nation. The Treasurer has provided the figure of a net transference of $4 billion from Western Australia to the other parts of the country. I believe - I think I would be supported broadly across the political spectrum - that it would be much better if we could get a return consideration in support for that vital infrastructure. Your electorate, Mr Speaker, is absolutely critical in that area. We need more support for infrastructure from the commonwealth than we are getting. If the Western Australian economy continues to power along, the rest of Australia will go quite well. Queensland is very important as well. We are the nation’s exporters. All our ports are under pressure. I can see nothing in the federal budget for extra support for our ports. That bit of road funding is helpful, but, as you know, Mr Speaker, road construction is very expensive. The Tom Price to Karratha road is very important. Also, Minister for Planning and Infrastructure, there is nothing extra for rail. Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : There was nothing extra, no; it is still less than two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We have a major issue with rail transportation in this state. The privatisation of it has left us with some serious issues. We do not want great segments of our rail network closed because companies are cherry picking the profitable parts. The commonwealth government must realise that Western Australia’s road, rail and port networks must be upgraded and improved in the interests of the entire nation. The Western Australian taxpayers should not have to shoulder that burden on their own. The state government’s budget concentrates heavily on the provision of that infrastructure because we recognise the need to do that. If we stopped doing it, the rest of Australia would be very sorry.
Ms A.J.G. MacTiernan : There was nothing extra, no; it is still less than two per cent. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We have a major issue with rail transportation in this state. The privatisation of it has left us with some serious issues. We do not want great segments of our rail network closed because companies are cherry picking the profitable parts. The commonwealth government must realise that Western Australia’s road, rail and port networks must be upgraded and improved in the interests of the entire nation. The Western Australian taxpayers should not have to shoulder that burden on their own. The state government’s budget concentrates heavily on the provision of that infrastructure because we recognise the need to do that. If we stopped doing it, the rest of Australia would be very sorry.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We have a major issue with rail transportation in this state. The privatisation of it has left us with some serious issues. We do not want great segments of our rail network closed because companies are cherry picking the profitable parts. The commonwealth government must realise that Western Australia’s road, rail and port networks must be upgraded and improved in the interests of the entire nation. The Western Australian taxpayers should not have to shoulder that burden on their own. The state government’s budget concentrates heavily on the provision of that infrastructure because we recognise the need to do that. If we stopped doing it, the rest of Australia would be very sorry.
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