❓ Opposition Leader questions the Treasurer's ability to manage transport projects due to potential conflict of interest from holding multiple portfolios. The Treasurer defends the practice, citing precedent and highlighting increased funding for regional initiatives.
AnsweredQoN 312Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
METRONET — COSTS
312. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Treasurer:
I have a supplementary question.
This is not a question about whether the project is good or bad; it is about
accountability. Who is responsible for keeping the Treasurer's
transport projects in check?
The SPEAKER : Members, I could not hear the question. I
can only assume that you like hearing the questions over and again, so I will
ask the Leader of the Opposition if he could repeat the supplementary.
Mr R.S. LOVE : Treasurer,
this is not about the merits of a project; it is about you keeping transport
projects in check.
Point of Order
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : Madam
Speaker, there was no question mark in that statement. As the member would know
very well, supplementaries are short and sharp and are usually a question.
The SPEAKER : You made a correct
point there. I will ask the Leader of the Opposition to rephrase his
supplementary.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr R.S. LOVE : Thank you.
Further to that, I had not completed my question before the point of order was
raised. How does the Treasurer manage this conflict of interest?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please.
312. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Treasurer:
I have a supplementary question.
This is not a question about whether the project is good or bad; it is about
accountability. Who is responsible for keeping the Treasurer's
transport projects in check?
The SPEAKER : Members, I could not hear the question. I
can only assume that you like hearing the questions over and again, so I will
ask the Leader of the Opposition if he could repeat the supplementary.
Mr R.S. LOVE : Treasurer,
this is not about the merits of a project; it is about you keeping transport
projects in check.
Point of Order
Mr D.A. TEMPLEMAN : Madam
Speaker, there was no question mark in that statement. As the member would know
very well, supplementaries are short and sharp and are usually a question.
The SPEAKER : You made a correct
point there. I will ask the Leader of the Opposition to rephrase his
supplementary.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr R.S. LOVE : Thank you.
Further to that, I had not completed my question before the point of order was
raised. How does the Treasurer manage this conflict of interest?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please.
AnswerView source ↗
It was a good point. Previous
Treasurers had multiple portfolios. Hon Ben Wyatt approved expenditure on
energy when he was the Minister for Energy. It was the same with the lands
portfolio. It has happened before.
Mr R.H. Cook : Mike Nahan had
energy.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Hon Mike
Nahan also.
On the Leader of the Opposition's
point, I increased funding for the regional airfare zone cap scheme. Is he
saying that that was a bad idea? Obviously, he is. He does not think we should
have added $65 million to the regional airfare zone cap scheme.
We introduced and expanded the
regional pensioner travel card. Does he not think that should have happened? We
injected more money into regional roads. Does he think that should not have
happened? We injected more money into local governments to look after their
roads. Does he think that should have happened?
Mr R.S. Love : Your job is to
keep costs in check.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : As I said,
the member does not think I can have another portfolio, apart from Treasurer.
That is not something he ever asked previous Treasurers —
Mr R.S. Love : I am asking
you what checks and balances there are.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : No. Let us
call it out.
Mr R.S. Love : That is not
true.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : No, let us
call it out. When the Leader of the Opposition was part of a government that
had a Treasurer with multiple portfolios plus, as I said, a lot of out-of-work
extracurricular activities, which is the best way to describe it, did he ever
go to him and say, ''I don't think you can handle all that plus
the extracurricular activity?'' No, he did not.
Throughout the history of Western Australia,
the Treasurer has always had other portfolios. We have the Expenditure Review
Committee process and we scrutinise all expenditure. I am very proud that as
the Minister for Transport and Treasurer, we are boosting funding for roads in
regional WA, we are extending the regional airfare zone cap scheme and we are
providing extraordinary cost-of-living support across a whole range of
measures. I will continue to focus on making sure that Western Australia is in
a far better place than when the opposition left it seven years ago.
Treasurers had multiple portfolios. Hon Ben Wyatt approved expenditure on
energy when he was the Minister for Energy. It was the same with the lands
portfolio. It has happened before.
Mr R.H. Cook : Mike Nahan had
energy.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : Hon Mike
Nahan also.
On the Leader of the Opposition's
point, I increased funding for the regional airfare zone cap scheme. Is he
saying that that was a bad idea? Obviously, he is. He does not think we should
have added $65 million to the regional airfare zone cap scheme.
We introduced and expanded the
regional pensioner travel card. Does he not think that should have happened? We
injected more money into regional roads. Does he think that should not have
happened? We injected more money into local governments to look after their
roads. Does he think that should have happened?
Mr R.S. Love : Your job is to
keep costs in check.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : As I said,
the member does not think I can have another portfolio, apart from Treasurer.
That is not something he ever asked previous Treasurers —
Mr R.S. Love : I am asking
you what checks and balances there are.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : No. Let us
call it out.
Mr R.S. Love : That is not
true.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : No, let us
call it out. When the Leader of the Opposition was part of a government that
had a Treasurer with multiple portfolios plus, as I said, a lot of out-of-work
extracurricular activities, which is the best way to describe it, did he ever
go to him and say, ''I don't think you can handle all that plus
the extracurricular activity?'' No, he did not.
Throughout the history of Western Australia,
the Treasurer has always had other portfolios. We have the Expenditure Review
Committee process and we scrutinise all expenditure. I am very proud that as
the Minister for Transport and Treasurer, we are boosting funding for roads in
regional WA, we are extending the regional airfare zone cap scheme and we are
providing extraordinary cost-of-living support across a whole range of
measures. I will continue to focus on making sure that Western Australia is in
a far better place than when the opposition left it seven years ago.
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