❓ Mr. McGrath questions the Premier about the lack of transparency regarding the benefits of the Perth Stadium naming rights deal for taxpayers. The Premier defends the decision, citing financial necessity and the elimination of ongoing subsidies for taxpayers.
AnsweredQoN 642Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PERTH STADIUM — NAMING RIGHTS
642. Mr J.E. McGRATH to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Is
the Premier saying that the taxpayers, who are paying for the stadium, are not
entitled to know the benefit? That is why we asked the question. The Premier
has talked a lot about tourism. What will the benefit be? What will be the spin-off
—
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mr J.E. McGRATH : What is the business case that the Premier will be able to put to the
people of Western Australia and say, ''We've got the best deal
for you and we're going to deliver it''?
642. Mr J.E. McGRATH to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Is
the Premier saying that the taxpayers, who are paying for the stadium, are not
entitled to know the benefit? That is why we asked the question. The Premier
has talked a lot about tourism. What will the benefit be? What will be the spin-off
—
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mr J.E. McGRATH : What is the business case that the Premier will be able to put to the
people of Western Australia and say, ''We've got the best deal
for you and we're going to deliver it''?
AnswerView source ↗
The government went through a competitive
process with a range of bidders and selected the bidder that provided the best
value and the most money for the people of the state.
Several members interjected.
Mr
M. McGOWAN : That is the process we went through. It is novel for the
Liberal Party to talk about business cases. It did not put a business case out
there for anything it did! It did not have a business case when it built the
stadium!
The truth of the matter is that it
would be nice and I would like to have left the name ''Perth Stadium'',
but the reality is that the financial situation we face means we have to make
these sorts of tough decisions. I would prefer an international corporation
provide benefit to the taxpayers of Western Australia, rather than the mums and
dads at home having to pay additional to subsidise that stadium. That is what I
prefer. I think that when most people think about it in those terms, the
ongoing subsidy to the stadium is now gone. It has now gone because of this
arrangement. It makes a return to the state. Had we not done this, ordinary
people around Western Australia would have been subsidising the operations of
that stadium, rather than us securing an arrangement and a deal with an
international corporation that will provide benefit and alleviate the
obligation on people.
process with a range of bidders and selected the bidder that provided the best
value and the most money for the people of the state.
Several members interjected.
Mr
M. McGOWAN : That is the process we went through. It is novel for the
Liberal Party to talk about business cases. It did not put a business case out
there for anything it did! It did not have a business case when it built the
stadium!
The truth of the matter is that it
would be nice and I would like to have left the name ''Perth Stadium'',
but the reality is that the financial situation we face means we have to make
these sorts of tough decisions. I would prefer an international corporation
provide benefit to the taxpayers of Western Australia, rather than the mums and
dads at home having to pay additional to subsidise that stadium. That is what I
prefer. I think that when most people think about it in those terms, the
ongoing subsidy to the stadium is now gone. It has now gone because of this
arrangement. It makes a return to the state. Had we not done this, ordinary
people around Western Australia would have been subsidising the operations of
that stadium, rather than us securing an arrangement and a deal with an
international corporation that will provide benefit and alleviate the
obligation on people.
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