❓ Mr. Wyatt questions the Treasurer about a $400,000 compensation payment to Perth Glory, given their existing debt to the WA taxpayer. The Treasurer explains the payment relates to stadium works and defends the Minister for Sport and Recreation's handling of the matter.
AnsweredQoN 671Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PERTH
GLORY — COMPENSATION
671. Mr B.S. WYATT to the
Treasurer:
I refer to the $400 000 in compensation payment to Perth
Glory.
(1) Did the
Treasurer or the Treasury approve the payment of these moneys?
(2) If so, why
did the Treasurer approve the payment of $400 000 when Perth Glory owed the WA
taxpayer $250 000?
(3) If not,
when was the Treasurer first made aware of the $400 000 compensation payment
paid to Perth Glory?
GLORY — COMPENSATION
671. Mr B.S. WYATT to the
Treasurer:
I refer to the $400 000 in compensation payment to Perth
Glory.
(1) Did the
Treasurer or the Treasury approve the payment of these moneys?
(2) If so, why
did the Treasurer approve the payment of $400 000 when Perth Glory owed the WA
taxpayer $250 000?
(3) If not,
when was the Treasurer first made aware of the $400 000 compensation payment
paid to Perth Glory?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3)
I say upfront from the government's perspective these are two separate
issues. There is a set of issues around the completion of the nib Stadium and
the actual impact of those stadium works on the operation of Perth Glory. Those
issues were canvassed yesterday with the minister. I think he responded in a
very clear and logical way. That is one set of issues and, as I described to
the member yesterday outside this place, capitalising that compensation has
happened previously and I suspect it will happen again with the completion of
large capital projects.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Did you approve it
though?
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I have not finished
yet.
As far as I
am concerned there are no issues in and around what happened in relation to
that part of the compensation payment. Did I approve it? No. Was Treasury
involved in providing advice to the Department of Sport and Recreation? It was
absolutely involved in providing advice to the Department of Sport and
Recreation. Was the State Solicitor's Office involved in providing
advice to the Department of Sport and Recreation? It was absolutely. The Minister
for Sport and Recreation was responsible for delivering this project. The
Premier and I and every member of the government have absolute confidence in
the minister's capacity to deliver that project, which it has done, and
to deliver the next big sporting infrastructure project, which is the major
stadium. I do not have any problems at all and I can tell members that in my
engagement with the Minister for Sport and Recreation over a long time, he has
always been focused on making sure that from a procedural point of view he does
the right thing. He is always focused on delivering appropriate value for money
to the taxpayers of this state.
The second issue relates to Perth Glory's failure to
pay the government for transportation services that we provided to it in the
2011–12 and 2012–13 seasons—a total of $394 000, so
around $400 000. At some state Perth Glory built an amount of money—in
the last year it was about $2.16 or $2.20—into its ticket price. Perth
Glory charged people who went to the soccer that amount of money. It collected
that money, and it advised everyone that they could get free public transport
with their ticket, and then it did not pay us the money.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mr T.R. BUSWELL :
They are separate issues.
We entered into negotiations with Perth Glory around the
repayment of that $400 000 debt. Again, I stress to the house that this was not
Perth Glory's money; this was the money of people who had gone to the
soccer.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Did
he take it to cabinet?
Mr T.R. BUSWELL :
Take what to cabinet?
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Did
he take it to cabinet?
Mr T.R. BUSWELL :
Oh, knock it off! He is a minister of the Crown. He is actually employed to
make decisions and get things done, as am I.
Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I
can tell the member for Midland that if we want to see the delivery of
infrastructure projects, we might dust off the history book and look at some of
her efforts!
In relation to the transportation issue, we decided—I
have to say it is not something I am happy with; however, I thought it was the
best possible deal that we could strike at the time—to accept an offer
of $150 000 in lieu of that payment.
The other part of the equation, which will play out this
weekend, is that there will be no additional public transport services to the
Perth Glory home match on Sunday at nib Stadium. Perth Glory, as one of the
conditions of that settlement, was supposed to inform its fans that this would
be the case. I am not aware that it has done that.
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I
have to say that this is a concern to us. There is a possibility that at the
end of that soccer game, a whole range of people will go to McIver train
station in particular to board a train that will not be there. We will have
extra security on the platform to make sure there are not any issues. But it is
a real concern to me.
There are two other points that I need to make. Firstly, I
heard a representative from Perth Glory say on radio today that as a result of
this, its membership has fallen. I think we need to draw a distinction—I
have not had a chance to have a look yet—between membership and ticket
price, but it is my suspicion —
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for West Swan, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL :
It is my suspicion that that money is still being gouged by Perth Glory from
its ticket holders.
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park, if you shout out again and ask a question, I will
take it as your supplementary question. I call you to order for the second
time.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL :
The other point that I wish to make is this. We deal with nearly every major
sporting code in the city in and around the provision of public transport. We
deal with most major fun runs, cycling events and the like that happen in this
city. Perth Glory is simply the worst organisation that I have ever had to deal
with when it comes to putting its fans first and delivering appropriate public
transport outcomes for its games.
I say upfront from the government's perspective these are two separate
issues. There is a set of issues around the completion of the nib Stadium and
the actual impact of those stadium works on the operation of Perth Glory. Those
issues were canvassed yesterday with the minister. I think he responded in a
very clear and logical way. That is one set of issues and, as I described to
the member yesterday outside this place, capitalising that compensation has
happened previously and I suspect it will happen again with the completion of
large capital projects.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Did you approve it
though?
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I have not finished
yet.
As far as I
am concerned there are no issues in and around what happened in relation to
that part of the compensation payment. Did I approve it? No. Was Treasury
involved in providing advice to the Department of Sport and Recreation? It was
absolutely involved in providing advice to the Department of Sport and
Recreation. Was the State Solicitor's Office involved in providing
advice to the Department of Sport and Recreation? It was absolutely. The Minister
for Sport and Recreation was responsible for delivering this project. The
Premier and I and every member of the government have absolute confidence in
the minister's capacity to deliver that project, which it has done, and
to deliver the next big sporting infrastructure project, which is the major
stadium. I do not have any problems at all and I can tell members that in my
engagement with the Minister for Sport and Recreation over a long time, he has
always been focused on making sure that from a procedural point of view he does
the right thing. He is always focused on delivering appropriate value for money
to the taxpayers of this state.
The second issue relates to Perth Glory's failure to
pay the government for transportation services that we provided to it in the
2011–12 and 2012–13 seasons—a total of $394 000, so
around $400 000. At some state Perth Glory built an amount of money—in
the last year it was about $2.16 or $2.20—into its ticket price. Perth
Glory charged people who went to the soccer that amount of money. It collected
that money, and it advised everyone that they could get free public transport
with their ticket, and then it did not pay us the money.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mr T.R. BUSWELL :
They are separate issues.
We entered into negotiations with Perth Glory around the
repayment of that $400 000 debt. Again, I stress to the house that this was not
Perth Glory's money; this was the money of people who had gone to the
soccer.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Did
he take it to cabinet?
Mr T.R. BUSWELL :
Take what to cabinet?
Mr B.S. Wyatt : Did
he take it to cabinet?
Mr T.R. BUSWELL :
Oh, knock it off! He is a minister of the Crown. He is actually employed to
make decisions and get things done, as am I.
Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I
can tell the member for Midland that if we want to see the delivery of
infrastructure projects, we might dust off the history book and look at some of
her efforts!
In relation to the transportation issue, we decided—I
have to say it is not something I am happy with; however, I thought it was the
best possible deal that we could strike at the time—to accept an offer
of $150 000 in lieu of that payment.
The other part of the equation, which will play out this
weekend, is that there will be no additional public transport services to the
Perth Glory home match on Sunday at nib Stadium. Perth Glory, as one of the
conditions of that settlement, was supposed to inform its fans that this would
be the case. I am not aware that it has done that.
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I
have to say that this is a concern to us. There is a possibility that at the
end of that soccer game, a whole range of people will go to McIver train
station in particular to board a train that will not be there. We will have
extra security on the platform to make sure there are not any issues. But it is
a real concern to me.
There are two other points that I need to make. Firstly, I
heard a representative from Perth Glory say on radio today that as a result of
this, its membership has fallen. I think we need to draw a distinction—I
have not had a chance to have a look yet—between membership and ticket
price, but it is my suspicion —
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for West Swan, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL :
It is my suspicion that that money is still being gouged by Perth Glory from
its ticket holders.
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park, if you shout out again and ask a question, I will
take it as your supplementary question. I call you to order for the second
time.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL :
The other point that I wish to make is this. We deal with nearly every major
sporting code in the city in and around the provision of public transport. We
deal with most major fun runs, cycling events and the like that happen in this
city. Perth Glory is simply the worst organisation that I have ever had to deal
with when it comes to putting its fans first and delivering appropriate public
transport outcomes for its games.
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