❓ Opposition questions the Tourism Minister about the convention centre project's tender process, government contribution, and probity. The Minister defends the process, citing the probity auditor's approval and accusing the opposition of misrepresenting facts.
AnsweredQoN 294Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) I have previously repeatedly asked questions of the minister about fundamental matters regarding the convention centre project, such as the failure to conform with tender requirements and government equity in the project. On 7 September, the minister asked that I contact the probity auditor for the convention centre project about any queries that I had. The probity auditor has, in turn, referred me to the project director. Given that the probity auditor clearly has not, to quote the minister, ticked off on everything, will the minister now request the Auditor General to independently review the process? (2) Why did the Premier talk on the radio this morning of loans as security for the Government’s contribution, when the minister has repeatedly called the $110m a gift? (3) When will the negotiations to which the Premier referred be finalised? (4) Will the probity auditor be consulted on the form of government security; and, if not, why not? Hon N.F. MOORE
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(4) The Leader of the Opposition has raised a range of issues in this place, most of which are on behalf of other people, and I have endeavoured to explain to him the answers to those questions. The probity auditor’s role in all of this has been to ensure that the processes have been undertaken properly, appropriately, correctly and legally. The probity auditor sat in on the meetings of the task force and was involved in an overview role in the vast amount of work that has been done on this project. He has written to me twice indicating that, as far as he is concerned, the process has been carried out properly, and I have tabled both those letters. The Leader of the Opposition continues to raise issues relating to complaints by some losers in the process. They may not like the fact that they did not win; however, that has nothing to do with the probity auditor. He has simply said that, as far as he is concerned, the processes have been undertaken properly. Some of the unsuccessful tenderers raising issues of fact does not concern the probity auditor in the context of his involvement in determining whether they are factual. As I have also indicated to the House, the project director, the project team and the task force have, in response to questions sent to them by the losing tenderers, written to the losing tenderers explaining where they were wrong. I have also ensured that the Leader of the Opposition and the opposition spokesperson on these issues were given a thorough, in-depth briefing on the whole process. That was provided to them, and it took a long time. The Leader of the Opposition has not told me whether he felt that was a worthwhile exercise. However, the fact is that it has been provided to him. Hon Ken Travers: I enjoy the briefings you give us in this place, minister. Hon N.F. MOORE: Good. Hon Tom Stephens: Why is the Premier talking about loans as security? Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not propose to comment on an issue of which I am not aware. I did not hear the Premier this morning. I am becoming very irritated by incorrect statements being made on this issue; therefore, I will first find out what the Premier said so that I will know that what the Leader of the Opposition purports him to have said is incorrect. I will do that, and I will respond to the Leader of the Opposition in my time. Hon Tom Stephens: I will read to you what he said. Hon N.F. MOORE: I have read articles about this issue in the newspaper that are so far from the truth they must be from another planet. I do not believe the Labor Party when it asks questions on this issue. I do not believe what it purports to be factual. Hon Tom Stephens: I am quoting the Premier. Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
(2) Why did the Premier talk on the radio this morning of loans as security for the Government’s contribution, when the minister has repeatedly called the $110m a gift? (3) When will the negotiations to which the Premier referred be finalised? (4) Will the probity auditor be consulted on the form of government security; and, if not, why not? Hon N.F. MOORE replied: (1)-(4) The Leader of the Opposition has raised a range of issues in this place, most of which are on behalf of other people, and I have endeavoured to explain to him the answers to those questions. The probity auditor’s role in all of this has been to ensure that the processes have been undertaken properly, appropriately, correctly and legally. The probity auditor sat in on the meetings of the task force and was involved in an overview role in the vast amount of work that has been done on this project. He has written to me twice indicating that, as far as he is concerned, the process has been carried out properly, and I have tabled both those letters. The Leader of the Opposition continues to raise issues relating to complaints by some losers in the process. They may not like the fact that they did not win; however, that has nothing to do with the probity auditor. He has simply said that, as far as he is concerned, the processes have been undertaken properly. Some of the unsuccessful tenderers raising issues of fact does not concern the probity auditor in the context of his involvement in determining whether they are factual. As I have also indicated to the House, the project director, the project team and the task force have, in response to questions sent to them by the losing tenderers, written to the losing tenderers explaining where they were wrong. I have also ensured that the Leader of the Opposition and the opposition spokesperson on these issues were given a thorough, in-depth briefing on the whole process. That was provided to them, and it took a long time. The Leader of the Opposition has not told me whether he felt that was a worthwhile exercise. However, the fact is that it has been provided to him. Hon Ken Travers: I enjoy the briefings you give us in this place, minister. Hon N.F. MOORE: Good. Hon Tom Stephens: Why is the Premier talking about loans as security? Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not propose to comment on an issue of which I am not aware. I did not hear the Premier this morning. I am becoming very irritated by incorrect statements being made on this issue; therefore, I will first find out what the Premier said so that I will know that what the Leader of the Opposition purports him to have said is incorrect. I will do that, and I will respond to the Leader of the Opposition in my time. Hon Tom Stephens: I will read to you what he said. Hon N.F. MOORE: I have read articles about this issue in the newspaper that are so far from the truth they must be from another planet. I do not believe the Labor Party when it asks questions on this issue. I do not believe what it purports to be factual. Hon Tom Stephens: I am quoting the Premier. Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
(3) When will the negotiations to which the Premier referred be finalised? (4) Will the probity auditor be consulted on the form of government security; and, if not, why not? Hon N.F. MOORE replied: (1)-(4) The Leader of the Opposition has raised a range of issues in this place, most of which are on behalf of other people, and I have endeavoured to explain to him the answers to those questions. The probity auditor’s role in all of this has been to ensure that the processes have been undertaken properly, appropriately, correctly and legally. The probity auditor sat in on the meetings of the task force and was involved in an overview role in the vast amount of work that has been done on this project. He has written to me twice indicating that, as far as he is concerned, the process has been carried out properly, and I have tabled both those letters. The Leader of the Opposition continues to raise issues relating to complaints by some losers in the process. They may not like the fact that they did not win; however, that has nothing to do with the probity auditor. He has simply said that, as far as he is concerned, the processes have been undertaken properly. Some of the unsuccessful tenderers raising issues of fact does not concern the probity auditor in the context of his involvement in determining whether they are factual. As I have also indicated to the House, the project director, the project team and the task force have, in response to questions sent to them by the losing tenderers, written to the losing tenderers explaining where they were wrong. I have also ensured that the Leader of the Opposition and the opposition spokesperson on these issues were given a thorough, in-depth briefing on the whole process. That was provided to them, and it took a long time. The Leader of the Opposition has not told me whether he felt that was a worthwhile exercise. However, the fact is that it has been provided to him. Hon Ken Travers: I enjoy the briefings you give us in this place, minister. Hon N.F. MOORE: Good. Hon Tom Stephens: Why is the Premier talking about loans as security? Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not propose to comment on an issue of which I am not aware. I did not hear the Premier this morning. I am becoming very irritated by incorrect statements being made on this issue; therefore, I will first find out what the Premier said so that I will know that what the Leader of the Opposition purports him to have said is incorrect. I will do that, and I will respond to the Leader of the Opposition in my time. Hon Tom Stephens: I will read to you what he said. Hon N.F. MOORE: I have read articles about this issue in the newspaper that are so far from the truth they must be from another planet. I do not believe the Labor Party when it asks questions on this issue. I do not believe what it purports to be factual. Hon Tom Stephens: I am quoting the Premier. Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
(4) Will the probity auditor be consulted on the form of government security; and, if not, why not? Hon N.F. MOORE replied: (1)-(4) The Leader of the Opposition has raised a range of issues in this place, most of which are on behalf of other people, and I have endeavoured to explain to him the answers to those questions. The probity auditor’s role in all of this has been to ensure that the processes have been undertaken properly, appropriately, correctly and legally. The probity auditor sat in on the meetings of the task force and was involved in an overview role in the vast amount of work that has been done on this project. He has written to me twice indicating that, as far as he is concerned, the process has been carried out properly, and I have tabled both those letters. The Leader of the Opposition continues to raise issues relating to complaints by some losers in the process. They may not like the fact that they did not win; however, that has nothing to do with the probity auditor. He has simply said that, as far as he is concerned, the processes have been undertaken properly. Some of the unsuccessful tenderers raising issues of fact does not concern the probity auditor in the context of his involvement in determining whether they are factual. As I have also indicated to the House, the project director, the project team and the task force have, in response to questions sent to them by the losing tenderers, written to the losing tenderers explaining where they were wrong. I have also ensured that the Leader of the Opposition and the opposition spokesperson on these issues were given a thorough, in-depth briefing on the whole process. That was provided to them, and it took a long time. The Leader of the Opposition has not told me whether he felt that was a worthwhile exercise. However, the fact is that it has been provided to him. Hon Ken Travers: I enjoy the briefings you give us in this place, minister. Hon N.F. MOORE: Good. Hon Tom Stephens: Why is the Premier talking about loans as security? Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not propose to comment on an issue of which I am not aware. I did not hear the Premier this morning. I am becoming very irritated by incorrect statements being made on this issue; therefore, I will first find out what the Premier said so that I will know that what the Leader of the Opposition purports him to have said is incorrect. I will do that, and I will respond to the Leader of the Opposition in my time. Hon Tom Stephens: I will read to you what he said. Hon N.F. MOORE: I have read articles about this issue in the newspaper that are so far from the truth they must be from another planet. I do not believe the Labor Party when it asks questions on this issue. I do not believe what it purports to be factual. Hon Tom Stephens: I am quoting the Premier. Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon N.F. MOORE replied: (1)-(4) The Leader of the Opposition has raised a range of issues in this place, most of which are on behalf of other people, and I have endeavoured to explain to him the answers to those questions. The probity auditor’s role in all of this has been to ensure that the processes have been undertaken properly, appropriately, correctly and legally. The probity auditor sat in on the meetings of the task force and was involved in an overview role in the vast amount of work that has been done on this project. He has written to me twice indicating that, as far as he is concerned, the process has been carried out properly, and I have tabled both those letters. The Leader of the Opposition continues to raise issues relating to complaints by some losers in the process. They may not like the fact that they did not win; however, that has nothing to do with the probity auditor. He has simply said that, as far as he is concerned, the processes have been undertaken properly. Some of the unsuccessful tenderers raising issues of fact does not concern the probity auditor in the context of his involvement in determining whether they are factual. As I have also indicated to the House, the project director, the project team and the task force have, in response to questions sent to them by the losing tenderers, written to the losing tenderers explaining where they were wrong. I have also ensured that the Leader of the Opposition and the opposition spokesperson on these issues were given a thorough, in-depth briefing on the whole process. That was provided to them, and it took a long time. The Leader of the Opposition has not told me whether he felt that was a worthwhile exercise. However, the fact is that it has been provided to him. Hon Ken Travers: I enjoy the briefings you give us in this place, minister. Hon N.F. MOORE: Good. Hon Tom Stephens: Why is the Premier talking about loans as security? Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not propose to comment on an issue of which I am not aware. I did not hear the Premier this morning. I am becoming very irritated by incorrect statements being made on this issue; therefore, I will first find out what the Premier said so that I will know that what the Leader of the Opposition purports him to have said is incorrect. I will do that, and I will respond to the Leader of the Opposition in my time. Hon Tom Stephens: I will read to you what he said. Hon N.F. MOORE: I have read articles about this issue in the newspaper that are so far from the truth they must be from another planet. I do not believe the Labor Party when it asks questions on this issue. I do not believe what it purports to be factual. Hon Tom Stephens: I am quoting the Premier. Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
(1)-(4) The Leader of the Opposition has raised a range of issues in this place, most of which are on behalf of other people, and I have endeavoured to explain to him the answers to those questions. The probity auditor’s role in all of this has been to ensure that the processes have been undertaken properly, appropriately, correctly and legally. The probity auditor sat in on the meetings of the task force and was involved in an overview role in the vast amount of work that has been done on this project. He has written to me twice indicating that, as far as he is concerned, the process has been carried out properly, and I have tabled both those letters. The Leader of the Opposition continues to raise issues relating to complaints by some losers in the process. They may not like the fact that they did not win; however, that has nothing to do with the probity auditor. He has simply said that, as far as he is concerned, the processes have been undertaken properly. Some of the unsuccessful tenderers raising issues of fact does not concern the probity auditor in the context of his involvement in determining whether they are factual. As I have also indicated to the House, the project director, the project team and the task force have, in response to questions sent to them by the losing tenderers, written to the losing tenderers explaining where they were wrong. I have also ensured that the Leader of the Opposition and the opposition spokesperson on these issues were given a thorough, in-depth briefing on the whole process. That was provided to them, and it took a long time. The Leader of the Opposition has not told me whether he felt that was a worthwhile exercise. However, the fact is that it has been provided to him. Hon Ken Travers: I enjoy the briefings you give us in this place, minister. Hon N.F. MOORE: Good. Hon Tom Stephens: Why is the Premier talking about loans as security? Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not propose to comment on an issue of which I am not aware. I did not hear the Premier this morning. I am becoming very irritated by incorrect statements being made on this issue; therefore, I will first find out what the Premier said so that I will know that what the Leader of the Opposition purports him to have said is incorrect. I will do that, and I will respond to the Leader of the Opposition in my time. Hon Tom Stephens: I will read to you what he said. Hon N.F. MOORE: I have read articles about this issue in the newspaper that are so far from the truth they must be from another planet. I do not believe the Labor Party when it asks questions on this issue. I do not believe what it purports to be factual. Hon Tom Stephens: I am quoting the Premier. Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
The Leader of the Opposition continues to raise issues relating to complaints by some losers in the process. They may not like the fact that they did not win; however, that has nothing to do with the probity auditor. He has simply said that, as far as he is concerned, the processes have been undertaken properly. Some of the unsuccessful tenderers raising issues of fact does not concern the probity auditor in the context of his involvement in determining whether they are factual. As I have also indicated to the House, the project director, the project team and the task force have, in response to questions sent to them by the losing tenderers, written to the losing tenderers explaining where they were wrong. I have also ensured that the Leader of the Opposition and the opposition spokesperson on these issues were given a thorough, in-depth briefing on the whole process. That was provided to them, and it took a long time. The Leader of the Opposition has not told me whether he felt that was a worthwhile exercise. However, the fact is that it has been provided to him. Hon Ken Travers: I enjoy the briefings you give us in this place, minister. Hon N.F. MOORE: Good. Hon Tom Stephens: Why is the Premier talking about loans as security? Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not propose to comment on an issue of which I am not aware. I did not hear the Premier this morning. I am becoming very irritated by incorrect statements being made on this issue; therefore, I will first find out what the Premier said so that I will know that what the Leader of the Opposition purports him to have said is incorrect. I will do that, and I will respond to the Leader of the Opposition in my time. Hon Tom Stephens: I will read to you what he said. Hon N.F. MOORE: I have read articles about this issue in the newspaper that are so far from the truth they must be from another planet. I do not believe the Labor Party when it asks questions on this issue. I do not believe what it purports to be factual. Hon Tom Stephens: I am quoting the Premier. Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
As I have also indicated to the House, the project director, the project team and the task force have, in response to questions sent to them by the losing tenderers, written to the losing tenderers explaining where they were wrong. I have also ensured that the Leader of the Opposition and the opposition spokesperson on these issues were given a thorough, in-depth briefing on the whole process. That was provided to them, and it took a long time. The Leader of the Opposition has not told me whether he felt that was a worthwhile exercise. However, the fact is that it has been provided to him. Hon Ken Travers: I enjoy the briefings you give us in this place, minister. Hon N.F. MOORE: Good. Hon Tom Stephens: Why is the Premier talking about loans as security? Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not propose to comment on an issue of which I am not aware. I did not hear the Premier this morning. I am becoming very irritated by incorrect statements being made on this issue; therefore, I will first find out what the Premier said so that I will know that what the Leader of the Opposition purports him to have said is incorrect. I will do that, and I will respond to the Leader of the Opposition in my time. Hon Tom Stephens: I will read to you what he said. Hon N.F. MOORE: I have read articles about this issue in the newspaper that are so far from the truth they must be from another planet. I do not believe the Labor Party when it asks questions on this issue. I do not believe what it purports to be factual. Hon Tom Stephens: I am quoting the Premier. Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon Ken Travers: I enjoy the briefings you give us in this place, minister. Hon N.F. MOORE: Good. Hon Tom Stephens: Why is the Premier talking about loans as security? Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not propose to comment on an issue of which I am not aware. I did not hear the Premier this morning. I am becoming very irritated by incorrect statements being made on this issue; therefore, I will first find out what the Premier said so that I will know that what the Leader of the Opposition purports him to have said is incorrect. I will do that, and I will respond to the Leader of the Opposition in my time. Hon Tom Stephens: I will read to you what he said. Hon N.F. MOORE: I have read articles about this issue in the newspaper that are so far from the truth they must be from another planet. I do not believe the Labor Party when it asks questions on this issue. I do not believe what it purports to be factual. Hon Tom Stephens: I am quoting the Premier. Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon N.F. MOORE: Good. Hon Tom Stephens: Why is the Premier talking about loans as security? Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not propose to comment on an issue of which I am not aware. I did not hear the Premier this morning. I am becoming very irritated by incorrect statements being made on this issue; therefore, I will first find out what the Premier said so that I will know that what the Leader of the Opposition purports him to have said is incorrect. I will do that, and I will respond to the Leader of the Opposition in my time. Hon Tom Stephens: I will read to you what he said. Hon N.F. MOORE: I have read articles about this issue in the newspaper that are so far from the truth they must be from another planet. I do not believe the Labor Party when it asks questions on this issue. I do not believe what it purports to be factual. Hon Tom Stephens: I am quoting the Premier. Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon Tom Stephens: Why is the Premier talking about loans as security? Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not propose to comment on an issue of which I am not aware. I did not hear the Premier this morning. I am becoming very irritated by incorrect statements being made on this issue; therefore, I will first find out what the Premier said so that I will know that what the Leader of the Opposition purports him to have said is incorrect. I will do that, and I will respond to the Leader of the Opposition in my time. Hon Tom Stephens: I will read to you what he said. Hon N.F. MOORE: I have read articles about this issue in the newspaper that are so far from the truth they must be from another planet. I do not believe the Labor Party when it asks questions on this issue. I do not believe what it purports to be factual. Hon Tom Stephens: I am quoting the Premier. Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not propose to comment on an issue of which I am not aware. I did not hear the Premier this morning. I am becoming very irritated by incorrect statements being made on this issue; therefore, I will first find out what the Premier said so that I will know that what the Leader of the Opposition purports him to have said is incorrect. I will do that, and I will respond to the Leader of the Opposition in my time. Hon Tom Stephens: I will read to you what he said. Hon N.F. MOORE: I have read articles about this issue in the newspaper that are so far from the truth they must be from another planet. I do not believe the Labor Party when it asks questions on this issue. I do not believe what it purports to be factual. Hon Tom Stephens: I am quoting the Premier. Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon Tom Stephens: I will read to you what he said. Hon N.F. MOORE: I have read articles about this issue in the newspaper that are so far from the truth they must be from another planet. I do not believe the Labor Party when it asks questions on this issue. I do not believe what it purports to be factual. Hon Tom Stephens: I am quoting the Premier. Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon N.F. MOORE: I have read articles about this issue in the newspaper that are so far from the truth they must be from another planet. I do not believe the Labor Party when it asks questions on this issue. I do not believe what it purports to be factual. Hon Tom Stephens: I am quoting the Premier. Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon Tom Stephens: I am quoting the Premier. Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
(2) Why did the Premier talk on the radio this morning of loans as security for the Government’s contribution, when the minister has repeatedly called the $110m a gift? (3) When will the negotiations to which the Premier referred be finalised? (4) Will the probity auditor be consulted on the form of government security; and, if not, why not? Hon N.F. MOORE replied: (1)-(4) The Leader of the Opposition has raised a range of issues in this place, most of which are on behalf of other people, and I have endeavoured to explain to him the answers to those questions. The probity auditor’s role in all of this has been to ensure that the processes have been undertaken properly, appropriately, correctly and legally. The probity auditor sat in on the meetings of the task force and was involved in an overview role in the vast amount of work that has been done on this project. He has written to me twice indicating that, as far as he is concerned, the process has been carried out properly, and I have tabled both those letters. The Leader of the Opposition continues to raise issues relating to complaints by some losers in the process. They may not like the fact that they did not win; however, that has nothing to do with the probity auditor. He has simply said that, as far as he is concerned, the processes have been undertaken properly. Some of the unsuccessful tenderers raising issues of fact does not concern the probity auditor in the context of his involvement in determining whether they are factual. As I have also indicated to the House, the project director, the project team and the task force have, in response to questions sent to them by the losing tenderers, written to the losing tenderers explaining where they were wrong. I have also ensured that the Leader of the Opposition and the opposition spokesperson on these issues were given a thorough, in-depth briefing on the whole process. That was provided to them, and it took a long time. The Leader of the Opposition has not told me whether he felt that was a worthwhile exercise. However, the fact is that it has been provided to him. Hon Ken Travers: I enjoy the briefings you give us in this place, minister. Hon N.F. MOORE: Good. Hon Tom Stephens: Why is the Premier talking about loans as security? Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not propose to comment on an issue of which I am not aware. I did not hear the Premier this morning. I am becoming very irritated by incorrect statements being made on this issue; therefore, I will first find out what the Premier said so that I will know that what the Leader of the Opposition purports him to have said is incorrect. I will do that, and I will respond to the Leader of the Opposition in my time. Hon Tom Stephens: I will read to you what he said. Hon N.F. MOORE: I have read articles about this issue in the newspaper that are so far from the truth they must be from another planet. I do not believe the Labor Party when it asks questions on this issue. I do not believe what it purports to be factual. Hon Tom Stephens: I am quoting the Premier. Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
(3) When will the negotiations to which the Premier referred be finalised? (4) Will the probity auditor be consulted on the form of government security; and, if not, why not? Hon N.F. MOORE replied: (1)-(4) The Leader of the Opposition has raised a range of issues in this place, most of which are on behalf of other people, and I have endeavoured to explain to him the answers to those questions. The probity auditor’s role in all of this has been to ensure that the processes have been undertaken properly, appropriately, correctly and legally. The probity auditor sat in on the meetings of the task force and was involved in an overview role in the vast amount of work that has been done on this project. He has written to me twice indicating that, as far as he is concerned, the process has been carried out properly, and I have tabled both those letters. The Leader of the Opposition continues to raise issues relating to complaints by some losers in the process. They may not like the fact that they did not win; however, that has nothing to do with the probity auditor. He has simply said that, as far as he is concerned, the processes have been undertaken properly. Some of the unsuccessful tenderers raising issues of fact does not concern the probity auditor in the context of his involvement in determining whether they are factual. As I have also indicated to the House, the project director, the project team and the task force have, in response to questions sent to them by the losing tenderers, written to the losing tenderers explaining where they were wrong. I have also ensured that the Leader of the Opposition and the opposition spokesperson on these issues were given a thorough, in-depth briefing on the whole process. That was provided to them, and it took a long time. The Leader of the Opposition has not told me whether he felt that was a worthwhile exercise. However, the fact is that it has been provided to him. Hon Ken Travers: I enjoy the briefings you give us in this place, minister. Hon N.F. MOORE: Good. Hon Tom Stephens: Why is the Premier talking about loans as security? Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not propose to comment on an issue of which I am not aware. I did not hear the Premier this morning. I am becoming very irritated by incorrect statements being made on this issue; therefore, I will first find out what the Premier said so that I will know that what the Leader of the Opposition purports him to have said is incorrect. I will do that, and I will respond to the Leader of the Opposition in my time. Hon Tom Stephens: I will read to you what he said. Hon N.F. MOORE: I have read articles about this issue in the newspaper that are so far from the truth they must be from another planet. I do not believe the Labor Party when it asks questions on this issue. I do not believe what it purports to be factual. Hon Tom Stephens: I am quoting the Premier. Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
(4) Will the probity auditor be consulted on the form of government security; and, if not, why not? Hon N.F. MOORE replied: (1)-(4) The Leader of the Opposition has raised a range of issues in this place, most of which are on behalf of other people, and I have endeavoured to explain to him the answers to those questions. The probity auditor’s role in all of this has been to ensure that the processes have been undertaken properly, appropriately, correctly and legally. The probity auditor sat in on the meetings of the task force and was involved in an overview role in the vast amount of work that has been done on this project. He has written to me twice indicating that, as far as he is concerned, the process has been carried out properly, and I have tabled both those letters. The Leader of the Opposition continues to raise issues relating to complaints by some losers in the process. They may not like the fact that they did not win; however, that has nothing to do with the probity auditor. He has simply said that, as far as he is concerned, the processes have been undertaken properly. Some of the unsuccessful tenderers raising issues of fact does not concern the probity auditor in the context of his involvement in determining whether they are factual. As I have also indicated to the House, the project director, the project team and the task force have, in response to questions sent to them by the losing tenderers, written to the losing tenderers explaining where they were wrong. I have also ensured that the Leader of the Opposition and the opposition spokesperson on these issues were given a thorough, in-depth briefing on the whole process. That was provided to them, and it took a long time. The Leader of the Opposition has not told me whether he felt that was a worthwhile exercise. However, the fact is that it has been provided to him. Hon Ken Travers: I enjoy the briefings you give us in this place, minister. Hon N.F. MOORE: Good. Hon Tom Stephens: Why is the Premier talking about loans as security? Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not propose to comment on an issue of which I am not aware. I did not hear the Premier this morning. I am becoming very irritated by incorrect statements being made on this issue; therefore, I will first find out what the Premier said so that I will know that what the Leader of the Opposition purports him to have said is incorrect. I will do that, and I will respond to the Leader of the Opposition in my time. Hon Tom Stephens: I will read to you what he said. Hon N.F. MOORE: I have read articles about this issue in the newspaper that are so far from the truth they must be from another planet. I do not believe the Labor Party when it asks questions on this issue. I do not believe what it purports to be factual. Hon Tom Stephens: I am quoting the Premier. Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon N.F. MOORE replied: (1)-(4) The Leader of the Opposition has raised a range of issues in this place, most of which are on behalf of other people, and I have endeavoured to explain to him the answers to those questions. The probity auditor’s role in all of this has been to ensure that the processes have been undertaken properly, appropriately, correctly and legally. The probity auditor sat in on the meetings of the task force and was involved in an overview role in the vast amount of work that has been done on this project. He has written to me twice indicating that, as far as he is concerned, the process has been carried out properly, and I have tabled both those letters. The Leader of the Opposition continues to raise issues relating to complaints by some losers in the process. They may not like the fact that they did not win; however, that has nothing to do with the probity auditor. He has simply said that, as far as he is concerned, the processes have been undertaken properly. Some of the unsuccessful tenderers raising issues of fact does not concern the probity auditor in the context of his involvement in determining whether they are factual. As I have also indicated to the House, the project director, the project team and the task force have, in response to questions sent to them by the losing tenderers, written to the losing tenderers explaining where they were wrong. I have also ensured that the Leader of the Opposition and the opposition spokesperson on these issues were given a thorough, in-depth briefing on the whole process. That was provided to them, and it took a long time. The Leader of the Opposition has not told me whether he felt that was a worthwhile exercise. However, the fact is that it has been provided to him. Hon Ken Travers: I enjoy the briefings you give us in this place, minister. Hon N.F. MOORE: Good. Hon Tom Stephens: Why is the Premier talking about loans as security? Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not propose to comment on an issue of which I am not aware. I did not hear the Premier this morning. I am becoming very irritated by incorrect statements being made on this issue; therefore, I will first find out what the Premier said so that I will know that what the Leader of the Opposition purports him to have said is incorrect. I will do that, and I will respond to the Leader of the Opposition in my time. Hon Tom Stephens: I will read to you what he said. Hon N.F. MOORE: I have read articles about this issue in the newspaper that are so far from the truth they must be from another planet. I do not believe the Labor Party when it asks questions on this issue. I do not believe what it purports to be factual. Hon Tom Stephens: I am quoting the Premier. Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
(1)-(4) The Leader of the Opposition has raised a range of issues in this place, most of which are on behalf of other people, and I have endeavoured to explain to him the answers to those questions. The probity auditor’s role in all of this has been to ensure that the processes have been undertaken properly, appropriately, correctly and legally. The probity auditor sat in on the meetings of the task force and was involved in an overview role in the vast amount of work that has been done on this project. He has written to me twice indicating that, as far as he is concerned, the process has been carried out properly, and I have tabled both those letters. The Leader of the Opposition continues to raise issues relating to complaints by some losers in the process. They may not like the fact that they did not win; however, that has nothing to do with the probity auditor. He has simply said that, as far as he is concerned, the processes have been undertaken properly. Some of the unsuccessful tenderers raising issues of fact does not concern the probity auditor in the context of his involvement in determining whether they are factual. As I have also indicated to the House, the project director, the project team and the task force have, in response to questions sent to them by the losing tenderers, written to the losing tenderers explaining where they were wrong. I have also ensured that the Leader of the Opposition and the opposition spokesperson on these issues were given a thorough, in-depth briefing on the whole process. That was provided to them, and it took a long time. The Leader of the Opposition has not told me whether he felt that was a worthwhile exercise. However, the fact is that it has been provided to him. Hon Ken Travers: I enjoy the briefings you give us in this place, minister. Hon N.F. MOORE: Good. Hon Tom Stephens: Why is the Premier talking about loans as security? Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not propose to comment on an issue of which I am not aware. I did not hear the Premier this morning. I am becoming very irritated by incorrect statements being made on this issue; therefore, I will first find out what the Premier said so that I will know that what the Leader of the Opposition purports him to have said is incorrect. I will do that, and I will respond to the Leader of the Opposition in my time. Hon Tom Stephens: I will read to you what he said. Hon N.F. MOORE: I have read articles about this issue in the newspaper that are so far from the truth they must be from another planet. I do not believe the Labor Party when it asks questions on this issue. I do not believe what it purports to be factual. Hon Tom Stephens: I am quoting the Premier. Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
The Leader of the Opposition continues to raise issues relating to complaints by some losers in the process. They may not like the fact that they did not win; however, that has nothing to do with the probity auditor. He has simply said that, as far as he is concerned, the processes have been undertaken properly. Some of the unsuccessful tenderers raising issues of fact does not concern the probity auditor in the context of his involvement in determining whether they are factual. As I have also indicated to the House, the project director, the project team and the task force have, in response to questions sent to them by the losing tenderers, written to the losing tenderers explaining where they were wrong. I have also ensured that the Leader of the Opposition and the opposition spokesperson on these issues were given a thorough, in-depth briefing on the whole process. That was provided to them, and it took a long time. The Leader of the Opposition has not told me whether he felt that was a worthwhile exercise. However, the fact is that it has been provided to him. Hon Ken Travers: I enjoy the briefings you give us in this place, minister. Hon N.F. MOORE: Good. Hon Tom Stephens: Why is the Premier talking about loans as security? Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not propose to comment on an issue of which I am not aware. I did not hear the Premier this morning. I am becoming very irritated by incorrect statements being made on this issue; therefore, I will first find out what the Premier said so that I will know that what the Leader of the Opposition purports him to have said is incorrect. I will do that, and I will respond to the Leader of the Opposition in my time. Hon Tom Stephens: I will read to you what he said. Hon N.F. MOORE: I have read articles about this issue in the newspaper that are so far from the truth they must be from another planet. I do not believe the Labor Party when it asks questions on this issue. I do not believe what it purports to be factual. Hon Tom Stephens: I am quoting the Premier. Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
As I have also indicated to the House, the project director, the project team and the task force have, in response to questions sent to them by the losing tenderers, written to the losing tenderers explaining where they were wrong. I have also ensured that the Leader of the Opposition and the opposition spokesperson on these issues were given a thorough, in-depth briefing on the whole process. That was provided to them, and it took a long time. The Leader of the Opposition has not told me whether he felt that was a worthwhile exercise. However, the fact is that it has been provided to him. Hon Ken Travers: I enjoy the briefings you give us in this place, minister. Hon N.F. MOORE: Good. Hon Tom Stephens: Why is the Premier talking about loans as security? Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not propose to comment on an issue of which I am not aware. I did not hear the Premier this morning. I am becoming very irritated by incorrect statements being made on this issue; therefore, I will first find out what the Premier said so that I will know that what the Leader of the Opposition purports him to have said is incorrect. I will do that, and I will respond to the Leader of the Opposition in my time. Hon Tom Stephens: I will read to you what he said. Hon N.F. MOORE: I have read articles about this issue in the newspaper that are so far from the truth they must be from another planet. I do not believe the Labor Party when it asks questions on this issue. I do not believe what it purports to be factual. Hon Tom Stephens: I am quoting the Premier. Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon Ken Travers: I enjoy the briefings you give us in this place, minister. Hon N.F. MOORE: Good. Hon Tom Stephens: Why is the Premier talking about loans as security? Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not propose to comment on an issue of which I am not aware. I did not hear the Premier this morning. I am becoming very irritated by incorrect statements being made on this issue; therefore, I will first find out what the Premier said so that I will know that what the Leader of the Opposition purports him to have said is incorrect. I will do that, and I will respond to the Leader of the Opposition in my time. Hon Tom Stephens: I will read to you what he said. Hon N.F. MOORE: I have read articles about this issue in the newspaper that are so far from the truth they must be from another planet. I do not believe the Labor Party when it asks questions on this issue. I do not believe what it purports to be factual. Hon Tom Stephens: I am quoting the Premier. Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon N.F. MOORE: Good. Hon Tom Stephens: Why is the Premier talking about loans as security? Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not propose to comment on an issue of which I am not aware. I did not hear the Premier this morning. I am becoming very irritated by incorrect statements being made on this issue; therefore, I will first find out what the Premier said so that I will know that what the Leader of the Opposition purports him to have said is incorrect. I will do that, and I will respond to the Leader of the Opposition in my time. Hon Tom Stephens: I will read to you what he said. Hon N.F. MOORE: I have read articles about this issue in the newspaper that are so far from the truth they must be from another planet. I do not believe the Labor Party when it asks questions on this issue. I do not believe what it purports to be factual. Hon Tom Stephens: I am quoting the Premier. Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon Tom Stephens: Why is the Premier talking about loans as security? Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not propose to comment on an issue of which I am not aware. I did not hear the Premier this morning. I am becoming very irritated by incorrect statements being made on this issue; therefore, I will first find out what the Premier said so that I will know that what the Leader of the Opposition purports him to have said is incorrect. I will do that, and I will respond to the Leader of the Opposition in my time. Hon Tom Stephens: I will read to you what he said. Hon N.F. MOORE: I have read articles about this issue in the newspaper that are so far from the truth they must be from another planet. I do not believe the Labor Party when it asks questions on this issue. I do not believe what it purports to be factual. Hon Tom Stephens: I am quoting the Premier. Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not propose to comment on an issue of which I am not aware. I did not hear the Premier this morning. I am becoming very irritated by incorrect statements being made on this issue; therefore, I will first find out what the Premier said so that I will know that what the Leader of the Opposition purports him to have said is incorrect. I will do that, and I will respond to the Leader of the Opposition in my time. Hon Tom Stephens: I will read to you what he said. Hon N.F. MOORE: I have read articles about this issue in the newspaper that are so far from the truth they must be from another planet. I do not believe the Labor Party when it asks questions on this issue. I do not believe what it purports to be factual. Hon Tom Stephens: I am quoting the Premier. Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon Tom Stephens: I will read to you what he said. Hon N.F. MOORE: I have read articles about this issue in the newspaper that are so far from the truth they must be from another planet. I do not believe the Labor Party when it asks questions on this issue. I do not believe what it purports to be factual. Hon Tom Stephens: I am quoting the Premier. Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon N.F. MOORE: I have read articles about this issue in the newspaper that are so far from the truth they must be from another planet. I do not believe the Labor Party when it asks questions on this issue. I do not believe what it purports to be factual. Hon Tom Stephens: I am quoting the Premier. Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon Tom Stephens: I am quoting the Premier. Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon N.F. MOORE: I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition is quoting the Premier correctly. I do not trust the Leader of the Opposition on this issue. I am happy to look at what may or may not have been said by the Premier. Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon Tom Stephens: Why do not you just bring in the Auditor General? Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon N.F. MOORE: I will get to that in a minute. I will check what the Premier is alleged to have said, and I will respond accordingly. At the present time, the contract is being negotiated, properly and aboveboard, and to the satisfaction of the probity auditor. I wish the Leader of the Opposition would accept that once and for all. The opposition spokesperson on Tourism has already written to the Auditor General saying that he has concerns about the process. I am delighted he has done that, because at the beginning of this process I indicated to the Auditor General's office that I would like him to be involved, if he would like to be involved. I would not have minded if he had sat in on the whole process. Of course, he would not, because that is not his role. His role is to be an outside observer if somebody raises a complaint. I hope that the Auditor General will look at the issue and that the Leader of the Opposition will be the first person to apologise when the Auditor General’s report says there is nothing to be concerned about. That will be the case. Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon Bob Thomas: We will be the Government. Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon N.F. Moore: What will members opposite do if they are in government and this contract is not signed? Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Several members interjected. The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
The PRESIDENT: Order! Let us all slow down. We were going so well. I was writing myself a note, and everything was on automatic pilot; now everyone wants to interject. Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon N.F. MOORE: The idea of a Labor Government is a very interesting scenario. This Government is negotiating a contract. The contract has not been signed yet. I asked members opposite the other day in the House what the Labor Party would do if the contract were not signed and they became the Government. The Leader of the Opposition said they would use the money for something else. When I asked about the soccer stadium, the Leader of the Opposition went very quiet indeed. I am now told they will build a soccer stadium, but not the convention centre. Where will the Leader of the Opposition get the money from to build the stadium if he does not get it as part of this deal? Members opposite are all over the place on this. Their leader in the other place said that he, and not Hon Tom Stephens, was the Leader of the Opposition, and that he would tell us what is going on. He said they would build a soccer stadium. He did not say where the money would come from or how it would be obtained. As soon as Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag, and the tourism industry found out what the Opposition was about, the Leader of the Opposition told the tourism industry not to worry about it: Wink wink, nod nod, it will be okay; they will sign the contract and everything will be hunky-dory. Hon Tom Stephens let the cat out of the bag. If the contract is not signed and the inexplicable should happen and members opposite win government, they will not proceed with the project, but will somehow find $40m to build a stadium. Where will members opposite get that money? Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon Tom Stephens: How did you come up with that figure? Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon N.F. MOORE: That is what it could cost to build if it were done as a separate project. That is how inexperienced and lacking in knowledge the Opposition is. Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon Peter Foss: They will take $100m and pay it over to one of their mates on condition they get $10m back. That is how they used to do it. Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
Hon N.F. MOORE: They could do anything of that sort. When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
When this contract has been concluded it will be made public, and the Leader of the Opposition will know in detail what it is all about. It has been an open process. The reason a lot of information cannot be made available is that it is the intellectual property of the proponents. That is a fact. I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
I do not have the slightest problem with the Auditor General looking at this project. I hope he does. When the Auditor General releases his report - I know what it will say now - I hope the Leader of the Opposition and his mate the member for Rockingham will be the first to apologise, not just to me but to the people involved in the task force - all those public servants who diligently worked their way through this project. The task force comprises public servants from the various agencies throughout Western Australia. I hope the Leader of the Opposition will apologise to them for the aspersions he has cast on their characters and to those people he has defamed for claiming they have a conflict of interest where none exists.
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