❓ Opposition criticises the government's regional development framework as insufficient. The Minister defends the framework, highlighting investments and criticising the previous government's record.
AnsweredQoN 245Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WA REGIONAL
DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK
245. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Minister for Regional Development:
I
refer to the minister's 16-page glossy picture book entitled WA
regional development framework , 10 pages of which are merely pictures.
After nearly eight years of Labor, this is the best the government can do for Western
Australia's regions. When will the minister release a fully
costed, detailed and comprehensive plan for regional development in Western Australia?
DEVELOPMENT FRAMEWORK
245. Mr R.S. LOVE to the Minister for Regional Development:
I
refer to the minister's 16-page glossy picture book entitled WA
regional development framework , 10 pages of which are merely pictures.
After nearly eight years of Labor, this is the best the government can do for Western
Australia's regions. When will the minister release a fully
costed, detailed and comprehensive plan for regional development in Western Australia?
AnswerView source ↗
There
are some days in this place when we know that it is going to be a very good
day. When the Leader of the Opposition stands up and asks a question
like that, it is an especially good day. The Leader of the Opposition has just
criticised the nine chairs of our development commissions—people who
live, work and have an investment in regional Western Australia. He has
criticised the Regional Development Council, the body set up to look after the
interests of regional Western Australia. For the first time, we have described
a framework for how regional development can progress in this state. I contrast
that with the attempt by the National Party to grapple with the notion of
suddenly finding itself in office in 2008 and working out how to spend
royalties for regions funds in the interests of Western Australia. It looked at
opportunities for restructuring a number of times. I cannot think of the number
of consultancies that members opposite undertook to try to find a framework for
the future of regional Western Australia. Most of the time, Nationals members
could not agree with their alliance colleagues on regional issues and walked
out of cabinet meetings. I contrast that with the approach of this side of the
house. Every cabinet minister has a responsibility to regional Western Australia.
They work with the development commissions. Our whole budget framework clearly
outlines our costed approach to regional Western Australia, with a record
regional spend that members opposite could never match when they were in office
and choose not to examine now in this place because they know how good it is,
whether it is our investment in roads, our investment in tourism, our
investment in communities or our investment in new industries. I have been to
many businesses that have benefited from our regional economic development
grants. I have stood alongside small and medium-sized enterprises that are
taking the next step to grow their businesses in their regions.
The regional development framework
sets out a uniting set of principles about what is important. You tell me that
community liveability is not important in regional Western Australia. You tell
me that Aboriginal participation is not important in regional Western Australia.
Several members interjected.
Mr D.T. PUNCH : You tell me
that economic diversification is not important. You have no idea about regional
development. You have no idea!
Mr D.A. Templeman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order! Minister
for Heritage and Leader of the House, I would hate to have to ask you to leave,
but that incessant and repetitive interjection is unacceptable. Minister,
continue your answer.
Mr D.T. PUNCH : The great
contribution of members opposite to regional Western Australia when they were
in government was to privatise the rail freight network. That is what they did.
They privatised Main Roads Western Australia.
That is what they did. They took out the very core of jobs in regional Western Australia.
We will stand up for jobs. We will stand up for regional communities.
Every one of our ministers works hard every day and takes on board the
information that comes from those nine regional development chairs about what
is important in regional Western Australia. We will continue to work in the
best interests of regional Western Australia.
The SPEAKER : Just before the
Leader of the Opposition asks a supplementary question, I remind members to
please not interject on the supplementary. I would like for us all to be able
to hear it and get the response.
are some days in this place when we know that it is going to be a very good
day. When the Leader of the Opposition stands up and asks a question
like that, it is an especially good day. The Leader of the Opposition has just
criticised the nine chairs of our development commissions—people who
live, work and have an investment in regional Western Australia. He has
criticised the Regional Development Council, the body set up to look after the
interests of regional Western Australia. For the first time, we have described
a framework for how regional development can progress in this state. I contrast
that with the attempt by the National Party to grapple with the notion of
suddenly finding itself in office in 2008 and working out how to spend
royalties for regions funds in the interests of Western Australia. It looked at
opportunities for restructuring a number of times. I cannot think of the number
of consultancies that members opposite undertook to try to find a framework for
the future of regional Western Australia. Most of the time, Nationals members
could not agree with their alliance colleagues on regional issues and walked
out of cabinet meetings. I contrast that with the approach of this side of the
house. Every cabinet minister has a responsibility to regional Western Australia.
They work with the development commissions. Our whole budget framework clearly
outlines our costed approach to regional Western Australia, with a record
regional spend that members opposite could never match when they were in office
and choose not to examine now in this place because they know how good it is,
whether it is our investment in roads, our investment in tourism, our
investment in communities or our investment in new industries. I have been to
many businesses that have benefited from our regional economic development
grants. I have stood alongside small and medium-sized enterprises that are
taking the next step to grow their businesses in their regions.
The regional development framework
sets out a uniting set of principles about what is important. You tell me that
community liveability is not important in regional Western Australia. You tell
me that Aboriginal participation is not important in regional Western Australia.
Several members interjected.
Mr D.T. PUNCH : You tell me
that economic diversification is not important. You have no idea about regional
development. You have no idea!
Mr D.A. Templeman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order! Minister
for Heritage and Leader of the House, I would hate to have to ask you to leave,
but that incessant and repetitive interjection is unacceptable. Minister,
continue your answer.
Mr D.T. PUNCH : The great
contribution of members opposite to regional Western Australia when they were
in government was to privatise the rail freight network. That is what they did.
They privatised Main Roads Western Australia.
That is what they did. They took out the very core of jobs in regional Western Australia.
We will stand up for jobs. We will stand up for regional communities.
Every one of our ministers works hard every day and takes on board the
information that comes from those nine regional development chairs about what
is important in regional Western Australia. We will continue to work in the
best interests of regional Western Australia.
The SPEAKER : Just before the
Leader of the Opposition asks a supplementary question, I remind members to
please not interject on the supplementary. I would like for us all to be able
to hear it and get the response.
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