❓ Perth Royal Show—Attendance 525. Mr Lachlan Hunter to the Premier: I refer to the significant decline in attendance at the 2025 Perth Royal Show, with figures from the Royal Agricultural Society of We
AnsweredQoN 525Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Perth Royal Show—Attendance
525. Mr Lachlan Hunter to
the Premier:
I refer to the significant
decline in attendance at the 2025 Perth Royal Show, with figures from the Royal
Agricultural Society of Western Australia indicating a drop of over 130,000
attendees compared with the previous year.
(1) Given that the Cook Labor government allocated
zero dollars for children's entry in the 2025 state budget, what steps is this
government taking to ensure that future Perth Royal Shows are accessible and
affordable for WA families?
(2) Will the government commit to reinstating free
entry for children to the Perth Royal Show in future years to help families who
are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis to continue to attend this
important premier agricultural event?
525. Mr Lachlan Hunter to
the Premier:
I refer to the significant
decline in attendance at the 2025 Perth Royal Show, with figures from the Royal
Agricultural Society of Western Australia indicating a drop of over 130,000
attendees compared with the previous year.
(1) Given that the Cook Labor government allocated
zero dollars for children's entry in the 2025 state budget, what steps is this
government taking to ensure that future Perth Royal Shows are accessible and
affordable for WA families?
(2) Will the government commit to reinstating free
entry for children to the Perth Royal Show in future years to help families who
are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis to continue to attend this
important premier agricultural event?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) Goodness me, Mr Speaker; I am
going to be held accountable for the number of people who turn up to the grand
final next year! This is a very odd question indeed, but I understand it is a
Thursday. Maybe it is getting a little bit thin on the ground.
We obviously have supported the
Royal Agricultural Society in its preparations and the staging of the Royal
Show. I do not have those numbers with me at the moment, but we have a very
close working relationship with the society to ensure that we can continue to
make sure that it gets the support it needs to put on a very important event
for Western Australians. The Perth Royal Show and obviously all our regional
agricultural shows play an important role in ensuring that people have the
opportunity to not only exhibit their produce and continue to promote their
industry, but also continue to educate the community about the important role
that the primary industries play in our lives right across the state.
Obviously, we are not the ones
responsible for making sure that people attend the Royal Show, but we do
everything we can to support the Royal Show.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, you have
asked the question. Let the Premier respond.
Mr Roger Cook: In fact, the last time I was at the
Royal Show, the Royal Agricultural Society was delighted with our decision to,
as part of our public holiday review, make sure that one of our public holidays
lands right in the sweet spot for the Royal Show so that we can continue to
promote it in future years. I might add—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, I am
calling you for the second time.
Mr Roger Cook: I might add that in the past we have
undertaken a range of subsidies to various events and venues in Western
Australia as part of our cost-of-living measures. I will observe that on almost
every occasion, they were opposed by those opposite. It is pleasing to see that
they are now saying that they are on board with cost-of-living measures, and
they will go back and maybe—
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Mr Roger Cook: Maybe they will submit a written
apology to the government for that criticism in the past.
My understanding is
that we provided $2.8 million in funding for half-price entry tickets for kids.
That is an important contribution to make to ensure that—
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, I can hear
you.
Ms Rita Saffioti interjected.
The Speaker: Treasurer! Thank you.
Mr Roger Cook: Once
again—
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, I am
calling you for the third time.
Mr Roger Cook: —the member for Central
Wheatbelt is coming into this place with falsehoods, and, once again, the
member for Central Wheatbelt has been caught out.
I
note that the member for Central Wheatbelt went to the Royal Show.
Mr Lachlan Hunter: Lots of times.
Mr Roger Cook: Did you pay every time?
Mr Lachlan Hunter: I'm a member. I'm a proud
member. Are you?
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Dr Tony Buti interjected.
The Speaker: Attorney General! Premier.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, I will
remind you that you are on three calls.
Mr Roger Cook: Once again, we see the member for
Central Wheatbelt seeking to misrepresent and mislead the Parliament and the
people of Western Australia. He comes in with falsehoods and makes assertions
that he has already confirmed through his interjections he knows are not true.
He should now stand up and apologise to the Parliament for misrepresenting both
the facts and trying to misrepresent the truth in this place. We see this day
in, day out. The member for Central Wheatbelt spends more time talking to the
Leader of the Opposition than he does into the ear of the Leader of the
Nationals WA.
Ms Rita Saffioti interjected.
The Speaker: Treasurer!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr Roger Cook: He spent a lot of time—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members of the government!
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Ms Rita Saffioti interjected.
The Speaker: Treasurer!
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Mr Roger Cook: Mr Speaker, it will be stretching the
standing orders a bit, but obviously the member for Central Wheatbelt has an
opportunity to ask a supplementary now. I invite him to incorporate an apology
to the house as part of his supplementary question.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Just wait, member. Okay. The
member for Central Wheatbelt with a supplementary.
going to be held accountable for the number of people who turn up to the grand
final next year! This is a very odd question indeed, but I understand it is a
Thursday. Maybe it is getting a little bit thin on the ground.
We obviously have supported the
Royal Agricultural Society in its preparations and the staging of the Royal
Show. I do not have those numbers with me at the moment, but we have a very
close working relationship with the society to ensure that we can continue to
make sure that it gets the support it needs to put on a very important event
for Western Australians. The Perth Royal Show and obviously all our regional
agricultural shows play an important role in ensuring that people have the
opportunity to not only exhibit their produce and continue to promote their
industry, but also continue to educate the community about the important role
that the primary industries play in our lives right across the state.
Obviously, we are not the ones
responsible for making sure that people attend the Royal Show, but we do
everything we can to support the Royal Show.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, you have
asked the question. Let the Premier respond.
Mr Roger Cook: In fact, the last time I was at the
Royal Show, the Royal Agricultural Society was delighted with our decision to,
as part of our public holiday review, make sure that one of our public holidays
lands right in the sweet spot for the Royal Show so that we can continue to
promote it in future years. I might add—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, I am
calling you for the second time.
Mr Roger Cook: I might add that in the past we have
undertaken a range of subsidies to various events and venues in Western
Australia as part of our cost-of-living measures. I will observe that on almost
every occasion, they were opposed by those opposite. It is pleasing to see that
they are now saying that they are on board with cost-of-living measures, and
they will go back and maybe—
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Mr Roger Cook: Maybe they will submit a written
apology to the government for that criticism in the past.
My understanding is
that we provided $2.8 million in funding for half-price entry tickets for kids.
That is an important contribution to make to ensure that—
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, I can hear
you.
Ms Rita Saffioti interjected.
The Speaker: Treasurer! Thank you.
Mr Roger Cook: Once
again—
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, I am
calling you for the third time.
Mr Roger Cook: —the member for Central
Wheatbelt is coming into this place with falsehoods, and, once again, the
member for Central Wheatbelt has been caught out.
I
note that the member for Central Wheatbelt went to the Royal Show.
Mr Lachlan Hunter: Lots of times.
Mr Roger Cook: Did you pay every time?
Mr Lachlan Hunter: I'm a member. I'm a proud
member. Are you?
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Dr Tony Buti interjected.
The Speaker: Attorney General! Premier.
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt, I will
remind you that you are on three calls.
Mr Roger Cook: Once again, we see the member for
Central Wheatbelt seeking to misrepresent and mislead the Parliament and the
people of Western Australia. He comes in with falsehoods and makes assertions
that he has already confirmed through his interjections he knows are not true.
He should now stand up and apologise to the Parliament for misrepresenting both
the facts and trying to misrepresent the truth in this place. We see this day
in, day out. The member for Central Wheatbelt spends more time talking to the
Leader of the Opposition than he does into the ear of the Leader of the
Nationals WA.
Ms Rita Saffioti interjected.
The Speaker: Treasurer!
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr Roger Cook: He spent a lot of time—
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members of the government!
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Ms Rita Saffioti interjected.
The Speaker: Treasurer!
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Mr Roger Cook: Mr Speaker, it will be stretching the
standing orders a bit, but obviously the member for Central Wheatbelt has an
opportunity to ask a supplementary now. I invite him to incorporate an apology
to the house as part of his supplementary question.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members! Just wait, member. Okay. The
member for Central Wheatbelt with a supplementary.
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