❓ Opposition MP Rita Saffioti questions the Minister for Sport and Recreation, Terry Waldron, about a $400,000 payment to Perth Glory despite their existing debt to the Public Transport Authority. The Minister defends the payment as compensation for stadium redevelopment, separate from the debt issue.
AnsweredQoN 668Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PERTH GLORY — COMPENSATION —
PUBLIC TRANSPORT AUTHORITY DEBT
668. Ms R. SAFFIOTI to the
Minister for Sport and Recreation:
I refer to the fact that the state government wrote off
almost $250 000 owed to it by Perth Glory for the 2011–12 and 2012–13
A-League seasons.
(1) Was the
minister ever aware of this outstanding debt from Perth Glory?
(2) If so, why
did the minister pay out $400 000 of taxpayer funds to an entity that owed WA
taxpayers $250 000?
(3) If not,
would the minister not have been informally informed of this outstanding debt
if he had taken the issue to cabinet?
PUBLIC TRANSPORT AUTHORITY DEBT
668. Ms R. SAFFIOTI to the
Minister for Sport and Recreation:
I refer to the fact that the state government wrote off
almost $250 000 owed to it by Perth Glory for the 2011–12 and 2012–13
A-League seasons.
(1) Was the
minister ever aware of this outstanding debt from Perth Glory?
(2) If so, why
did the minister pay out $400 000 of taxpayer funds to an entity that owed WA
taxpayers $250 000?
(3) If not,
would the minister not have been informally informed of this outstanding debt
if he had taken the issue to cabinet?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3)
I thank the member for the question. Can I clarify one thing? Is the member
talking about the debt on the —
Ms R. Saffioti :
The Public Transport Authority.
Mr T.K. WALDRON :
It is the debt on the PTA, okay.
The consideration of compensation that came to me was purely
on the redevelopment of nib Stadium. I flagged that right from the start and
think I said that in this place yesterday.
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
Mr T.K. WALDRON :
Let me finish. I will go through it with the member; it is a fair question.
Right from the start I notified and advised the Economic and
Expenditure Reform Committee and cabinet that I expected there would be
compensation due at some stage. When the request came, I had been expecting it
to come. The request for compensation was due to the redevelopment and the
effect it would have on Perth Glory and its operations at nib Stadium. The PTA
issue, and the Healthway issue for that matter, were completely separate issues
and I make that clear. A briefing note has been quoted a couple of times that I
did not sign and that I sent back.
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park!
Mr T.K. WALDRON : I
focused entirely on the compensation for the redevelopment of nib Stadium, as I
appropriately should have. I focused solely on that matter.
Mr M. McGowan :
Were you aware of that?
Mr T.K. WALDRON : I
was aware that other things were happening at different times. I was aware that
Perth Glory would probably make a bid to Healthway and that there were some issues
with the PTA. However, I focused on what the compensation was for. I made that
decision completely on the compensation for the loss to Perth Glory due solely
to the redevelopment. That is what it was for. Perth Glory asked for $1.012 million.
We agreed that the payment would be $400 000 and that was done on its merits
alone.
I thank the member for the question. Can I clarify one thing? Is the member
talking about the debt on the —
Ms R. Saffioti :
The Public Transport Authority.
Mr T.K. WALDRON :
It is the debt on the PTA, okay.
The consideration of compensation that came to me was purely
on the redevelopment of nib Stadium. I flagged that right from the start and
think I said that in this place yesterday.
Ms R. Saffioti interjected.
Mr T.K. WALDRON :
Let me finish. I will go through it with the member; it is a fair question.
Right from the start I notified and advised the Economic and
Expenditure Reform Committee and cabinet that I expected there would be
compensation due at some stage. When the request came, I had been expecting it
to come. The request for compensation was due to the redevelopment and the
effect it would have on Perth Glory and its operations at nib Stadium. The PTA
issue, and the Healthway issue for that matter, were completely separate issues
and I make that clear. A briefing note has been quoted a couple of times that I
did not sign and that I sent back.
Mr B.S. Wyatt interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Victoria Park!
Mr T.K. WALDRON : I
focused entirely on the compensation for the redevelopment of nib Stadium, as I
appropriately should have. I focused solely on that matter.
Mr M. McGowan :
Were you aware of that?
Mr T.K. WALDRON : I
was aware that other things were happening at different times. I was aware that
Perth Glory would probably make a bid to Healthway and that there were some issues
with the PTA. However, I focused on what the compensation was for. I made that
decision completely on the compensation for the loss to Perth Glory due solely
to the redevelopment. That is what it was for. Perth Glory asked for $1.012 million.
We agreed that the payment would be $400 000 and that was done on its merits
alone.
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