❓ Mrs Harvey questions the Premier on committing to economic stimulus due to unemployment and coronavirus concerns. The Premier defends the government's existing economic measures and criticises the opposition's financial management.
AnsweredQoN 85Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
STATE ECONOMY —
UNEMPLOYMENT
85. Mrs L.M. HARVEY to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question.
Will the Premier immediately commit to a broad-based economic stimulus, given
the damning unemployment, wages and other economic data —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! I want
to hear the supplementary question.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY : Will the
Premier immediately commit to a broad-based economic stimulus, given the
damning unemployment, wages and other economic data, especially given the concerns
that he has raised about the coronavirus impact?
UNEMPLOYMENT
85. Mrs L.M. HARVEY to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question.
Will the Premier immediately commit to a broad-based economic stimulus, given
the damning unemployment, wages and other economic data —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! I want
to hear the supplementary question.
Mrs L.M. HARVEY : Will the
Premier immediately commit to a broad-based economic stimulus, given the
damning unemployment, wages and other economic data, especially given the concerns
that he has raised about the coronavirus impact?
AnswerView source ↗
I do not know where the Liberal
Party has been, but in the last couple of months of last year, we did these
things: we cut payroll tax, and we cut stamp duty, both things that the opposition
opposes. We cut payroll tax and we cut stamp duty in Western Australia. We
halved TAFE fees for 34 priority courses, and we had massive growth in
enrolments at our TAFE colleges around the state. We had a $300 million program
to build hospitals and schools around Western Australia.
Mr D.T. Redman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Warren–Blackwood!
Mr M. McGOWAN : We did all
those things.
We have also significant investment
and commencements on rail lines in Western Australia, the quickest start to
rail lines at any time in the history of Western Australia, perhaps in
Australia. Five new rail projects are occurring around Western Australia.
Members might note that last week, I announced a package of initiatives to
support the tourism and aviation industry in Western Australia. We can do all
that because we got the budget back to surplus, and because we got debt
tracking down. We are the only state or territory in Australia to do so. Good
financial management by this Labor Government has allowed us to do these
things. What I do not want to see happen, and I would counsel every journalist
and every Western Australian to bear this in mind, is the Liberals and
Nationals wreck the finances like they did last time. Everything they say and
every utterance they make indicates that they will do exactly the same if they
get back into office again. The Nationals are making billion-dollar
announcements every week. The Liberal Party of course will not have a coalition
with the National Party before the election. We have these two big groups of
promises that will go to the election as the Liberals and Nationals. Both of
them will be foisted onto the taxpayers of Western Australia if they are
elected. They cannot form a government that will do the right thing by the
people of this state, if there is a Liberal–National government in this
state, because both of their promises, as is indicated by the National Party,
will have to be delivered. The Liberal Party has said it will form government
only with the Nationals. So, while this situation endures, they are not fit for
office.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Keep the voices
down a little bit, please.
Party has been, but in the last couple of months of last year, we did these
things: we cut payroll tax, and we cut stamp duty, both things that the opposition
opposes. We cut payroll tax and we cut stamp duty in Western Australia. We
halved TAFE fees for 34 priority courses, and we had massive growth in
enrolments at our TAFE colleges around the state. We had a $300 million program
to build hospitals and schools around Western Australia.
Mr D.T. Redman interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Warren–Blackwood!
Mr M. McGOWAN : We did all
those things.
We have also significant investment
and commencements on rail lines in Western Australia, the quickest start to
rail lines at any time in the history of Western Australia, perhaps in
Australia. Five new rail projects are occurring around Western Australia.
Members might note that last week, I announced a package of initiatives to
support the tourism and aviation industry in Western Australia. We can do all
that because we got the budget back to surplus, and because we got debt
tracking down. We are the only state or territory in Australia to do so. Good
financial management by this Labor Government has allowed us to do these
things. What I do not want to see happen, and I would counsel every journalist
and every Western Australian to bear this in mind, is the Liberals and
Nationals wreck the finances like they did last time. Everything they say and
every utterance they make indicates that they will do exactly the same if they
get back into office again. The Nationals are making billion-dollar
announcements every week. The Liberal Party of course will not have a coalition
with the National Party before the election. We have these two big groups of
promises that will go to the election as the Liberals and Nationals. Both of
them will be foisted onto the taxpayers of Western Australia if they are
elected. They cannot form a government that will do the right thing by the
people of this state, if there is a Liberal–National government in this
state, because both of their promises, as is indicated by the National Party,
will have to be delivered. The Liberal Party has said it will form government
only with the Nationals. So, while this situation endures, they are not fit for
office.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Keep the voices
down a little bit, please.
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