❓ Mrs. Harvey questions the Premier's claim of no education cuts, citing instances where decisions were reversed. The Premier defends the budget, highlighting savings through wages policy and other measures, while accusing Mrs. Harvey of not listening.
AnsweredQoN 684Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
EDUCATION FUNDING
684. Mrs L.M. HARVEY to the Premier:
Why does the Premier continue to
claim there have been no education cuts given he has had to backflip on at
least 10 of them, including the Schools of the Air, Moora Residential College
and the gifted and talented program?
684. Mrs L.M. HARVEY to the Premier:
Why does the Premier continue to
claim there have been no education cuts given he has had to backflip on at
least 10 of them, including the Schools of the Air, Moora Residential College
and the gifted and talented program?
AnswerView source ↗
Mr Speaker, it is a strange
definition of backflip. If the commonwealth wants to offer us $8.7 million to
put in capital works —
Mrs L.M. Harvey : School of
the air —
Mr M. McGOWAN : You asked the
question and your question was wrong. If the commonwealth wanted to offer us
$8.7 million to put into capital works at Moora Residential College, we took
it. The glummest people in Western Australia were the Liberal Party. The second
glummest people were the Nationals WA, although it might be vice versa; I am
not sure about that. If the commonwealth wants to give us that, that is its
choice. If members look at the budget, they will see, across the forward
estimates, the total cost of services—Treasurer —
Mr B.S. Wyatt : T-cost going
up!
Mr M. McGOWAN : The total cost
of services is increasing in the education budget. Members will find that
across each agency, we have made savings when it comes to —
Mrs L.M. Harvey : It is $68 million
this year.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Do you want to
listen to the answer?
We have made savings when it comes
to the wages policy we announced last year, which of course means that across
each agency, there is a saving. We made a saving in terms of the wages policy —
Mrs L.M. Harvey : It's
$97 million of savings next year—cuts they are.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Scarborough!
Mr M. McGOWAN : You do not
listen to answers. You do not listen. I listened to your question, then you do
not listen to answers.
Members will find that with the
wages policy, there was a saving across each agency of government. Members will
find that with our reduction in the size of the senior executive service, there
was a saving across each agency of government. Members will find in terms of
our policy with SES pay, there was a saving across each agency of government.
Members will find with the voluntary targeted separation scheme, there was a saving
across each agency of government. It does not take a rocket scientist to
understand that.
definition of backflip. If the commonwealth wants to offer us $8.7 million to
put in capital works —
Mrs L.M. Harvey : School of
the air —
Mr M. McGOWAN : You asked the
question and your question was wrong. If the commonwealth wanted to offer us
$8.7 million to put into capital works at Moora Residential College, we took
it. The glummest people in Western Australia were the Liberal Party. The second
glummest people were the Nationals WA, although it might be vice versa; I am
not sure about that. If the commonwealth wants to give us that, that is its
choice. If members look at the budget, they will see, across the forward
estimates, the total cost of services—Treasurer —
Mr B.S. Wyatt : T-cost going
up!
Mr M. McGOWAN : The total cost
of services is increasing in the education budget. Members will find that
across each agency, we have made savings when it comes to —
Mrs L.M. Harvey : It is $68 million
this year.
Mr M. McGOWAN : Do you want to
listen to the answer?
We have made savings when it comes
to the wages policy we announced last year, which of course means that across
each agency, there is a saving. We made a saving in terms of the wages policy —
Mrs L.M. Harvey : It's
$97 million of savings next year—cuts they are.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Scarborough!
Mr M. McGOWAN : You do not
listen to answers. You do not listen. I listened to your question, then you do
not listen to answers.
Members will find that with the
wages policy, there was a saving across each agency of government. Members will
find that with our reduction in the size of the senior executive service, there
was a saving across each agency of government. Members will find in terms of
our policy with SES pay, there was a saving across each agency of government.
Members will find with the voluntary targeted separation scheme, there was a saving
across each agency of government. It does not take a rocket scientist to
understand that.
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