❓ Mr. Wyatt questions whether the state's surplus is driven by increased dividends from utilities, countered by the Premier who claims subsidies exceed dividends. The exchange reveals disagreement on the financial relationship between the government and utilities.
AnsweredQoN 122Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
GOVERNMENT UTILITIES CHARGES
122. Mr B.S. WYATT to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. In light of the fact that
next year's budget has a further 22 per cent—or $252 million—increase
in revenue from the public corporations, is the government not now in a
position in which the surplus position of the state's finances is
largely being fed by increases in dividends from the utilities?
122. Mr B.S. WYATT to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. In light of the fact that
next year's budget has a further 22 per cent—or $252 million—increase
in revenue from the public corporations, is the government not now in a
position in which the surplus position of the state's finances is
largely being fed by increases in dividends from the utilities?
AnswerView source ↗
No, it is not. As I said before, the
amount of subsidy going into the utilities is greater than the dividend coming
out.
Mr
B.S. Wyatt : Oh my God! It's all an accounting measure!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : There are massive subsidies going in—massive
taxpayer-funded subsidies! But with respect to what will happen in the future,
the budget will be down very shortly, and there will be adjustments to prices
and we can all have a look at them when they come down.
The
SPEAKER : Members, that concludes question time.
amount of subsidy going into the utilities is greater than the dividend coming
out.
Mr
B.S. Wyatt : Oh my God! It's all an accounting measure!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : There are massive subsidies going in—massive
taxpayer-funded subsidies! But with respect to what will happen in the future,
the budget will be down very shortly, and there will be adjustments to prices
and we can all have a look at them when they come down.
The
SPEAKER : Members, that concludes question time.
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