❓ Dr. Honey asks the Premier about support for struggling regional businesses, particularly regarding fixed water charges. The Premier expresses sympathy and outlines existing and future support measures, emphasising a targeted approach.
AnsweredQoN 260Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CORONAVIRUS — REGIONAL BUSINESSES
260. Dr D.J. HONEY to the Premier:
I refer to the many regional
businesses doing it tough, including country pubs, cafes and caravan parks,
especially those in areas that cannot receive visitors due to ongoing
intrastate border restrictions. What is the Premier doing to help these small
businesses with few or no customers, in particular with relief from hefty fixed
water charges?
260. Dr D.J. HONEY to the Premier:
I refer to the many regional
businesses doing it tough, including country pubs, cafes and caravan parks,
especially those in areas that cannot receive visitors due to ongoing
intrastate border restrictions. What is the Premier doing to help these small
businesses with few or no customers, in particular with relief from hefty fixed
water charges?
AnswerView source ↗
It is very regrettable and I feel
tremendous sympathy for all those businesses around the state that have
suffered losses during the corona period over the last
couple of months. It has been appalling. I find that when I go into businesses,
particularly cafes, I see chairs stacked up and what was once a bustling place
is largely deserted, with a few people standing around separated by a coffee.
It is shocking for those owners. I feel a degree of not shame, but
embarrassment that I have done this to these people. It is a terrible feeling,
but it is worse for them because they and their staff are the ones who are
suffering. I want to express once again my deepest sympathy to all those people
who have suffered as a consequence of what has gone on.
We
have made some changes over the last two or three weeks to provide a bit of an
opening up of the Western Australian economy. We have gone further than
has any other state in Australia in allowing additional business activity,
particularly in cafes and restaurants, with gatherings of up to 20 people. We
are the first state to allow home opens and display villages to open. As I said
earlier, we kept the primary engines of economic activity in Western Australia
and Australia going when there was a push nationally for them to shut. We are
pleased that those gains were able to be secured and made recently, but we need
to proceed cautiously and carefully. That is why the measures we announced on
Sunday were very targeted in an economic and travel sense to ensure that,
firstly, we create jobs and, secondly, we proceed in a cautious manner so that
if there is any outbreak of infection, we can trace and track it.
Members
might note that there has been a new case today, and it is not someone from overseas.
We need to remember that this issue will be with us for a considerable
period, and that is why we are going through a very cautious and considered
approach in reopening, even though we are more progressive and economically
progressive than any other state in Australia. The economic activity of the
three main states on the eastern seaboard is nowhere near as big as that in Western
Australia.
When
it comes to the regions, all the measures we have put in place, such as payroll
tax cuts, payroll tax reimbursements, benefits
in terms of electricity payments, waivers of lease fees, the measures around
commercial tenancies, freezing household fees and charges, and a range
of other measures that we have put in place, whether it is for apprentices in
the building industry—there are more to come, I might add—have
been of benefit to businesses around the state, as have the measures that the
commonwealth has put in place. When it comes to what else we can do, which I think
was the theme of the member's question, we will do more. The state will
continue to provide support to businesses around Western Australia, but we are
doing it in a very targeted and sensible manner. We are not hosing money around
the place that does not make any difference. We are doing things that make a real
difference to businesses around the state, and that will continue to be our
approach.
tremendous sympathy for all those businesses around the state that have
suffered losses during the corona period over the last
couple of months. It has been appalling. I find that when I go into businesses,
particularly cafes, I see chairs stacked up and what was once a bustling place
is largely deserted, with a few people standing around separated by a coffee.
It is shocking for those owners. I feel a degree of not shame, but
embarrassment that I have done this to these people. It is a terrible feeling,
but it is worse for them because they and their staff are the ones who are
suffering. I want to express once again my deepest sympathy to all those people
who have suffered as a consequence of what has gone on.
We
have made some changes over the last two or three weeks to provide a bit of an
opening up of the Western Australian economy. We have gone further than
has any other state in Australia in allowing additional business activity,
particularly in cafes and restaurants, with gatherings of up to 20 people. We
are the first state to allow home opens and display villages to open. As I said
earlier, we kept the primary engines of economic activity in Western Australia
and Australia going when there was a push nationally for them to shut. We are
pleased that those gains were able to be secured and made recently, but we need
to proceed cautiously and carefully. That is why the measures we announced on
Sunday were very targeted in an economic and travel sense to ensure that,
firstly, we create jobs and, secondly, we proceed in a cautious manner so that
if there is any outbreak of infection, we can trace and track it.
Members
might note that there has been a new case today, and it is not someone from overseas.
We need to remember that this issue will be with us for a considerable
period, and that is why we are going through a very cautious and considered
approach in reopening, even though we are more progressive and economically
progressive than any other state in Australia. The economic activity of the
three main states on the eastern seaboard is nowhere near as big as that in Western
Australia.
When
it comes to the regions, all the measures we have put in place, such as payroll
tax cuts, payroll tax reimbursements, benefits
in terms of electricity payments, waivers of lease fees, the measures around
commercial tenancies, freezing household fees and charges, and a range
of other measures that we have put in place, whether it is for apprentices in
the building industry—there are more to come, I might add—have
been of benefit to businesses around the state, as have the measures that the
commonwealth has put in place. When it comes to what else we can do, which I think
was the theme of the member's question, we will do more. The state will
continue to provide support to businesses around Western Australia, but we are
doing it in a very targeted and sensible manner. We are not hosing money around
the place that does not make any difference. We are doing things that make a real
difference to businesses around the state, and that will continue to be our
approach.
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