❓ The Minister defends the Government's 'buy local' policy, highlighting its benefits for small businesses and regional communities, while attacking the opposition's alternative as inadequate and untrustworthy.
AnsweredQoN 179Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Following on from the minister’s statement on the new buy local policy, can the minister inform the House how the buy local policy fits into the Government's aim of supporting small business and regional communities? Mr JOHNSON
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question. I reiterate that this is the first State in Australia that is actively going out to regional areas to assist small business people to access $4.5b worth of government contracts every year. As a Government we have always had a caring attitude towards the regional areas of Western Australia, particularly by helping small business people. By helping small business people, they will be made more economically viable, there will be more employment opportunities and they will be assisted in those areas not only economically but also socially. This Government has a commitment to see regional areas of Western Australia grow and strive. Under the Opposition’s policy, all we would see is regional Australia wither and die. It is interesting to compare the Government's buy local policy with the Australian Labor Party’s policy that states it will give real opportunities to regional business. That is an absolute joke and a poor imitation of our draft buy local policy. When I visited regional Western Australia a couple of months ago, the member for Bassendean followed behind stating what the Labor Party would do if it were to get into government; small business people hope that will be a very long time as they do not trust the Labor Party. Some people say that one or two members opposite have experience of small business. I know the Leader of the Opposition has experience of small business. The trouble was it was a big business when he started with it - it was called the State Government Insurance Commission - and ended up a very small business. Therefore, what faith do the people of Western Australia have in Labor’s policy? Mr Ripper interjected. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will come to order. Mr JOHNSON: I ask members once again to look at the regional business policy published by the Labor Party. It is an absolute joke. It has no idea about how to help small business people. Small business people know that the unions are behind the Labor Party. They know that unions are not their friends but want to trample them into the ground. The unions are pulling the Labor Party’s strings like a lot of puppets, as they always do. They are waiting for four or eight years when the Labor Party may see a glimmer of light of government; then they will be running the State, not the Labor Party. Small business people also know that the Labor Party’s side of politics is interested only in big business people, as it was in the 1980s, and only if they come to the Labor Party with a bag full of money. I assure members opposite that no ministers in this Government have office drawers full of cash like the Labor Party’s government ministers had. Mr Deputy Speaker, our policy is without doubt an outstanding one.
Mr JOHNSON replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. I reiterate that this is the first State in Australia that is actively going out to regional areas to assist small business people to access $4.5b worth of government contracts every year. As a Government we have always had a caring attitude towards the regional areas of Western Australia, particularly by helping small business people. By helping small business people, they will be made more economically viable, there will be more employment opportunities and they will be assisted in those areas not only economically but also socially. This Government has a commitment to see regional areas of Western Australia grow and strive. Under the Opposition’s policy, all we would see is regional Australia wither and die. It is interesting to compare the Government's buy local policy with the Australian Labor Party’s policy that states it will give real opportunities to regional business. That is an absolute joke and a poor imitation of our draft buy local policy. When I visited regional Western Australia a couple of months ago, the member for Bassendean followed behind stating what the Labor Party would do if it were to get into government; small business people hope that will be a very long time as they do not trust the Labor Party. Some people say that one or two members opposite have experience of small business. I know the Leader of the Opposition has experience of small business. The trouble was it was a big business when he started with it - it was called the State Government Insurance Commission - and ended up a very small business. Therefore, what faith do the people of Western Australia have in Labor’s policy? Mr Ripper interjected. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will come to order. Mr JOHNSON: I ask members once again to look at the regional business policy published by the Labor Party. It is an absolute joke. It has no idea about how to help small business people. Small business people know that the unions are behind the Labor Party. They know that unions are not their friends but want to trample them into the ground. The unions are pulling the Labor Party’s strings like a lot of puppets, as they always do. They are waiting for four or eight years when the Labor Party may see a glimmer of light of government; then they will be running the State, not the Labor Party. Small business people also know that the Labor Party’s side of politics is interested only in big business people, as it was in the 1980s, and only if they come to the Labor Party with a bag full of money. I assure members opposite that no ministers in this Government have office drawers full of cash like the Labor Party’s government ministers had. Mr Deputy Speaker, our policy is without doubt an outstanding one.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. I reiterate that this is the first State in Australia that is actively going out to regional areas to assist small business people to access $4.5b worth of government contracts every year. As a Government we have always had a caring attitude towards the regional areas of Western Australia, particularly by helping small business people. By helping small business people, they will be made more economically viable, there will be more employment opportunities and they will be assisted in those areas not only economically but also socially. This Government has a commitment to see regional areas of Western Australia grow and strive. Under the Opposition’s policy, all we would see is regional Australia wither and die. It is interesting to compare the Government's buy local policy with the Australian Labor Party’s policy that states it will give real opportunities to regional business. That is an absolute joke and a poor imitation of our draft buy local policy. When I visited regional Western Australia a couple of months ago, the member for Bassendean followed behind stating what the Labor Party would do if it were to get into government; small business people hope that will be a very long time as they do not trust the Labor Party. Some people say that one or two members opposite have experience of small business. I know the Leader of the Opposition has experience of small business. The trouble was it was a big business when he started with it - it was called the State Government Insurance Commission - and ended up a very small business. Therefore, what faith do the people of Western Australia have in Labor’s policy? Mr Ripper interjected. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will come to order. Mr JOHNSON: I ask members once again to look at the regional business policy published by the Labor Party. It is an absolute joke. It has no idea about how to help small business people. Small business people know that the unions are behind the Labor Party. They know that unions are not their friends but want to trample them into the ground. The unions are pulling the Labor Party’s strings like a lot of puppets, as they always do. They are waiting for four or eight years when the Labor Party may see a glimmer of light of government; then they will be running the State, not the Labor Party. Small business people also know that the Labor Party’s side of politics is interested only in big business people, as it was in the 1980s, and only if they come to the Labor Party with a bag full of money. I assure members opposite that no ministers in this Government have office drawers full of cash like the Labor Party’s government ministers had. Mr Deputy Speaker, our policy is without doubt an outstanding one.
I reiterate that this is the first State in Australia that is actively going out to regional areas to assist small business people to access $4.5b worth of government contracts every year. As a Government we have always had a caring attitude towards the regional areas of Western Australia, particularly by helping small business people. By helping small business people, they will be made more economically viable, there will be more employment opportunities and they will be assisted in those areas not only economically but also socially. This Government has a commitment to see regional areas of Western Australia grow and strive. Under the Opposition’s policy, all we would see is regional Australia wither and die. It is interesting to compare the Government's buy local policy with the Australian Labor Party’s policy that states it will give real opportunities to regional business. That is an absolute joke and a poor imitation of our draft buy local policy. When I visited regional Western Australia a couple of months ago, the member for Bassendean followed behind stating what the Labor Party would do if it were to get into government; small business people hope that will be a very long time as they do not trust the Labor Party. Some people say that one or two members opposite have experience of small business. I know the Leader of the Opposition has experience of small business. The trouble was it was a big business when he started with it - it was called the State Government Insurance Commission - and ended up a very small business. Therefore, what faith do the people of Western Australia have in Labor’s policy? Mr Ripper interjected. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will come to order. Mr JOHNSON: I ask members once again to look at the regional business policy published by the Labor Party. It is an absolute joke. It has no idea about how to help small business people. Small business people know that the unions are behind the Labor Party. They know that unions are not their friends but want to trample them into the ground. The unions are pulling the Labor Party’s strings like a lot of puppets, as they always do. They are waiting for four or eight years when the Labor Party may see a glimmer of light of government; then they will be running the State, not the Labor Party. Small business people also know that the Labor Party’s side of politics is interested only in big business people, as it was in the 1980s, and only if they come to the Labor Party with a bag full of money. I assure members opposite that no ministers in this Government have office drawers full of cash like the Labor Party’s government ministers had. Mr Deputy Speaker, our policy is without doubt an outstanding one.
It is interesting to compare the Government's buy local policy with the Australian Labor Party’s policy that states it will give real opportunities to regional business. That is an absolute joke and a poor imitation of our draft buy local policy. When I visited regional Western Australia a couple of months ago, the member for Bassendean followed behind stating what the Labor Party would do if it were to get into government; small business people hope that will be a very long time as they do not trust the Labor Party. Some people say that one or two members opposite have experience of small business. I know the Leader of the Opposition has experience of small business. The trouble was it was a big business when he started with it - it was called the State Government Insurance Commission - and ended up a very small business. Therefore, what faith do the people of Western Australia have in Labor’s policy? Mr Ripper interjected. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will come to order. Mr JOHNSON: I ask members once again to look at the regional business policy published by the Labor Party. It is an absolute joke. It has no idea about how to help small business people. Small business people know that the unions are behind the Labor Party. They know that unions are not their friends but want to trample them into the ground. The unions are pulling the Labor Party’s strings like a lot of puppets, as they always do. They are waiting for four or eight years when the Labor Party may see a glimmer of light of government; then they will be running the State, not the Labor Party. Small business people also know that the Labor Party’s side of politics is interested only in big business people, as it was in the 1980s, and only if they come to the Labor Party with a bag full of money. I assure members opposite that no ministers in this Government have office drawers full of cash like the Labor Party’s government ministers had. Mr Deputy Speaker, our policy is without doubt an outstanding one.
Mr Ripper interjected. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will come to order. Mr JOHNSON: I ask members once again to look at the regional business policy published by the Labor Party. It is an absolute joke. It has no idea about how to help small business people. Small business people know that the unions are behind the Labor Party. They know that unions are not their friends but want to trample them into the ground. The unions are pulling the Labor Party’s strings like a lot of puppets, as they always do. They are waiting for four or eight years when the Labor Party may see a glimmer of light of government; then they will be running the State, not the Labor Party. Small business people also know that the Labor Party’s side of politics is interested only in big business people, as it was in the 1980s, and only if they come to the Labor Party with a bag full of money. I assure members opposite that no ministers in this Government have office drawers full of cash like the Labor Party’s government ministers had. Mr Deputy Speaker, our policy is without doubt an outstanding one.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will come to order. Mr JOHNSON: I ask members once again to look at the regional business policy published by the Labor Party. It is an absolute joke. It has no idea about how to help small business people. Small business people know that the unions are behind the Labor Party. They know that unions are not their friends but want to trample them into the ground. The unions are pulling the Labor Party’s strings like a lot of puppets, as they always do. They are waiting for four or eight years when the Labor Party may see a glimmer of light of government; then they will be running the State, not the Labor Party. Small business people also know that the Labor Party’s side of politics is interested only in big business people, as it was in the 1980s, and only if they come to the Labor Party with a bag full of money. I assure members opposite that no ministers in this Government have office drawers full of cash like the Labor Party’s government ministers had. Mr Deputy Speaker, our policy is without doubt an outstanding one.
Mr JOHNSON: I ask members once again to look at the regional business policy published by the Labor Party. It is an absolute joke. It has no idea about how to help small business people. Small business people know that the unions are behind the Labor Party. They know that unions are not their friends but want to trample them into the ground. The unions are pulling the Labor Party’s strings like a lot of puppets, as they always do. They are waiting for four or eight years when the Labor Party may see a glimmer of light of government; then they will be running the State, not the Labor Party. Small business people also know that the Labor Party’s side of politics is interested only in big business people, as it was in the 1980s, and only if they come to the Labor Party with a bag full of money. I assure members opposite that no ministers in this Government have office drawers full of cash like the Labor Party’s government ministers had. Mr Deputy Speaker, our policy is without doubt an outstanding one.
Mr JOHNSON replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question. I reiterate that this is the first State in Australia that is actively going out to regional areas to assist small business people to access $4.5b worth of government contracts every year. As a Government we have always had a caring attitude towards the regional areas of Western Australia, particularly by helping small business people. By helping small business people, they will be made more economically viable, there will be more employment opportunities and they will be assisted in those areas not only economically but also socially. This Government has a commitment to see regional areas of Western Australia grow and strive. Under the Opposition’s policy, all we would see is regional Australia wither and die. It is interesting to compare the Government's buy local policy with the Australian Labor Party’s policy that states it will give real opportunities to regional business. That is an absolute joke and a poor imitation of our draft buy local policy. When I visited regional Western Australia a couple of months ago, the member for Bassendean followed behind stating what the Labor Party would do if it were to get into government; small business people hope that will be a very long time as they do not trust the Labor Party. Some people say that one or two members opposite have experience of small business. I know the Leader of the Opposition has experience of small business. The trouble was it was a big business when he started with it - it was called the State Government Insurance Commission - and ended up a very small business. Therefore, what faith do the people of Western Australia have in Labor’s policy? Mr Ripper interjected. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will come to order. Mr JOHNSON: I ask members once again to look at the regional business policy published by the Labor Party. It is an absolute joke. It has no idea about how to help small business people. Small business people know that the unions are behind the Labor Party. They know that unions are not their friends but want to trample them into the ground. The unions are pulling the Labor Party’s strings like a lot of puppets, as they always do. They are waiting for four or eight years when the Labor Party may see a glimmer of light of government; then they will be running the State, not the Labor Party. Small business people also know that the Labor Party’s side of politics is interested only in big business people, as it was in the 1980s, and only if they come to the Labor Party with a bag full of money. I assure members opposite that no ministers in this Government have office drawers full of cash like the Labor Party’s government ministers had. Mr Deputy Speaker, our policy is without doubt an outstanding one.
I thank the member for some notice of this question. I reiterate that this is the first State in Australia that is actively going out to regional areas to assist small business people to access $4.5b worth of government contracts every year. As a Government we have always had a caring attitude towards the regional areas of Western Australia, particularly by helping small business people. By helping small business people, they will be made more economically viable, there will be more employment opportunities and they will be assisted in those areas not only economically but also socially. This Government has a commitment to see regional areas of Western Australia grow and strive. Under the Opposition’s policy, all we would see is regional Australia wither and die. It is interesting to compare the Government's buy local policy with the Australian Labor Party’s policy that states it will give real opportunities to regional business. That is an absolute joke and a poor imitation of our draft buy local policy. When I visited regional Western Australia a couple of months ago, the member for Bassendean followed behind stating what the Labor Party would do if it were to get into government; small business people hope that will be a very long time as they do not trust the Labor Party. Some people say that one or two members opposite have experience of small business. I know the Leader of the Opposition has experience of small business. The trouble was it was a big business when he started with it - it was called the State Government Insurance Commission - and ended up a very small business. Therefore, what faith do the people of Western Australia have in Labor’s policy? Mr Ripper interjected. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will come to order. Mr JOHNSON: I ask members once again to look at the regional business policy published by the Labor Party. It is an absolute joke. It has no idea about how to help small business people. Small business people know that the unions are behind the Labor Party. They know that unions are not their friends but want to trample them into the ground. The unions are pulling the Labor Party’s strings like a lot of puppets, as they always do. They are waiting for four or eight years when the Labor Party may see a glimmer of light of government; then they will be running the State, not the Labor Party. Small business people also know that the Labor Party’s side of politics is interested only in big business people, as it was in the 1980s, and only if they come to the Labor Party with a bag full of money. I assure members opposite that no ministers in this Government have office drawers full of cash like the Labor Party’s government ministers had. Mr Deputy Speaker, our policy is without doubt an outstanding one.
I reiterate that this is the first State in Australia that is actively going out to regional areas to assist small business people to access $4.5b worth of government contracts every year. As a Government we have always had a caring attitude towards the regional areas of Western Australia, particularly by helping small business people. By helping small business people, they will be made more economically viable, there will be more employment opportunities and they will be assisted in those areas not only economically but also socially. This Government has a commitment to see regional areas of Western Australia grow and strive. Under the Opposition’s policy, all we would see is regional Australia wither and die. It is interesting to compare the Government's buy local policy with the Australian Labor Party’s policy that states it will give real opportunities to regional business. That is an absolute joke and a poor imitation of our draft buy local policy. When I visited regional Western Australia a couple of months ago, the member for Bassendean followed behind stating what the Labor Party would do if it were to get into government; small business people hope that will be a very long time as they do not trust the Labor Party. Some people say that one or two members opposite have experience of small business. I know the Leader of the Opposition has experience of small business. The trouble was it was a big business when he started with it - it was called the State Government Insurance Commission - and ended up a very small business. Therefore, what faith do the people of Western Australia have in Labor’s policy? Mr Ripper interjected. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will come to order. Mr JOHNSON: I ask members once again to look at the regional business policy published by the Labor Party. It is an absolute joke. It has no idea about how to help small business people. Small business people know that the unions are behind the Labor Party. They know that unions are not their friends but want to trample them into the ground. The unions are pulling the Labor Party’s strings like a lot of puppets, as they always do. They are waiting for four or eight years when the Labor Party may see a glimmer of light of government; then they will be running the State, not the Labor Party. Small business people also know that the Labor Party’s side of politics is interested only in big business people, as it was in the 1980s, and only if they come to the Labor Party with a bag full of money. I assure members opposite that no ministers in this Government have office drawers full of cash like the Labor Party’s government ministers had. Mr Deputy Speaker, our policy is without doubt an outstanding one.
It is interesting to compare the Government's buy local policy with the Australian Labor Party’s policy that states it will give real opportunities to regional business. That is an absolute joke and a poor imitation of our draft buy local policy. When I visited regional Western Australia a couple of months ago, the member for Bassendean followed behind stating what the Labor Party would do if it were to get into government; small business people hope that will be a very long time as they do not trust the Labor Party. Some people say that one or two members opposite have experience of small business. I know the Leader of the Opposition has experience of small business. The trouble was it was a big business when he started with it - it was called the State Government Insurance Commission - and ended up a very small business. Therefore, what faith do the people of Western Australia have in Labor’s policy? Mr Ripper interjected. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will come to order. Mr JOHNSON: I ask members once again to look at the regional business policy published by the Labor Party. It is an absolute joke. It has no idea about how to help small business people. Small business people know that the unions are behind the Labor Party. They know that unions are not their friends but want to trample them into the ground. The unions are pulling the Labor Party’s strings like a lot of puppets, as they always do. They are waiting for four or eight years when the Labor Party may see a glimmer of light of government; then they will be running the State, not the Labor Party. Small business people also know that the Labor Party’s side of politics is interested only in big business people, as it was in the 1980s, and only if they come to the Labor Party with a bag full of money. I assure members opposite that no ministers in this Government have office drawers full of cash like the Labor Party’s government ministers had. Mr Deputy Speaker, our policy is without doubt an outstanding one.
Mr Ripper interjected. The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will come to order. Mr JOHNSON: I ask members once again to look at the regional business policy published by the Labor Party. It is an absolute joke. It has no idea about how to help small business people. Small business people know that the unions are behind the Labor Party. They know that unions are not their friends but want to trample them into the ground. The unions are pulling the Labor Party’s strings like a lot of puppets, as they always do. They are waiting for four or eight years when the Labor Party may see a glimmer of light of government; then they will be running the State, not the Labor Party. Small business people also know that the Labor Party’s side of politics is interested only in big business people, as it was in the 1980s, and only if they come to the Labor Party with a bag full of money. I assure members opposite that no ministers in this Government have office drawers full of cash like the Labor Party’s government ministers had. Mr Deputy Speaker, our policy is without doubt an outstanding one.
The DEPUTY SPEAKER: The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will come to order. Mr JOHNSON: I ask members once again to look at the regional business policy published by the Labor Party. It is an absolute joke. It has no idea about how to help small business people. Small business people know that the unions are behind the Labor Party. They know that unions are not their friends but want to trample them into the ground. The unions are pulling the Labor Party’s strings like a lot of puppets, as they always do. They are waiting for four or eight years when the Labor Party may see a glimmer of light of government; then they will be running the State, not the Labor Party. Small business people also know that the Labor Party’s side of politics is interested only in big business people, as it was in the 1980s, and only if they come to the Labor Party with a bag full of money. I assure members opposite that no ministers in this Government have office drawers full of cash like the Labor Party’s government ministers had. Mr Deputy Speaker, our policy is without doubt an outstanding one.
Mr JOHNSON: I ask members once again to look at the regional business policy published by the Labor Party. It is an absolute joke. It has no idea about how to help small business people. Small business people know that the unions are behind the Labor Party. They know that unions are not their friends but want to trample them into the ground. The unions are pulling the Labor Party’s strings like a lot of puppets, as they always do. They are waiting for four or eight years when the Labor Party may see a glimmer of light of government; then they will be running the State, not the Labor Party. Small business people also know that the Labor Party’s side of politics is interested only in big business people, as it was in the 1980s, and only if they come to the Labor Party with a bag full of money. I assure members opposite that no ministers in this Government have office drawers full of cash like the Labor Party’s government ministers had. Mr Deputy Speaker, our policy is without doubt an outstanding one.
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