❓ A parliamentary question regarding Brian Burke's alleged influence on payroll tax relief for WA companies and a meeting with the Treasurer's chief of staff. The Treasurer denies the meeting was about payroll tax and deflects by questioning the Leader of the Opposition's meeting with Mr. Grill.
AnsweredQoN 548Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I remind the Treasurer of his comments on ABC Radio following allegations that Brian Burke influenced a senior member of the Treasurer’s staff over the contents of a cabinet minute granting payroll tax relief to a number of Western Australian companies, when he said: “It’s an outrageous slur . . . the Department of Treasury and Finance drafted the Cabinet Minute to deal with those cases.” (1) Did the Treasurer’s chief of staff play any role in the preparation of the cabinet minute that ultimately led to the provision of tax relief for a number of WA companies? (2) If not, on what basis was Brian Burke granted a meeting with the Treasurer’s chief of staff to discuss this matter? Mr E.S. RIPPER
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some notice of this question, because it has given me an opportunity to confirm my understanding of the position with both my chief of staff and the Under Treasurer. (1) No. (2) The meeting was not granted to discuss this matter. It was granted to hear the views on electricity reform of the energy unions Mr Grill and Mr Burke purported to represent. We are still awaiting comment from the Leader of the Opposition on what basis he - not his chief of staff; he personally - met Mr Grill on the payroll tax issue. I would be interested to hear his comments on that issue.
(1) Did the Treasurer’s chief of staff play any role in the preparation of the cabinet minute that ultimately led to the provision of tax relief for a number of WA companies? (2) If not, on what basis was Brian Burke granted a meeting with the Treasurer’s chief of staff to discuss this matter? Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question, because it has given me an opportunity to confirm my understanding of the position with both my chief of staff and the Under Treasurer. (1) No. (2) The meeting was not granted to discuss this matter. It was granted to hear the views on electricity reform of the energy unions Mr Grill and Mr Burke purported to represent. We are still awaiting comment from the Leader of the Opposition on what basis he - not his chief of staff; he personally - met Mr Grill on the payroll tax issue. I would be interested to hear his comments on that issue.
(2) If not, on what basis was Brian Burke granted a meeting with the Treasurer’s chief of staff to discuss this matter? Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question, because it has given me an opportunity to confirm my understanding of the position with both my chief of staff and the Under Treasurer. (1) No. (2) The meeting was not granted to discuss this matter. It was granted to hear the views on electricity reform of the energy unions Mr Grill and Mr Burke purported to represent. We are still awaiting comment from the Leader of the Opposition on what basis he - not his chief of staff; he personally - met Mr Grill on the payroll tax issue. I would be interested to hear his comments on that issue.
Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question, because it has given me an opportunity to confirm my understanding of the position with both my chief of staff and the Under Treasurer. (1) No. (2) The meeting was not granted to discuss this matter. It was granted to hear the views on electricity reform of the energy unions Mr Grill and Mr Burke purported to represent. We are still awaiting comment from the Leader of the Opposition on what basis he - not his chief of staff; he personally - met Mr Grill on the payroll tax issue. I would be interested to hear his comments on that issue.
I thank the member for some notice of this question, because it has given me an opportunity to confirm my understanding of the position with both my chief of staff and the Under Treasurer. (1) No. (2) The meeting was not granted to discuss this matter. It was granted to hear the views on electricity reform of the energy unions Mr Grill and Mr Burke purported to represent. We are still awaiting comment from the Leader of the Opposition on what basis he - not his chief of staff; he personally - met Mr Grill on the payroll tax issue. I would be interested to hear his comments on that issue.
(1) No. (2) The meeting was not granted to discuss this matter. It was granted to hear the views on electricity reform of the energy unions Mr Grill and Mr Burke purported to represent. We are still awaiting comment from the Leader of the Opposition on what basis he - not his chief of staff; he personally - met Mr Grill on the payroll tax issue. I would be interested to hear his comments on that issue.
(2) The meeting was not granted to discuss this matter. It was granted to hear the views on electricity reform of the energy unions Mr Grill and Mr Burke purported to represent. We are still awaiting comment from the Leader of the Opposition on what basis he - not his chief of staff; he personally - met Mr Grill on the payroll tax issue. I would be interested to hear his comments on that issue.
(1) Did the Treasurer’s chief of staff play any role in the preparation of the cabinet minute that ultimately led to the provision of tax relief for a number of WA companies? (2) If not, on what basis was Brian Burke granted a meeting with the Treasurer’s chief of staff to discuss this matter? Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question, because it has given me an opportunity to confirm my understanding of the position with both my chief of staff and the Under Treasurer. (1) No. (2) The meeting was not granted to discuss this matter. It was granted to hear the views on electricity reform of the energy unions Mr Grill and Mr Burke purported to represent. We are still awaiting comment from the Leader of the Opposition on what basis he - not his chief of staff; he personally - met Mr Grill on the payroll tax issue. I would be interested to hear his comments on that issue.
(2) If not, on what basis was Brian Burke granted a meeting with the Treasurer’s chief of staff to discuss this matter? Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question, because it has given me an opportunity to confirm my understanding of the position with both my chief of staff and the Under Treasurer. (1) No. (2) The meeting was not granted to discuss this matter. It was granted to hear the views on electricity reform of the energy unions Mr Grill and Mr Burke purported to represent. We are still awaiting comment from the Leader of the Opposition on what basis he - not his chief of staff; he personally - met Mr Grill on the payroll tax issue. I would be interested to hear his comments on that issue.
Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: I thank the member for some notice of this question, because it has given me an opportunity to confirm my understanding of the position with both my chief of staff and the Under Treasurer. (1) No. (2) The meeting was not granted to discuss this matter. It was granted to hear the views on electricity reform of the energy unions Mr Grill and Mr Burke purported to represent. We are still awaiting comment from the Leader of the Opposition on what basis he - not his chief of staff; he personally - met Mr Grill on the payroll tax issue. I would be interested to hear his comments on that issue.
I thank the member for some notice of this question, because it has given me an opportunity to confirm my understanding of the position with both my chief of staff and the Under Treasurer. (1) No. (2) The meeting was not granted to discuss this matter. It was granted to hear the views on electricity reform of the energy unions Mr Grill and Mr Burke purported to represent. We are still awaiting comment from the Leader of the Opposition on what basis he - not his chief of staff; he personally - met Mr Grill on the payroll tax issue. I would be interested to hear his comments on that issue.
(1) No. (2) The meeting was not granted to discuss this matter. It was granted to hear the views on electricity reform of the energy unions Mr Grill and Mr Burke purported to represent. We are still awaiting comment from the Leader of the Opposition on what basis he - not his chief of staff; he personally - met Mr Grill on the payroll tax issue. I would be interested to hear his comments on that issue.
(2) The meeting was not granted to discuss this matter. It was granted to hear the views on electricity reform of the energy unions Mr Grill and Mr Burke purported to represent. We are still awaiting comment from the Leader of the Opposition on what basis he - not his chief of staff; he personally - met Mr Grill on the payroll tax issue. I would be interested to hear his comments on that issue.
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