❓ Opposition Leader McGowan questions Premier Barnett on the priority of a bill adding two members to the Legislative Assembly, given other pressing legislative needs. Barnett dismisses it as a non-priority introduced by the National Party.
AnsweredQoN 624Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CONSTITUTION AND ELECTORAL AMENDMENT BILL 2016
624. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I refer to the legislation that has been passed in the other place to
allow for two more members to be added to the Legislative Assembly.
(1) Why, with so much other legislation still
outstanding, including the Loan Bill that is needed to be passed by the end of October
so that our nurses, police and teachers can be paid, is adding another couple
of politicians to Parliament seriously a priority of the Premier's
government?
(2) Why is adding two more politicians a priority
above dealing with the state's crippling debt position?
624. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I refer to the legislation that has been passed in the other place to
allow for two more members to be added to the Legislative Assembly.
(1) Why, with so much other legislation still
outstanding, including the Loan Bill that is needed to be passed by the end of October
so that our nurses, police and teachers can be paid, is adding another couple
of politicians to Parliament seriously a priority of the Premier's
government?
(2) Why is adding two more politicians a priority
above dealing with the state's crippling debt position?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) If I am correct, I think that
the bill for two more members of Parliament was introduced into the upper house
by the National Party. It is not a priority for this government at all, but
there is a point of view about representation for the state, and the state is
growing. It is something that might be considered by the Parliament not for the
following term of government, but for maybe the one after.
Mr M. McGowan : Is it your position?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I just said that it is not a priority.
Dr A.D. Buti: That's not what we're
asking.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I do not care what you are asking, pal. It
is not a priority of this government.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : That is enough.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : It is not a priority of this government. It
is a bill introduced by the National Party. The upper house members have passed
it. I do not expect that it will be debated in this chamber during this year.
In terms of priorities of legislation, yes, there are a number of bills on the
notice paper, as there always is at the end of a parliamentary session. Today
we have the opportunity to pass the Taxi Amendment Bill 2016, and I hope we do.
When we have in the upper house a Labor member of Parliament speaking for, I understand,
six hours—a six-hour speech!—the Leader of the Opposition is
not serious about passing legislation. There was a six-hour speech by one of
your members!
the bill for two more members of Parliament was introduced into the upper house
by the National Party. It is not a priority for this government at all, but
there is a point of view about representation for the state, and the state is
growing. It is something that might be considered by the Parliament not for the
following term of government, but for maybe the one after.
Mr M. McGowan : Is it your position?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I just said that it is not a priority.
Dr A.D. Buti: That's not what we're
asking.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I do not care what you are asking, pal. It
is not a priority of this government.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : That is enough.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : It is not a priority of this government. It
is a bill introduced by the National Party. The upper house members have passed
it. I do not expect that it will be debated in this chamber during this year.
In terms of priorities of legislation, yes, there are a number of bills on the
notice paper, as there always is at the end of a parliamentary session. Today
we have the opportunity to pass the Taxi Amendment Bill 2016, and I hope we do.
When we have in the upper house a Labor member of Parliament speaking for, I understand,
six hours—a six-hour speech!—the Leader of the Opposition is
not serious about passing legislation. There was a six-hour speech by one of
your members!
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.