❓ Opposition Leader Mark McGowan questions Premier Colin Barnett about his previous statements regarding Western Power and the economic situation in South Australia, particularly in relation to asset sales. The Premier defends his position, referencing South Australia's economic struggles and highlighting Western Australia's asset growth.
AnsweredQoN 109Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WESTERN POWER — PREMIER'S COMMENTS
109. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's
comment last month, and I quote —
''Western Power also is
critical to the development of Western Australia.''...
''If you look at South
Australia, a weak economy, it has basically sold all of its assets, they have
nothing left to sell, they have nothing —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member! Member for Murray–Wellington, I call you to order
for the first time.
Mr
M. McGOWAN : I will start again so that people get the full impact of what
this is. My question without notice is to the Premier. I refer to his comment
last month, and I quote —
''Western Power also is
critical to the development of Western Australia.''...
''If you look at South
Australia, a weak economy, it has basically sold all of its assets, they have
nothing left to sell, they have nothing to build their future on.
''I'm not going to let
Western Australia get in that position.''
Does the Premier stand by this
position of February or is he now changing his position?
109. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's
comment last month, and I quote —
''Western Power also is
critical to the development of Western Australia.''...
''If you look at South
Australia, a weak economy, it has basically sold all of its assets, they have
nothing left to sell, they have nothing —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member! Member for Murray–Wellington, I call you to order
for the first time.
Mr
M. McGOWAN : I will start again so that people get the full impact of what
this is. My question without notice is to the Premier. I refer to his comment
last month, and I quote —
''Western Power also is
critical to the development of Western Australia.''...
''If you look at South
Australia, a weak economy, it has basically sold all of its assets, they have
nothing left to sell, they have nothing to build their future on.
''I'm not going to let
Western Australia get in that position.''
Does the Premier stand by this
position of February or is he now changing his position?
AnswerView source ↗
Those comments are paraphrased from
what the South Australian Premier told me. The Labor government in South
Australia, under Rann and then Weatherill, has basically sold off all the state's
assets and it does not have anything much else to —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cannington!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : That is the situation it is in. South Australia is a very
poor state.
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : So you want to copy that, do you?
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : No. In Western Australia, although we have a debt issue—there
is no denying that—and although we are selling some assets and a decision
is yet to be made about Western Power, but we are considering it, the growth in
state assets over the term of this government has been immense. This state has
more and more assets. This state is increasing its asset ownership, not
decreasing it. Faced with a choice of retiring debt and having capital for
much-needed investment in a growing state with a growing population, we will
weigh that up, but we will do it only if the consumer is safeguarded and if we
can achieve the economic development objectives, because major utilities such
as Western Power, to some extent Synergy and certainly the Water Corporation do
play an important and critical role in developing state infrastructure. They
are vehicles the state can use. Even if Western Power is privatised, we would
ensure that there are still mechanisms to expand infrastructure. That may
require, for example, that the state subsidise a new high-voltage line for
economic development reasons. As long as we still have a capacity to do that —
Mr
D.J. Kelly interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean!
Mr
M. McGowan : In February you said this.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Yes, I know. The Leader of the Opposition's questions
entirely depend on going through press cuttings to see what I have said. Why
does the Leader of the Opposition not think for himself a little bit? If he
thought for himself, he would not have half his backbench against him.
Mr
M. McGowan : A hundred per cent support.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : A hundred per cent support? Listen to what the member for
Albany said —
''I've been told who
the agitators are and they are people in marginal seats that used to be safe
seats.
''They need to get off —
I will not use his words —
and do some work.''
He knows who they are. He can name
them; I wish he would. And you reckon you have 100 per cent support!
what the South Australian Premier told me. The Labor government in South
Australia, under Rann and then Weatherill, has basically sold off all the state's
assets and it does not have anything much else to —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cannington!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : That is the situation it is in. South Australia is a very
poor state.
Mrs
M.H. Roberts : So you want to copy that, do you?
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : No. In Western Australia, although we have a debt issue—there
is no denying that—and although we are selling some assets and a decision
is yet to be made about Western Power, but we are considering it, the growth in
state assets over the term of this government has been immense. This state has
more and more assets. This state is increasing its asset ownership, not
decreasing it. Faced with a choice of retiring debt and having capital for
much-needed investment in a growing state with a growing population, we will
weigh that up, but we will do it only if the consumer is safeguarded and if we
can achieve the economic development objectives, because major utilities such
as Western Power, to some extent Synergy and certainly the Water Corporation do
play an important and critical role in developing state infrastructure. They
are vehicles the state can use. Even if Western Power is privatised, we would
ensure that there are still mechanisms to expand infrastructure. That may
require, for example, that the state subsidise a new high-voltage line for
economic development reasons. As long as we still have a capacity to do that —
Mr
D.J. Kelly interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean!
Mr
M. McGowan : In February you said this.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Yes, I know. The Leader of the Opposition's questions
entirely depend on going through press cuttings to see what I have said. Why
does the Leader of the Opposition not think for himself a little bit? If he
thought for himself, he would not have half his backbench against him.
Mr
M. McGowan : A hundred per cent support.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : A hundred per cent support? Listen to what the member for
Albany said —
''I've been told who
the agitators are and they are people in marginal seats that used to be safe
seats.
''They need to get off —
I will not use his words —
and do some work.''
He knows who they are. He can name
them; I wish he would. And you reckon you have 100 per cent support!
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