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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 643 asked in the Legislative Council on 10 October 2017 by Hon Michael Mischin

Parliament: 40 Session: 1


GOLD ROYALTY RATE INCREASE — PREMIER'S COMMENTS
      643. Hon MICHAEL MISCHIN to the Leader of the House representing the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's comments reported in The West Australian of 4 October 2017, in which he is quoted as saying that he would ''be surprised if there were any job losses'' resulting from the increase in the gold royalty, and that goldminers were ''making a lot of money now, it's very prosperous.''
(1) On what evidence are those comments based?
(2) Will the Premier table that evidence; and, if not, why not?
Hon SUE ELLERY replied:
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. The Premier has provided the following response.
      (1)–(2) I made those statements due to the inability of the Chamber of Minerals and Energy to provide the government with compelling evidence to back up its claims that the reasonable increase in the gold royalty proposed by the previous Liberal–National government would result in any job losses or mine closures, especially due to the $1 200 floor proposed by this government. Amongst the compelling analyses of Treasury, it is noted that the impact of the proposed gold royalty change is equivalent to a 1c movement in the exchange rate. Given that the exchange rate changes on a daily basis, one would assume, based on CME claims of profitability, that there would be frequent changes in employment on a daily basis.
      However, I want to take this opportunity to implore Liberal Party members and others in the chamber to remember the traditions and conventions of the chamber with regard to budget and money bills. I am very aware that the other place does not appreciate being lectured to by those in the Assembly, so I hope those members who have serious reservations about supporting a disallowance motion are not strong-armed by their lower house colleagues. All members are aware of the parlous state of the finances, and the government's budget in 2017–18 was based on all Western Australians paying their fair share. I will be greatly disappointed if this budget measure is disallowed.