PUBLIC SECTOR — WAGES
371. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. How
does the Premier expect to attract and retain the health workers that we need
when other states are offering cash payments while WA is, effectively, offering
wage cuts?
Mr M.
McGOWAN replied:
I just explained to the member that
over the course of the last two and a half years, Victoria has had massive
dislocation and huge catch-up pressures. The pressure on the ambulance system
and emergency departments in both Victoria and New South Wales was
significantly worse than it was here, so it has been a much more difficult period for them. Certainly in the case of
Victoria, it was outside its control. New South Wales did have some control
of it, but, as we know, the New South Wales
government made some significant mistakes in managing the situation. I understand
that the health workforce in those states have had a different experience from
the health workforce of other states in Australia.
In terms of cost-of-living
pressures, I do not know whether the member listened to my earlier answer. The
average price of a house in Sydney is $1.2 million—it
is double the cost of a house in Western Australia. The biggest expense
in life for 95 per cent of people is their home. When someone in Sydney has to
pay twice as much to buy a home as someone here, the idea that somehow it is
more attractive to live in Sydney or Melbourne on a cost-of-living basis is
just ludicrous. It is a ludicrous argument. Obviously, it is very difficult
over there.
As
the Minister for Transport just mentioned, New South Wales also put in place
toll roads. I was talking to someone over there about this the other
day. The New South Wales government put in place toll roads, particularly out
to the western suburbs, where people on
lower incomes live, and it is now paying the toll companies to reduce the tolls.
It is costing hundreds of millions of dollars. That government put in place
toll roads and privatised all the assets. It does not get any income from any
of those things. Its debt has skyrocketed—it is heading towards $150 billion
or thereabouts—and it is now paying the toll companies to keep the
tolls down. That is what it is doing. How disastrous
is that? I will not get into the financial management of the New South Wales
government, but it is absolutely woeful. That is the Liberals in office.
The Liberals in office cannot manage anything; they are hopeless. Hopefully,
there is a change of government in New South Wales next year.