STATE ECONOMY —
SMALL BUSINESS
766. Mrs L.M. HARVEY to the Premier:
Can
the Premier confirm that the unemployment rate is expected to reach eight per cent
this financial year; and, if so, why is the government running a budget
surplus instead of investing much more to help struggling small businesses that
are going to the wall given that they are the engine room and major employers
in the domestic economy?
Mr M.
McGOWAN replied:
The
budget will come down in 40 minutes, but I can confirm that Western Australia
has the highest participation rate and the highest jobs growth of any
state in Australia. In the last month, the recorded figures were that 32 000
jobs had been created in Western Australia. Seventy per cent of the jobs that
were lost at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic have been recovered and 90 per
cent of the hours worked have been recovered. In addition, the number of online
job advertisements is the highest it has been in a long time—certainly
the highest in Australia. I do not know whether the Leader of the Opposition
has noticed, but we are going through a pandemic that has knocked the stuffing out of economies all over the world. Western
Australia is the only state in Australia that has not gone into recession. A large part of that is because we have
successfully kept COVID out, despite the Leader of the Opposition's
efforts to allow it in. We have ensured that
our mining and oil and gas industries have been kept strong and operating
during a difficult period, against the objection, I might add, of some very
powerful people in the east. We have been
able to keep the mining and oil and gas industries operational. We put up the
border to protect our state and to keep people's health safe. A
natural consequence of that is that our economy is stronger than any other
state in Australia.
When it comes to business—again,
I do not think the Leader of the Opposition remembers—this government
put in place payroll tax cuts. We actually cut payroll tax, unlike the Liberal
Party when it was in government, which put it up. We cut payroll tax. We have
provided waivers for payroll tax. We have provided $17 000 benefits to thousands of businesses around Western Australia.
We have waived rent for tenants of government. We have waived licence
fees for thousands of businesses across the state. We have provided significant
grants to hundreds and hundreds of tourism
businesses. We have provided support to travel agents. Across the board there
has been support across the community for business. What we are seeing
now are strong retail figures—I do not know how far we need to go back,
but we now have very strong retail figures, the strongest in the country—and,
as I said earlier, retail, hospitality and business and consumer confidence
that is as good as, if not better than, that in any other state in Australia.
Compare that with New South Wales, where job growth and job advertisements are
going backwards. There have been COVID-19 outbreaks across the community in New
South Wales—the so-called gold standard. Somehow the Ruby Princess and having outbreaks is the gold
standard. I do not really understand the Liberal Party. I do not
understand how the New South Wales government allowing everyone off the Ruby
Princess and then having outbreaks everywhere and its economy going
backwards is the gold standard. But look at this government. On top of all
those business benefits, we will be providing a $600 credit on every household's
electricity bill across Western Australia. People have come up to me everywhere
I have gone and said, ''Thank you for that support for us. We are going
to spend it wisely and support jobs across the state.'' But I do note a critic.
Point of Order
Mr Z.R.F. KIRKUP: The Premier is using a political prop and I seek
that you intervene and stop that from occurring.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER: The Premier is
only reading from a bit of paper, I think. I cannot see a political prop; but a
very good try, member for Dawesville.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr M. McGOWAN: I am coming
back to Dawesville shortly. Member for Dawesville, I will talk to you about it
when I am down there.
This is what the Leader of the
Opposition said on 5 October 2020 when she asked about the $600 credit —
� is it the right thing to do? � I think
time will tell. I think people will � question the wisdom of that decision.
There it is. The Liberal Party
opposes, or questions or criticises, us providing a $600 benefit to households
across the state. What is wrong with you
people? You are a shocking opposition! Imagine doing that! A shocking
opposition. No wonder you are so unhappy, shadow, shadow —
Government members: Treasurer.
Mr M. McGOWAN: Shadow
Treasurer.