❓ Ms. Brewer questions the Treasurer about falling real wages in WA and the government's handling of inflation over the past nine years. Ms. Saffioti deflects by attacking the Shadow Treasurer's stance on spending and job creation.
⏳ Awaiting AnswerQoN 277Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Inflation277.Ms Sandra Brewerto
theTreasurer:I refer to real
wages in Western Australia falling 5.2% from March 2017 to March 2026,
translating to $119 less purchasing power for the average worker each week. Why
has this government allowed inflation to outpace wages for the past nine years?Mr Basil Zempilas:Good question.Ms Rita Saffioti replied:Hmm, yes, yes; good
question! I am glad the shadow Treasurer has asked a question because it gives
me an ability to do a highlight reel from yesterday, when she came into this
house and said that if only I acted more like a baroness from the UK. She set
that as my benchmark—that I should be acting more like a baroness. The shadow
Treasurer also said that our surplus is actually debt funded. Members, try to
think about that—our surplus is actually debt funded. I am still trying to work
out what the shadow Treasurer said. Is the shadow Treasurer saying that we
should be providing cost-of-living support to make sure Western Australians
actually get supported in this state? Yesterday, she said we should not. Where
does the shadow Treasurer stand on the cost of living? Where does she stand on
spending in this state? She wants us to cut spending, yet the members for
Geraldton, Roe and Kalamunda all stood up yesterday and said that we needed to
spend more. That is what they all said. The member for Roe said that we should
be spending more. The member for Albany said that we should be spending more. All
her colleagues are saying that we should be spending more.We are out there
driving jobs, employment and training. We have record low unemployment in this
state and record high levels of employment. One of the key focuses is to keep
the economy going. If it were up to the shadow Treasurer, they would be cutting
jobs. Do not worry about wages growth because they would be cutting jobs!Mr Lachlan Hunter:Yes, jobs!The Speaker:Members!Ms Rita Saffioti:They would be cutting jobs. That was
again just backed in by the member for Central Wheatbelt. They want to cut jobs.
They want us to stop projects.Mr Lachlan Hunter:Yes, the racetrack.Ms Rita Saffioti:Yes, cutting jobs. They want to cut
jobs. The shadow Treasurer came into this house and said that we should be
cutting spending at this time. If we want to cut spending on the recurrent side
and on the investment side, what does that mean for jobs, everybody? We would
be cutting jobs. If we were not investing in the infrastructure to build homes,
what would that mean? It would mean cutting jobs. We are all about new jobs and
making sure Western Australians have a certain future.
Inflation
277.Ms Sandra Brewerto
theTreasurer:
I refer to real
wages in Western Australia falling 5.2% from March 2017 to March 2026,
translating to $119 less purchasing power for the average worker each week. Why
has this government allowed inflation to outpace wages for the past nine years?
Mr Basil Zempilas:Good question.
Ms Rita Saffioti replied:
Hmm, yes, yes; good
question! I am glad the shadow Treasurer has asked a question because it gives
me an ability to do a highlight reel from yesterday, when she came into this
house and said that if only I acted more like a baroness from the UK. She set
that as my benchmark—that I should be acting more like a baroness. The shadow
Treasurer also said that our surplus is actually debt funded. Members, try to
think about that—our surplus is actually debt funded. I am still trying to work
out what the shadow Treasurer said. Is the shadow Treasurer saying that we
should be providing cost-of-living support to make sure Western Australians
actually get supported in this state? Yesterday, she said we should not. Where
does the shadow Treasurer stand on the cost of living? Where does she stand on
spending in this state? She wants us to cut spending, yet the members for
Geraldton, Roe and Kalamunda all stood up yesterday and said that we needed to
spend more. That is what they all said. The member for Roe said that we should
be spending more. The member for Albany said that we should be spending more. All
her colleagues are saying that we should be spending more.
We are out there
driving jobs, employment and training. We have record low unemployment in this
state and record high levels of employment. One of the key focuses is to keep
the economy going. If it were up to the shadow Treasurer, they would be cutting
jobs. Do not worry about wages growth because they would be cutting jobs!
Mr Lachlan Hunter:Yes, jobs!
The Speaker:Members!
Ms Rita Saffioti:They would be cutting jobs. That was
again just backed in by the member for Central Wheatbelt. They want to cut jobs.
They want us to stop projects.
Mr Lachlan Hunter:Yes, the racetrack.
Ms Rita Saffioti:Yes, cutting jobs. They want to cut
jobs. The shadow Treasurer came into this house and said that we should be
cutting spending at this time. If we want to cut spending on the recurrent side
and on the investment side, what does that mean for jobs, everybody? We would
be cutting jobs. If we were not investing in the infrastructure to build homes,
what would that mean? It would mean cutting jobs. We are all about new jobs and
making sure Western Australians have a certain future.
theTreasurer:I refer to real
wages in Western Australia falling 5.2% from March 2017 to March 2026,
translating to $119 less purchasing power for the average worker each week. Why
has this government allowed inflation to outpace wages for the past nine years?Mr Basil Zempilas:Good question.Ms Rita Saffioti replied:Hmm, yes, yes; good
question! I am glad the shadow Treasurer has asked a question because it gives
me an ability to do a highlight reel from yesterday, when she came into this
house and said that if only I acted more like a baroness from the UK. She set
that as my benchmark—that I should be acting more like a baroness. The shadow
Treasurer also said that our surplus is actually debt funded. Members, try to
think about that—our surplus is actually debt funded. I am still trying to work
out what the shadow Treasurer said. Is the shadow Treasurer saying that we
should be providing cost-of-living support to make sure Western Australians
actually get supported in this state? Yesterday, she said we should not. Where
does the shadow Treasurer stand on the cost of living? Where does she stand on
spending in this state? She wants us to cut spending, yet the members for
Geraldton, Roe and Kalamunda all stood up yesterday and said that we needed to
spend more. That is what they all said. The member for Roe said that we should
be spending more. The member for Albany said that we should be spending more. All
her colleagues are saying that we should be spending more.We are out there
driving jobs, employment and training. We have record low unemployment in this
state and record high levels of employment. One of the key focuses is to keep
the economy going. If it were up to the shadow Treasurer, they would be cutting
jobs. Do not worry about wages growth because they would be cutting jobs!Mr Lachlan Hunter:Yes, jobs!The Speaker:Members!Ms Rita Saffioti:They would be cutting jobs. That was
again just backed in by the member for Central Wheatbelt. They want to cut jobs.
They want us to stop projects.Mr Lachlan Hunter:Yes, the racetrack.Ms Rita Saffioti:Yes, cutting jobs. They want to cut
jobs. The shadow Treasurer came into this house and said that we should be
cutting spending at this time. If we want to cut spending on the recurrent side
and on the investment side, what does that mean for jobs, everybody? We would
be cutting jobs. If we were not investing in the infrastructure to build homes,
what would that mean? It would mean cutting jobs. We are all about new jobs and
making sure Western Australians have a certain future.
Inflation
277.Ms Sandra Brewerto
theTreasurer:
I refer to real
wages in Western Australia falling 5.2% from March 2017 to March 2026,
translating to $119 less purchasing power for the average worker each week. Why
has this government allowed inflation to outpace wages for the past nine years?
Mr Basil Zempilas:Good question.
Ms Rita Saffioti replied:
Hmm, yes, yes; good
question! I am glad the shadow Treasurer has asked a question because it gives
me an ability to do a highlight reel from yesterday, when she came into this
house and said that if only I acted more like a baroness from the UK. She set
that as my benchmark—that I should be acting more like a baroness. The shadow
Treasurer also said that our surplus is actually debt funded. Members, try to
think about that—our surplus is actually debt funded. I am still trying to work
out what the shadow Treasurer said. Is the shadow Treasurer saying that we
should be providing cost-of-living support to make sure Western Australians
actually get supported in this state? Yesterday, she said we should not. Where
does the shadow Treasurer stand on the cost of living? Where does she stand on
spending in this state? She wants us to cut spending, yet the members for
Geraldton, Roe and Kalamunda all stood up yesterday and said that we needed to
spend more. That is what they all said. The member for Roe said that we should
be spending more. The member for Albany said that we should be spending more. All
her colleagues are saying that we should be spending more.
We are out there
driving jobs, employment and training. We have record low unemployment in this
state and record high levels of employment. One of the key focuses is to keep
the economy going. If it were up to the shadow Treasurer, they would be cutting
jobs. Do not worry about wages growth because they would be cutting jobs!
Mr Lachlan Hunter:Yes, jobs!
The Speaker:Members!
Ms Rita Saffioti:They would be cutting jobs. That was
again just backed in by the member for Central Wheatbelt. They want to cut jobs.
They want us to stop projects.
Mr Lachlan Hunter:Yes, the racetrack.
Ms Rita Saffioti:Yes, cutting jobs. They want to cut
jobs. The shadow Treasurer came into this house and said that we should be
cutting spending at this time. If we want to cut spending on the recurrent side
and on the investment side, what does that mean for jobs, everybody? We would
be cutting jobs. If we were not investing in the infrastructure to build homes,
what would that mean? It would mean cutting jobs. We are all about new jobs and
making sure Western Australians have a certain future.
AnswerView source ↗
⏳
This question is awaiting a response from the Minister.
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