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Mark McGowan stops Perth Freight Link in first move as WA premier Mark McGowan stops Perth Freight Link in first move as WA premier
(35 minutes later)
Mark McGowan has marked his first working day as premier of Western Australia by announcing that work on the controversial extension to Perth’s Roe highway has stopped.Mark McGowan has marked his first working day as premier of Western Australia by announcing that work on the controversial extension to Perth’s Roe highway has stopped.
The extension, known as Roe 8, has attracted furious opposition from residents and environmentalists who allege that flora and fauna management plans have not been followed and that the road carving through the Beeliar wetlands will harm already endangered wildlife.The extension, known as Roe 8, has attracted furious opposition from residents and environmentalists who allege that flora and fauna management plans have not been followed and that the road carving through the Beeliar wetlands will harm already endangered wildlife.
Following his landslide victory on the weekend, McGowan said on Monday that bulldozing had ceased and that he would ask contractors to mitigate any losses.Following his landslide victory on the weekend, McGowan said on Monday that bulldozing had ceased and that he would ask contractors to mitigate any losses.
“We are not going to proceed with the road,” he said.“We are not going to proceed with the road,” he said.
McGowan wrote to contractors months ago reiterating Labor’s position that it would not be proceeding with the extension and would be negotiating for the contracts to be cancelled if elected.McGowan wrote to contractors months ago reiterating Labor’s position that it would not be proceeding with the extension and would be negotiating for the contracts to be cancelled if elected.
“If you have a look at the results in the electorates surrounding that road project, people voted emphatically that they did not want it,” McGowan said. “The people voted. It won’t proceed.”“If you have a look at the results in the electorates surrounding that road project, people voted emphatically that they did not want it,” McGowan said. “The people voted. It won’t proceed.”
McGowan’s first stop on Monday was a briefing from the Department of Premier and Cabinet. He was also due to be briefed by Treasury officials on the state of the WA economy and the budget, as well as the Perth Freight Link contracts.McGowan’s first stop on Monday was a briefing from the Department of Premier and Cabinet. He was also due to be briefed by Treasury officials on the state of the WA economy and the budget, as well as the Perth Freight Link contracts.
“The government blew the books … finances are tight,” McGowan said.“The government blew the books … finances are tight,” McGowan said.
The state’s deficit is $3.3bn this year, while debt is tipped to hit $41bn by 2020, with the man who will likely be the state’s new treasurer saying it won’t be paid down by the time of the next state election in 2021.The state’s deficit is $3.3bn this year, while debt is tipped to hit $41bn by 2020, with the man who will likely be the state’s new treasurer saying it won’t be paid down by the time of the next state election in 2021.
“The debt issue is obviously going to be a long term issue to deal with,” Ben Wyatt told ABC radio on Monday. “The debt issue is obviously going to be a long-term issue to deal with,” Ben Wyatt told ABC radio on Monday.
He said asset sales, as proposed by the Barnett government with the part-privatisation of Western Power, were not the answer to the problem.He said asset sales, as proposed by the Barnett government with the part-privatisation of Western Power, were not the answer to the problem.
Wyatt said Labor would focus on cutting spending in the general government sector – including in the public service – where most of the debt was being generated.Wyatt said Labor would focus on cutting spending in the general government sector – including in the public service – where most of the debt was being generated.
The Barnett government, he said, had allowed recurrent spending in the government sector to get out of control and become permanent during the mining boom, a mistake the McGowan government would not repeat.The Barnett government, he said, had allowed recurrent spending in the government sector to get out of control and become permanent during the mining boom, a mistake the McGowan government would not repeat.
“The point is to ensure that if that happens again [a mining boom] that revenue won’t become part of recurrent government spending and be used to offset debt,” Wyatt said.“The point is to ensure that if that happens again [a mining boom] that revenue won’t become part of recurrent government spending and be used to offset debt,” Wyatt said.
He said Labor had responsibility not put a time frame on paying down debt. He said Labor had a responsibility not to put a time frame on paying down debt.
“We’ve seen, particularly at a federal level, various treasurers say we will be back to surplus at this point and we’ve seen how that unwound rather embarrassingly for various treasurers,” Wyatt said.“We’ve seen, particularly at a federal level, various treasurers say we will be back to surplus at this point and we’ve seen how that unwound rather embarrassingly for various treasurers,” Wyatt said.
Discussions will also continue between the premier and his colleagues about the makeup of the new cabinet. The cabinet is expected to be announced in the next couple of days and McGowan expects his government will be sworn in by Friday.Discussions will also continue between the premier and his colleagues about the makeup of the new cabinet. The cabinet is expected to be announced in the next couple of days and McGowan expects his government will be sworn in by Friday.
“I’ll be very clear with my colleagues about who I expect to be in cabinet and I think that’s the premier’s right,” he told told Perth radio 6PR on Monday morning. “There’s a lot of competition for who will be in cabinet.”“I’ll be very clear with my colleagues about who I expect to be in cabinet and I think that’s the premier’s right,” he told told Perth radio 6PR on Monday morning. “There’s a lot of competition for who will be in cabinet.”
Wyatt is expected to become the country’s first Indigenous treasurer, while the former federal member for Perth, Alannah MacTiernan, who quit federal politics last year, is expected to gain a prominent position in a frontbench reduced from 21 to 17 positions.Wyatt is expected to become the country’s first Indigenous treasurer, while the former federal member for Perth, Alannah MacTiernan, who quit federal politics last year, is expected to gain a prominent position in a frontbench reduced from 21 to 17 positions.
With Australian Associated PressWith Australian Associated Press