ECONOMIC STATEMENT

Mr HAMILTON-SMITH (Waite) (15:18): Supplementary. Given the Premier's answer to the question, can he clarify whether he showed a copy of the draft or the document to the EDB before making it public?

The SPEAKER: That is a supplementary. The Premier.

The Hon. J.W. WEATHERILL (Cheltenham—Premier, Treasurer, Minister for State Development, Minister for the Public Sector, Minister for the Arts) (15:18): I did not send a final draft to any bodies outside of government. This is a document which was seen by cabinet and finalised by the government. It is not a proper document to be sent to any outside agency, although I must say elements of the document have been seen (appropriately) by relevant agencies that could assist us with elements of it. Can I say that this has been a document that has been produced over the last three months or so.

On 15 October, I announced to a CEDA conference that it was my intention to prepare this document. I invited a very wide range of input. I certainly sought input for that from the Economic Development Board and I was very grateful for the input they provided, but it is not their document. I did not seek their endorsement, nor did I provide them with a copy of the document seeking their endorsement.