LOCAL GOVERNMENT GRANTS COMMISSION FUNDING

The Hon. J.M.A. LENSINK (14:35): Does the minister have a strategy to address that issue?

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (14:35): At the moment I do not have a strategy at the back of my mind to help with the population growth.

The Hon. J.M.A. Lensink interjecting:

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: No, there are a number of factors taken into consideration. You ask me a question and you start laughing. This is how ridiculous it is. There are a number of factors which contribute to the local government grant. You mentioned population. I am saying right at this moment that I don't have a strategy to increase our population. There are a lot of ways of doing it—immigration intakes. There are a lot of ways of doing that, but that is more of a federal issue. I will say this, though: if there is anything I can do to improve the status and to help local government and councils to get more grants, I will be quite happy to participate.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Ms Lensink has a further supplementary question.