Bills

Budget Measures Bill 2017

Committee Stage

Debate resumed.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: I thank the honourable member for his question. I have taken some advice. Any discussions—and private discussions have been had with members about this bill and measures in the bill—are discussions with them. It is not part of this bill and not part of something that is contained in this bill. If honourable members want to discuss it further with the Treasurer, I am sure they can discuss with him any issues that are not actually part of this bill.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: I would ask the government, if this bill passes the parliament without the Budget Measures Bill in place, is it the expectation of the government that the $41.5 million deal with the Hon. Kelly Vincent will proceed?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: As I have said, that is not part of this bill.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: It has been clearly publicly stated that it is linked to this bill. In fact, there was a journal of record on Monday morning that gave a public statement, presumably from the Treasurer but it was certainly quoted as a government statement, that the $41.5 million would proceed, whether or not the bank tax element of the Budget Measures Bill was retained. I can only take it from the minister's lack of willingness to restate that commitment that it is in fact conditional. I think that the parliament needs to know that. It may well influence members such as the Hon. Kelly Vincent as to what her attitude is.

Members interjecting:

The CHAIR: Order!

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: The Hon. Ms Vincent, I think, has had discussions, and I congratulate her and pay tribute to the work she has done, the discussions she has had with the Treasurer advocating for things that we all know in this chamber she has advocated for for a very long time. If any honourable members have specific questions about matters that are not contained in this bill or not to do with what is in the legislation before this chamber, I am sure the Treasurer would be more than happy for them to go and knock on his door later today to have a discussion about them, but they are not contained in the bill, and I will not be verballed by the Hon. Stephen Wade trying to suggest that an answer suggests something that it absolutely does not.

Members interjecting:

The CHAIR: Order! The Hon. Mr Wade has the floor.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: My next question is in the context of what I understand was the request from the Treasurer that the Kelly Vincent package be kept confidential. Can the minister assure the house that no other deals have been made with other members that he intends to keep confidential?

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: I thank the honourable member for his question. Any discussions anybody has had that do not relate to this bill, do not relate to this bill—simple.

The Hon. S.G. WADE: I should congratulate the Hon. Kelly Vincent on the package. I think she has helped the Labor Party remember its values, but it is amazing how proximity to an election also helps. I would remind the minister that the Hon. Kelly Vincent has indicated that this package is directly related to this bill. It is directly related to a commitment that she has given to the government to vote for the bill. and I accept her decision. But the parliament has a right to know what is the nature of that commitment. It is related to the bill. The Hon. Kelly Vincent has already said publicly that in her view it is related to the bill.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: I thank the honourable member for his question. I will make an exception. I do not intend to go into matters that are not part of this bill, but I think for the Hon. Kelly Vincent's sake—not for the Hon. Stephen Wade's sake whatsoever—I can confirm my advice that, regardless of whether the Legislative Council takes the unprecedented step of eventually blocking this bill in its entirety, regardless of how the Legislative Council seeks to handle this bill—and it is a precedent that I think many on the other side will come to regret if they end up blocking this bill.

It will set a brand-new dynamic for how budgets are handled here, and do not think we will not remember how this bill went through here if at any stage Labor is in opposition. It will completely change the dynamics of how governments handle their bills. I do not do it for the Hon. Stephen Wade's sake whatsoever, but for the benefit of the Hon. Kelly Vincent, the measures that she had discussed earlier this week and she had negotiated with the Treasurer stand regardless of what happens to this bill in the form that it is passed in or blocked by this council.