Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2021-03-30 Daily Xml

Contents

State Budget

The Hon. F. PANGALLO (15:21): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Treasurer a question about the latest report on the state budget, which was tabled today.

Leave granted.

The Hon. F. PANGALLO: In the report the Auditor-General expresses concerns that significant GST writedowns and higher net debt could be at risk from any interest rate rises and could impact on the state's response to future economic challenges, and that this may lead to blowouts in large infrastructure projects, including the north-south corridor and the new Women's and Children's Hospital. The Auditor-General also raised fears for the health and wellbeing spending targets not being achieved.

My question to the Treasurer is: would an interest rate increase of 1 per cent result in projects like the Women's and Children's Hospital either being cancelled or amended, or the $700 million sports and entertainment arena announced by the Premier last week also being scrapped?

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (Treasurer) (15:23): No.

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Mr Hanson. There are no supplementaries out of a no, unfortunately.