Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2022-09-08 Daily Xml

Contents

Regional Council Amalgamations

The Hon. R.A. SIMMS (14:53): I have a supplementary question: could the minister advise whether these members of the public included the business and community leaders that the Premier referenced?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries) (14:53): I have a number of conversations and interactions with people across regional areas. Of course, our Premier has also been out in regional areas a great deal, both prior to becoming Premier, when we were in opposition, and also since, because we think it is incredibly important to be in touch with residents in regional areas.

I can't guarantee that exactly the same people that the Premier has spoken to are the same people that I have spoken to. I am sure there are some crossovers, and I would imagine there would be many on the list who have raised it with me who haven't necessarily spoken with the Premier, and plenty who have raised it with the Premier who haven't necessarily spoken to me.

It is a general matter of community discussion from time to time, and that can sometimes be sitting in a coffee shop. Sometimes it might be at something like country cabinet or, indeed, at shadow country cabinet when we were previously in opposition. Those sorts of conversations happen at all sorts of times.