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Posted May 16, 2017 19:29:05

The WA Liberal Party is operating in a "Matrix-style" alternate reality two months on from its landslide state election loss, the McGowan Government has claimed.

On the first regular parliamentary sitting day since Labor toppled the Barnett government, the new administration accused the Liberals of acting like a "deposed monarchy" and not accepting the March election result.

The attack on the Mike Nahan-led Opposition came as the Liberals sought to blame the new Government for having to urgently seek parliamentary approval to borrow billions of dollars, to ensure expenses could be met beyond July.

Dr Nahan said the new Government had to seek the $11 billion loan to pay for its own promises, a comment which Treasurer Ben Wyatt described as being derived from a "simulated reality".

"You don't get to treat this as some sort of Matrix-style 'I'll swallow the blue pill and wake up in the bed with everything all OK' because unfortunately the $11 billion I'm having to borrow is your spending plan," Mr Wyatt told Parliament.

"You can swallow those blue pills as much as you want but I have got a couple of red ones for you."

Transport Minister Rita Saffioti then picked up the attack, saying the Liberals still had not accepted the March election result and that was why they had refused to move into their opposition offices.

"The Opposition are walking around [like] a deposed monarchy and don't realise they are in opposition," she said.

The new Government has at times goaded the Liberals for sticking with controversial key policies they took to the March election such as the Perth Freight Link and the sale of Western Power claiming it was evidence they had not accepted the result.

The Liberals also came under fire last Thursday after using their first parliamentary question since the election to ask the Premier about a pledge he made five years ago not to take up office in the renovated Department of Premier and Cabinet home at Hale House.

But ahead of today's sitting, senior Liberal MP Dean Nalder defended Dr Nahan's performance and said he had faith in his parliamentary strategy.

"The first day was ceremonial and it was always seen to be a ceremonial day," he said.

"It was felt that some serious questions would get lost and we would wait until the start of parliament proper, which is this week."

The Liberals changed tack in their second Question Time, probing Labor about its investigation into the Barnett government's spending, and asking whether it would also focus on decisions Labor had made in office.

The Liberals have described the $1.5 million commission of inquiry, headed by former Treasury boss John Langolaunt, as a "witch hunt".

Topics: government-and-politics, wa

Excerpt from:
WA Liberals living in 'Matrix-style' reality, refusing to admit defeat, Labor says - ABC Online