Roger Cook: WA Day Will Permanently Moved To The Spring

Ahead of this weekend's WA Day celebrations, Roger Cook joined Lisa & Russell to discuss the festival and upcoming plans for the day, plus he gave the guys an insight into his plans with Albo. Tune in to hear the chat in full. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Waday Festival is on this weekend at Burswood Park.
There is a lot on so a lot of information
about it at WA at celebratewa dot com dot au
and joining us to talk about it is Roger Cook.
Good morning, Premiere, Good morning.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
Premier, Good good morning guys. How's it going good?

Speaker 1 (00:19):
So this festival again moved from June due to the
poor weather expected at that time of the year. We
are expecting a couple of showers, but anyway, not as
bad as it is in June.

Speaker 2 (00:29):
Your wellies.

Speaker 3 (00:29):
Anyway.

Speaker 1 (00:30):
This is why, isn't it? This is going to become
an actual and permanent date change for WA Day, isn't it.

Speaker 2 (00:38):
That's right. Under the changes that we announced earlier this year,
WA Day will be permanently moved to the spring second
second weekend in November. We think it's a better time
for everyone to get out and about and celebrate what
a great state this is.

Speaker 1 (00:53):
With was a WA Day? Wasn't the date?

Speaker 3 (00:55):
Because that was foundation that was foundation data. I'm just wondering,
is there's still going to be an event, even a
nice tea party at Government House back in June? Is
there is it going to be anything to mark the
you know, obviously the historic nature of the original Foundation
Day which was around it till only about fifteen years ago.

Speaker 2 (01:11):
Yeah, that's tried, and the actual public holiday was decoupled
from Foundation Day by one of my predecessors, Colin Barnett.
So we obviously you know, acknowledging our great history in
Western Australia. But we think it's a better opportunity to
celebrate this great state and to be no better way
than going down to Burswood Park on the weekend. We'll

(01:34):
have the ashes going on at the same time, so
there'll be amazing atmosphere spilling out from up the stadium,
but there will also just be an incredible opportunity to
head down there with your family celebrate what a great
state we are. You know, it doesn't matter if you're
looking to take the kids on the rides or make
your way down Eat Street. I must confess that's something

(01:56):
that I'm looking for to do. It's a great family
day out.

Speaker 3 (02:01):
It's going to be free. It is free, well outside
of the stadium it will be anyway, it's going to
be very busy. Was it a conscious decision to have
the two events overlap or that was just coincidence.

Speaker 2 (02:13):
We had this experience I think it was last year
and the year before where we had an Indian Test
match on at the same time as the Australian the
w A Day Festival, and it actually works really well
because it brings the whole peninsula alive and we obviously
we'll have extra public transport because the first two days
of the Ashes are already sold out. It's hugely it's

(02:35):
a huge event, so it's going to be an incredibly
exciting weekend and Western Australians are going to have the
opportunity to celebrate it in style.

Speaker 1 (02:45):
It's also sort of a timely tourist at too, because
absolutely there will be a lot of you know, English
tourists around.

Speaker 3 (02:54):
Do you want the Barbie Army? You want the Barbie
Army going back saying telling good things about you want
Tom on a ride?

Speaker 2 (03:00):
The Barney Army will be in town and when we're
not taking it up to him and doing a bit
of trash talk over the Ashes, there's an opportunity for
them to see what a great state we are. So
one of the things I love about these big sporting
events is that it brings in the fans from overseas
and over East. They come to Western Australia, they feel

(03:21):
our pubs, our clubs, our cafes, but they also go
back home, say what an awesome place Western Australia is.
We should go back there one day with the family
and really spend some time visiting. So these are great
sporting competitions, but they're also great for Western Australia as
part of the tourism competition.

Speaker 3 (03:41):
Outside shots of the cricket ground that they obviously always
do when they do the when they do the Cricketelecus,
if there's a whole lot of stuff going on outside
as well, that's going to get bean all the way
back to England. So that'd be a good effort.

Speaker 2 (03:53):
And look, let's not forget that. You know, over the
course of the weekend, thousands of people have been in
Floyd had been brought on by venues by the venue
operator at Optus to really just make to cater for
the huge crowds that are coming. So it's not only
a great time to celebrate, it's not only good for

(04:14):
the economy, but it's great for local jobs. So I'm
really excited about the weekend.

Speaker 1 (04:18):
Are you on the road with the Prime Minister today.

Speaker 2 (04:21):
Oh god, I'm going to pop down and say good
ay to the to the Federal Cabinet, as is my want. Yes,
when you're in town, I always always take the opportunity
to say gooday to them and tell them what an
important role that we w A played in the national economy.

Speaker 3 (04:37):
Absolutely are you? Are you driving down today?

Speaker 2 (04:40):
Yes, I'm driving down, stopping off of.

Speaker 3 (04:42):
The crooked Carrot on the way chop milk, love.

Speaker 2 (04:45):
The crooked carrot.

Speaker 1 (04:47):
I'm a convert from the Miami bakehouse. Pop up to
the crooked carrot, for sure.

Speaker 2 (04:52):
We always like to top up our caffeine levels on
the way down. Yo, and yeah and not. Obviously, it's
a other opportunity in the middle of our GST campaign
on the East Coast at the moment, to remind the
federal government that w as fair share of the GST
is good for the national economy. We drive the national

(05:12):
economy resources to continue to keep the fund coming to WAW.
The Prime Minister and the treasure are fully on board
with that campaign, but we're going to make sure that
we really take that message home.

Speaker 1 (05:24):
Absolutely well. Enjoy safe trip down and we will see
you at the festival. On the weekend.

Speaker 3 (05:31):
It's going to be big look forward to have a
safe drive down there. There's the Premier Roger Cook