Accusations of past Labor government corruption regarding Rottnest Island management are raised in response to concerns about potential future privatization. The Premier defends current government's restoration efforts.

AnsweredQoN 324Legislative Assembly
Asked
15 November 2000
Portfolio
Premier

QuestionView source ↗

The member for Rockingham said that Rottnest could one day become a haven for the rich. Will the Premier outline what the Labor Party did in government to achieve this objective? Mr Ripper: You have nothing to say about the future! Mr COURT

AnswerView source ↗

We have a responsibility to remind people what the Labor Party did in government. I refer to my friend the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. The member for Rockingham said - Dr Gallop: This is ancient history. Mr COURT: It was only yesterday. He said that Rottnest Island could one day become a haven for the rich because the state Opposition thinks the Government is hiding plans for the future redevelopment of Perth’s favourite playground. Members opposite must have a very short memory. The Leader of the Opposition has given instruction not to raise WA Inc; however, the member for Rockingham has raised WA Inc twice in a week. When the Labor Party was in government, a favoured few had very special privileges granted to them. It was open slather to get accommodation for nothing. I refer to not only members of Parliament but also their favoured mates who got accommodation at Rottnest for nothing. It is interesting that the little red book, as it was called, listing who stayed at the board cottage and the like had disappeared when we came to government. It was what members opposite call freedom of information. The records concerning Rottnest during Labor’s period in government suddenly disappeared. Then there were the deals. The cottages were refurbished in exchange for their private use over the five-month America’s Cup regatta, plus one month a year for the next three years. The reef at Marjorie Bay was blasted so the mates of members opposite could fit their boats into their moorings. I will show members something. Dr Gallop: Which year are you reliving - 1989? Mr COURT: This is when the Labor Party was in government. I thought this headline read “Island of Dreams”, but it reads “Island of Schemes”! It indicates the moorings in Catherine Bay given to Laurance, Bond, Connell, Stow, Roberts, Horgan etcetera. My friend the Leader of the Opposition is talking about a haven for the rich, but no-one did it better than members opposite! All these scandals were called Rotto Inc at the time. If one were a Bond, a Connell or one of the Labor Party’s big contributors, it was funds for favours. Dr Ripper: Is this your positive contribution? Mr COURT: No, my friend. The opposition spokesperson has the nerve to state that this Government will turn Rottnest into a haven for the rich! Dr Gallop: I hope you will come to the positives. Mr COURT: I will give the member the positives. We hear nervous little laughs opposite. Dr Gallop: You’re sitting alongside three ministers, plus two, who engaged in serious impropriety and you have done nothing about it, and you have the gall to talk about the late 1980s! Mr COURT: Let me finish this answer. The Opposition said that this Government would make Rottnest a haven for the rich. Rottnest was in a dilapidated condition when we came to government in 1993, and we have restored it and returned it to the people of Western Australia, not to the rich mates of members opposite. If the Opposition wants to talk about how Rottnest is managed, we will hold that debate any day of the week.
Mr Ripper: You have nothing to say about the future! Mr COURT replied: We have a responsibility to remind people what the Labor Party did in government. I refer to my friend the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. The member for Rockingham said - Dr Gallop: This is ancient history. Mr COURT: It was only yesterday. He said that Rottnest Island could one day become a haven for the rich because the state Opposition thinks the Government is hiding plans for the future redevelopment of Perth’s favourite playground. Members opposite must have a very short memory. The Leader of the Opposition has given instruction not to raise WA Inc; however, the member for Rockingham has raised WA Inc twice in a week. When the Labor Party was in government, a favoured few had very special privileges granted to them. It was open slather to get accommodation for nothing. I refer to not only members of Parliament but also their favoured mates who got accommodation at Rottnest for nothing. It is interesting that the little red book, as it was called, listing who stayed at the board cottage and the like had disappeared when we came to government. It was what members opposite call freedom of information. The records concerning Rottnest during Labor’s period in government suddenly disappeared. Then there were the deals. The cottages were refurbished in exchange for their private use over the five-month America’s Cup regatta, plus one month a year for the next three years. The reef at Marjorie Bay was blasted so the mates of members opposite could fit their boats into their moorings. I will show members something. Dr Gallop: Which year are you reliving - 1989? Mr COURT: This is when the Labor Party was in government. I thought this headline read “Island of Dreams”, but it reads “Island of Schemes”! It indicates the moorings in Catherine Bay given to Laurance, Bond, Connell, Stow, Roberts, Horgan etcetera. My friend the Leader of the Opposition is talking about a haven for the rich, but no-one did it better than members opposite! All these scandals were called Rotto Inc at the time. If one were a Bond, a Connell or one of the Labor Party’s big contributors, it was funds for favours. Dr Ripper: Is this your positive contribution? Mr COURT: No, my friend. The opposition spokesperson has the nerve to state that this Government will turn Rottnest into a haven for the rich! Dr Gallop: I hope you will come to the positives. Mr COURT: I will give the member the positives. We hear nervous little laughs opposite. Dr Gallop: You’re sitting alongside three ministers, plus two, who engaged in serious impropriety and you have done nothing about it, and you have the gall to talk about the late 1980s! Mr COURT: Let me finish this answer. The Opposition said that this Government would make Rottnest a haven for the rich. Rottnest was in a dilapidated condition when we came to government in 1993, and we have restored it and returned it to the people of Western Australia, not to the rich mates of members opposite. If the Opposition wants to talk about how Rottnest is managed, we will hold that debate any day of the week.
Mr COURT replied: We have a responsibility to remind people what the Labor Party did in government. I refer to my friend the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. The member for Rockingham said - Dr Gallop: This is ancient history. Mr COURT: It was only yesterday. He said that Rottnest Island could one day become a haven for the rich because the state Opposition thinks the Government is hiding plans for the future redevelopment of Perth’s favourite playground. Members opposite must have a very short memory. The Leader of the Opposition has given instruction not to raise WA Inc; however, the member for Rockingham has raised WA Inc twice in a week. When the Labor Party was in government, a favoured few had very special privileges granted to them. It was open slather to get accommodation for nothing. I refer to not only members of Parliament but also their favoured mates who got accommodation at Rottnest for nothing. It is interesting that the little red book, as it was called, listing who stayed at the board cottage and the like had disappeared when we came to government. It was what members opposite call freedom of information. The records concerning Rottnest during Labor’s period in government suddenly disappeared. Then there were the deals. The cottages were refurbished in exchange for their private use over the five-month America’s Cup regatta, plus one month a year for the next three years. The reef at Marjorie Bay was blasted so the mates of members opposite could fit their boats into their moorings. I will show members something. Dr Gallop: Which year are you reliving - 1989? Mr COURT: This is when the Labor Party was in government. I thought this headline read “Island of Dreams”, but it reads “Island of Schemes”! It indicates the moorings in Catherine Bay given to Laurance, Bond, Connell, Stow, Roberts, Horgan etcetera. My friend the Leader of the Opposition is talking about a haven for the rich, but no-one did it better than members opposite! All these scandals were called Rotto Inc at the time. If one were a Bond, a Connell or one of the Labor Party’s big contributors, it was funds for favours. Dr Ripper: Is this your positive contribution? Mr COURT: No, my friend. The opposition spokesperson has the nerve to state that this Government will turn Rottnest into a haven for the rich! Dr Gallop: I hope you will come to the positives. Mr COURT: I will give the member the positives. We hear nervous little laughs opposite. Dr Gallop: You’re sitting alongside three ministers, plus two, who engaged in serious impropriety and you have done nothing about it, and you have the gall to talk about the late 1980s! Mr COURT: Let me finish this answer. The Opposition said that this Government would make Rottnest a haven for the rich. Rottnest was in a dilapidated condition when we came to government in 1993, and we have restored it and returned it to the people of Western Australia, not to the rich mates of members opposite. If the Opposition wants to talk about how Rottnest is managed, we will hold that debate any day of the week.
We have a responsibility to remind people what the Labor Party did in government. I refer to my friend the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. The member for Rockingham said - Dr Gallop: This is ancient history. Mr COURT: It was only yesterday. He said that Rottnest Island could one day become a haven for the rich because the state Opposition thinks the Government is hiding plans for the future redevelopment of Perth’s favourite playground. Members opposite must have a very short memory. The Leader of the Opposition has given instruction not to raise WA Inc; however, the member for Rockingham has raised WA Inc twice in a week. When the Labor Party was in government, a favoured few had very special privileges granted to them. It was open slather to get accommodation for nothing. I refer to not only members of Parliament but also their favoured mates who got accommodation at Rottnest for nothing. It is interesting that the little red book, as it was called, listing who stayed at the board cottage and the like had disappeared when we came to government. It was what members opposite call freedom of information. The records concerning Rottnest during Labor’s period in government suddenly disappeared. Then there were the deals. The cottages were refurbished in exchange for their private use over the five-month America’s Cup regatta, plus one month a year for the next three years. The reef at Marjorie Bay was blasted so the mates of members opposite could fit their boats into their moorings. I will show members something. Dr Gallop: Which year are you reliving - 1989? Mr COURT: This is when the Labor Party was in government. I thought this headline read “Island of Dreams”, but it reads “Island of Schemes”! It indicates the moorings in Catherine Bay given to Laurance, Bond, Connell, Stow, Roberts, Horgan etcetera. My friend the Leader of the Opposition is talking about a haven for the rich, but no-one did it better than members opposite! All these scandals were called Rotto Inc at the time. If one were a Bond, a Connell or one of the Labor Party’s big contributors, it was funds for favours. Dr Ripper: Is this your positive contribution? Mr COURT: No, my friend. The opposition spokesperson has the nerve to state that this Government will turn Rottnest into a haven for the rich! Dr Gallop: I hope you will come to the positives. Mr COURT: I will give the member the positives. We hear nervous little laughs opposite. Dr Gallop: You’re sitting alongside three ministers, plus two, who engaged in serious impropriety and you have done nothing about it, and you have the gall to talk about the late 1980s! Mr COURT: Let me finish this answer. The Opposition said that this Government would make Rottnest a haven for the rich. Rottnest was in a dilapidated condition when we came to government in 1993, and we have restored it and returned it to the people of Western Australia, not to the rich mates of members opposite. If the Opposition wants to talk about how Rottnest is managed, we will hold that debate any day of the week.
Dr Gallop: This is ancient history. Mr COURT: It was only yesterday. He said that Rottnest Island could one day become a haven for the rich because the state Opposition thinks the Government is hiding plans for the future redevelopment of Perth’s favourite playground. Members opposite must have a very short memory. The Leader of the Opposition has given instruction not to raise WA Inc; however, the member for Rockingham has raised WA Inc twice in a week. When the Labor Party was in government, a favoured few had very special privileges granted to them. It was open slather to get accommodation for nothing. I refer to not only members of Parliament but also their favoured mates who got accommodation at Rottnest for nothing. It is interesting that the little red book, as it was called, listing who stayed at the board cottage and the like had disappeared when we came to government. It was what members opposite call freedom of information. The records concerning Rottnest during Labor’s period in government suddenly disappeared. Then there were the deals. The cottages were refurbished in exchange for their private use over the five-month America’s Cup regatta, plus one month a year for the next three years. The reef at Marjorie Bay was blasted so the mates of members opposite could fit their boats into their moorings. I will show members something. Dr Gallop: Which year are you reliving - 1989? Mr COURT: This is when the Labor Party was in government. I thought this headline read “Island of Dreams”, but it reads “Island of Schemes”! It indicates the moorings in Catherine Bay given to Laurance, Bond, Connell, Stow, Roberts, Horgan etcetera. My friend the Leader of the Opposition is talking about a haven for the rich, but no-one did it better than members opposite! All these scandals were called Rotto Inc at the time. If one were a Bond, a Connell or one of the Labor Party’s big contributors, it was funds for favours. Dr Ripper: Is this your positive contribution? Mr COURT: No, my friend. The opposition spokesperson has the nerve to state that this Government will turn Rottnest into a haven for the rich! Dr Gallop: I hope you will come to the positives. Mr COURT: I will give the member the positives. We hear nervous little laughs opposite. Dr Gallop: You’re sitting alongside three ministers, plus two, who engaged in serious impropriety and you have done nothing about it, and you have the gall to talk about the late 1980s! Mr COURT: Let me finish this answer. The Opposition said that this Government would make Rottnest a haven for the rich. Rottnest was in a dilapidated condition when we came to government in 1993, and we have restored it and returned it to the people of Western Australia, not to the rich mates of members opposite. If the Opposition wants to talk about how Rottnest is managed, we will hold that debate any day of the week.
Mr COURT: It was only yesterday. He said that Rottnest Island could one day become a haven for the rich because the state Opposition thinks the Government is hiding plans for the future redevelopment of Perth’s favourite playground. Members opposite must have a very short memory. The Leader of the Opposition has given instruction not to raise WA Inc; however, the member for Rockingham has raised WA Inc twice in a week. When the Labor Party was in government, a favoured few had very special privileges granted to them. It was open slather to get accommodation for nothing. I refer to not only members of Parliament but also their favoured mates who got accommodation at Rottnest for nothing. It is interesting that the little red book, as it was called, listing who stayed at the board cottage and the like had disappeared when we came to government. It was what members opposite call freedom of information. The records concerning Rottnest during Labor’s period in government suddenly disappeared. Then there were the deals. The cottages were refurbished in exchange for their private use over the five-month America’s Cup regatta, plus one month a year for the next three years. The reef at Marjorie Bay was blasted so the mates of members opposite could fit their boats into their moorings. I will show members something. Dr Gallop: Which year are you reliving - 1989? Mr COURT: This is when the Labor Party was in government. I thought this headline read “Island of Dreams”, but it reads “Island of Schemes”! It indicates the moorings in Catherine Bay given to Laurance, Bond, Connell, Stow, Roberts, Horgan etcetera. My friend the Leader of the Opposition is talking about a haven for the rich, but no-one did it better than members opposite! All these scandals were called Rotto Inc at the time. If one were a Bond, a Connell or one of the Labor Party’s big contributors, it was funds for favours. Dr Ripper: Is this your positive contribution? Mr COURT: No, my friend. The opposition spokesperson has the nerve to state that this Government will turn Rottnest into a haven for the rich! Dr Gallop: I hope you will come to the positives. Mr COURT: I will give the member the positives. We hear nervous little laughs opposite. Dr Gallop: You’re sitting alongside three ministers, plus two, who engaged in serious impropriety and you have done nothing about it, and you have the gall to talk about the late 1980s! Mr COURT: Let me finish this answer. The Opposition said that this Government would make Rottnest a haven for the rich. Rottnest was in a dilapidated condition when we came to government in 1993, and we have restored it and returned it to the people of Western Australia, not to the rich mates of members opposite. If the Opposition wants to talk about how Rottnest is managed, we will hold that debate any day of the week.
Then there were the deals. The cottages were refurbished in exchange for their private use over the five-month America’s Cup regatta, plus one month a year for the next three years. The reef at Marjorie Bay was blasted so the mates of members opposite could fit their boats into their moorings. I will show members something. Dr Gallop: Which year are you reliving - 1989? Mr COURT: This is when the Labor Party was in government. I thought this headline read “Island of Dreams”, but it reads “Island of Schemes”! It indicates the moorings in Catherine Bay given to Laurance, Bond, Connell, Stow, Roberts, Horgan etcetera. My friend the Leader of the Opposition is talking about a haven for the rich, but no-one did it better than members opposite! All these scandals were called Rotto Inc at the time. If one were a Bond, a Connell or one of the Labor Party’s big contributors, it was funds for favours. Dr Ripper: Is this your positive contribution? Mr COURT: No, my friend. The opposition spokesperson has the nerve to state that this Government will turn Rottnest into a haven for the rich! Dr Gallop: I hope you will come to the positives. Mr COURT: I will give the member the positives. We hear nervous little laughs opposite. Dr Gallop: You’re sitting alongside three ministers, plus two, who engaged in serious impropriety and you have done nothing about it, and you have the gall to talk about the late 1980s! Mr COURT: Let me finish this answer. The Opposition said that this Government would make Rottnest a haven for the rich. Rottnest was in a dilapidated condition when we came to government in 1993, and we have restored it and returned it to the people of Western Australia, not to the rich mates of members opposite. If the Opposition wants to talk about how Rottnest is managed, we will hold that debate any day of the week.
Dr Gallop: Which year are you reliving - 1989? Mr COURT: This is when the Labor Party was in government. I thought this headline read “Island of Dreams”, but it reads “Island of Schemes”! It indicates the moorings in Catherine Bay given to Laurance, Bond, Connell, Stow, Roberts, Horgan etcetera. My friend the Leader of the Opposition is talking about a haven for the rich, but no-one did it better than members opposite! All these scandals were called Rotto Inc at the time. If one were a Bond, a Connell or one of the Labor Party’s big contributors, it was funds for favours. Dr Ripper: Is this your positive contribution? Mr COURT: No, my friend. The opposition spokesperson has the nerve to state that this Government will turn Rottnest into a haven for the rich! Dr Gallop: I hope you will come to the positives. Mr COURT: I will give the member the positives. We hear nervous little laughs opposite. Dr Gallop: You’re sitting alongside three ministers, plus two, who engaged in serious impropriety and you have done nothing about it, and you have the gall to talk about the late 1980s! Mr COURT: Let me finish this answer. The Opposition said that this Government would make Rottnest a haven for the rich. Rottnest was in a dilapidated condition when we came to government in 1993, and we have restored it and returned it to the people of Western Australia, not to the rich mates of members opposite. If the Opposition wants to talk about how Rottnest is managed, we will hold that debate any day of the week.
Mr COURT: This is when the Labor Party was in government. I thought this headline read “Island of Dreams”, but it reads “Island of Schemes”! It indicates the moorings in Catherine Bay given to Laurance, Bond, Connell, Stow, Roberts, Horgan etcetera. My friend the Leader of the Opposition is talking about a haven for the rich, but no-one did it better than members opposite! All these scandals were called Rotto Inc at the time. If one were a Bond, a Connell or one of the Labor Party’s big contributors, it was funds for favours. Dr Ripper: Is this your positive contribution? Mr COURT: No, my friend. The opposition spokesperson has the nerve to state that this Government will turn Rottnest into a haven for the rich! Dr Gallop: I hope you will come to the positives. Mr COURT: I will give the member the positives. We hear nervous little laughs opposite. Dr Gallop: You’re sitting alongside three ministers, plus two, who engaged in serious impropriety and you have done nothing about it, and you have the gall to talk about the late 1980s! Mr COURT: Let me finish this answer. The Opposition said that this Government would make Rottnest a haven for the rich. Rottnest was in a dilapidated condition when we came to government in 1993, and we have restored it and returned it to the people of Western Australia, not to the rich mates of members opposite. If the Opposition wants to talk about how Rottnest is managed, we will hold that debate any day of the week.
Dr Ripper: Is this your positive contribution? Mr COURT: No, my friend. The opposition spokesperson has the nerve to state that this Government will turn Rottnest into a haven for the rich! Dr Gallop: I hope you will come to the positives. Mr COURT: I will give the member the positives. We hear nervous little laughs opposite. Dr Gallop: You’re sitting alongside three ministers, plus two, who engaged in serious impropriety and you have done nothing about it, and you have the gall to talk about the late 1980s! Mr COURT: Let me finish this answer. The Opposition said that this Government would make Rottnest a haven for the rich. Rottnest was in a dilapidated condition when we came to government in 1993, and we have restored it and returned it to the people of Western Australia, not to the rich mates of members opposite. If the Opposition wants to talk about how Rottnest is managed, we will hold that debate any day of the week.
Mr COURT: No, my friend. The opposition spokesperson has the nerve to state that this Government will turn Rottnest into a haven for the rich! Dr Gallop: I hope you will come to the positives. Mr COURT: I will give the member the positives. We hear nervous little laughs opposite. Dr Gallop: You’re sitting alongside three ministers, plus two, who engaged in serious impropriety and you have done nothing about it, and you have the gall to talk about the late 1980s! Mr COURT: Let me finish this answer. The Opposition said that this Government would make Rottnest a haven for the rich. Rottnest was in a dilapidated condition when we came to government in 1993, and we have restored it and returned it to the people of Western Australia, not to the rich mates of members opposite. If the Opposition wants to talk about how Rottnest is managed, we will hold that debate any day of the week.
Dr Gallop: I hope you will come to the positives. Mr COURT: I will give the member the positives. We hear nervous little laughs opposite. Dr Gallop: You’re sitting alongside three ministers, plus two, who engaged in serious impropriety and you have done nothing about it, and you have the gall to talk about the late 1980s! Mr COURT: Let me finish this answer. The Opposition said that this Government would make Rottnest a haven for the rich. Rottnest was in a dilapidated condition when we came to government in 1993, and we have restored it and returned it to the people of Western Australia, not to the rich mates of members opposite. If the Opposition wants to talk about how Rottnest is managed, we will hold that debate any day of the week.
Mr COURT: I will give the member the positives. We hear nervous little laughs opposite. Dr Gallop: You’re sitting alongside three ministers, plus two, who engaged in serious impropriety and you have done nothing about it, and you have the gall to talk about the late 1980s! Mr COURT: Let me finish this answer. The Opposition said that this Government would make Rottnest a haven for the rich. Rottnest was in a dilapidated condition when we came to government in 1993, and we have restored it and returned it to the people of Western Australia, not to the rich mates of members opposite. If the Opposition wants to talk about how Rottnest is managed, we will hold that debate any day of the week.
Dr Gallop: You’re sitting alongside three ministers, plus two, who engaged in serious impropriety and you have done nothing about it, and you have the gall to talk about the late 1980s! Mr COURT: Let me finish this answer. The Opposition said that this Government would make Rottnest a haven for the rich. Rottnest was in a dilapidated condition when we came to government in 1993, and we have restored it and returned it to the people of Western Australia, not to the rich mates of members opposite. If the Opposition wants to talk about how Rottnest is managed, we will hold that debate any day of the week.
Mr COURT: Let me finish this answer. The Opposition said that this Government would make Rottnest a haven for the rich. Rottnest was in a dilapidated condition when we came to government in 1993, and we have restored it and returned it to the people of Western Australia, not to the rich mates of members opposite. If the Opposition wants to talk about how Rottnest is managed, we will hold that debate any day of the week.

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