Opposition Leader Mark McGowan questions Premier Colin Barnett's apparent indifference to financial mismanagement and accountability issues surrounding the Fiona Stanley Hospital commissioning. The Premier deflects, focusing on commissioning the hospital rather than assigning blame.

AnsweredQoN 15Legislative Assembly
Asked
19 February 2014
Portfolio
Premier

QuestionView source ↗

FIONA STANLEY HOSPITAL COMMISSIONING —
PREMIER'S COMMENTS
15. Mr M. McGOWAN to the
Premier:
I refer to the Premier's response to questions by the
media yesterday about the flawed Fiona Stanley Hospital contract process in
which he said, ''I don't care. I don't care.''
(1) Why does the Premier not care about losing millions of
dollars of taxpayers' money?
(2) Why does he not care about proper processes and
accountability?
(3) Why does
he not care about getting to the bottom of a $400 million financial disaster
for Western Australian taxpayers?

AnswerView source ↗

(1)–(3)
What a perceptive question! It was not a press conference; it was a question
asked by one journalist. I cannot recall the Leader of the Opposition being
there.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members!
Mr B.S. Wyatt : So
are you now denying you said it?
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
just do not recall the Leader of the Opposition being there. Maybe he was
hiding behind the flowerpot or looking out from behind the curtains.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Members! I want to hear the Premier in silence.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
What I said yesterday and what was reported in The West Australian this morning was that I do not care about the
blame game, and I do not. I do not care. I am saying to the Department of
Health, Treasury and every other agency and individual that their job is to get
on and commission that hospital. I do not care about the blame. I do not care
about the history. I do not. I want that hospital commissioned as safely and
quickly as possible.

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