❓ Opposition questions Premier Carpenter about alleged deals with Brian Burke to secure his position. Carpenter deflects, attacks the opposition's leadership and integrity, and accuses them of spreading lies.
AnsweredQoN 764Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PREMIER - DISCUSSIONS WITH BRIAN BURKE
Mr Speaker, before I ask my question, I take this opportunity to congratulate Brendan Nelson on being elected Leader of the Opposition and Julie Bishop on being elected Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the federal Parliament. I refer the Premier to his constant denials in this house that any deals were done with Brian Burke to secure his ascension to the position of Premier. (1) Is it the case that in the days and hours leading up to the vote on who would become Premier, the Premier spoke to Norm Marlborough numerous times, including when the Premier was in London? (2) What did the Premier discuss with Mr Marlborough in these conversations? (3) Is it the case that Norm Marlborough told the Premier that the influence of Brian Burke was right behind him in his push to become Premier? (4) Was the Premier aware that Norm Marlborough was simply acting as the conduit for Brian Burke? Mr A.J. CARPENTER
Mr Speaker, before I ask my question, I take this opportunity to congratulate Brendan Nelson on being elected Leader of the Opposition and Julie Bishop on being elected Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the federal Parliament. I refer the Premier to his constant denials in this house that any deals were done with Brian Burke to secure his ascension to the position of Premier. (1) Is it the case that in the days and hours leading up to the vote on who would become Premier, the Premier spoke to Norm Marlborough numerous times, including when the Premier was in London? (2) What did the Premier discuss with Mr Marlborough in these conversations? (3) Is it the case that Norm Marlborough told the Premier that the influence of Brian Burke was right behind him in his push to become Premier? (4) Was the Premier aware that Norm Marlborough was simply acting as the conduit for Brian Burke? Mr A.J. CARPENTER
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question. I also offer my congratulations to Julie Bishop who, as a Western Australian, has got to that deputy Liberal leadership position, to all the members of the Rudd cabinet, including those Western Australians and, of course, to Brendan Nelson, a former member of the Labor Party and union boss who is now leader of the federal Liberal Party. The upside-down nature of the political world never ceases to amaze me. There we go. Last week we were told civilisation was under threat because all these former union officials would be coming into the federal Labor Party government. They won, endorsed by the community - Mr G. Snook : Their day is coming. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It certainly is. Lo and behold, the new federal parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party is a former member of the Labor Party and union boss. Maybe it is just consistent with being in opposition, I do not know. (1)-(4) What has been happening in the past few weeks? It has been quite interesting. What happened last night in the upper house of this Parliament? A claim was made by a member in the upper house, Shelley Archer, that I had phoned Brian Burke seeking his support and that she knew that because she was a witness to the conversation - she was in the house with Brian Burke when the conversation took place. Today, she says that was not true - she was not there and nothing like that happened. I do not know from where the opposition is getting this line of information, but I suspect it is coming from the same source. I feel sorry for Norm Marlborough, because he, Shelley Archer and others have basically had their political lives and, to some extent, their lives destroyed by their involvement with Brian Burke. That is the truth of it and I warned them all. Mr M.J. Birney : Did you warn yourself? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes. I did not have to warn myself because, member for Kalgoorlie, I had watched and had seen what had happened for a long time. I warned them all to stay away from Brian Burke. Mr M.J. Birney : You had an army of go-betweens between you and Burkie. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The only little go-between I am familiar with is the 14-year-old boy in the 1971 movie starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie. That is the go-between I am familiar with. By the way, it is a great film; it is a beautiful little story. What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
I refer the Premier to his constant denials in this house that any deals were done with Brian Burke to secure his ascension to the position of Premier. (1) Is it the case that in the days and hours leading up to the vote on who would become Premier, the Premier spoke to Norm Marlborough numerous times, including when the Premier was in London? (2) What did the Premier discuss with Mr Marlborough in these conversations? (3) Is it the case that Norm Marlborough told the Premier that the influence of Brian Burke was right behind him in his push to become Premier? (4) Was the Premier aware that Norm Marlborough was simply acting as the conduit for Brian Burke? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for the question. I also offer my congratulations to Julie Bishop who, as a Western Australian, has got to that deputy Liberal leadership position, to all the members of the Rudd cabinet, including those Western Australians and, of course, to Brendan Nelson, a former member of the Labor Party and union boss who is now leader of the federal Liberal Party. The upside-down nature of the political world never ceases to amaze me. There we go. Last week we were told civilisation was under threat because all these former union officials would be coming into the federal Labor Party government. They won, endorsed by the community - Mr G. Snook : Their day is coming. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It certainly is. Lo and behold, the new federal parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party is a former member of the Labor Party and union boss. Maybe it is just consistent with being in opposition, I do not know. (1)-(4) What has been happening in the past few weeks? It has been quite interesting. What happened last night in the upper house of this Parliament? A claim was made by a member in the upper house, Shelley Archer, that I had phoned Brian Burke seeking his support and that she knew that because she was a witness to the conversation - she was in the house with Brian Burke when the conversation took place. Today, she says that was not true - she was not there and nothing like that happened. I do not know from where the opposition is getting this line of information, but I suspect it is coming from the same source. I feel sorry for Norm Marlborough, because he, Shelley Archer and others have basically had their political lives and, to some extent, their lives destroyed by their involvement with Brian Burke. That is the truth of it and I warned them all. Mr M.J. Birney : Did you warn yourself? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes. I did not have to warn myself because, member for Kalgoorlie, I had watched and had seen what had happened for a long time. I warned them all to stay away from Brian Burke. Mr M.J. Birney : You had an army of go-betweens between you and Burkie. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The only little go-between I am familiar with is the 14-year-old boy in the 1971 movie starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie. That is the go-between I am familiar with. By the way, it is a great film; it is a beautiful little story. What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
(1) Is it the case that in the days and hours leading up to the vote on who would become Premier, the Premier spoke to Norm Marlborough numerous times, including when the Premier was in London? (2) What did the Premier discuss with Mr Marlborough in these conversations? (3) Is it the case that Norm Marlborough told the Premier that the influence of Brian Burke was right behind him in his push to become Premier? (4) Was the Premier aware that Norm Marlborough was simply acting as the conduit for Brian Burke? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for the question. I also offer my congratulations to Julie Bishop who, as a Western Australian, has got to that deputy Liberal leadership position, to all the members of the Rudd cabinet, including those Western Australians and, of course, to Brendan Nelson, a former member of the Labor Party and union boss who is now leader of the federal Liberal Party. The upside-down nature of the political world never ceases to amaze me. There we go. Last week we were told civilisation was under threat because all these former union officials would be coming into the federal Labor Party government. They won, endorsed by the community - Mr G. Snook : Their day is coming. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It certainly is. Lo and behold, the new federal parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party is a former member of the Labor Party and union boss. Maybe it is just consistent with being in opposition, I do not know. (1)-(4) What has been happening in the past few weeks? It has been quite interesting. What happened last night in the upper house of this Parliament? A claim was made by a member in the upper house, Shelley Archer, that I had phoned Brian Burke seeking his support and that she knew that because she was a witness to the conversation - she was in the house with Brian Burke when the conversation took place. Today, she says that was not true - she was not there and nothing like that happened. I do not know from where the opposition is getting this line of information, but I suspect it is coming from the same source. I feel sorry for Norm Marlborough, because he, Shelley Archer and others have basically had their political lives and, to some extent, their lives destroyed by their involvement with Brian Burke. That is the truth of it and I warned them all. Mr M.J. Birney : Did you warn yourself? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes. I did not have to warn myself because, member for Kalgoorlie, I had watched and had seen what had happened for a long time. I warned them all to stay away from Brian Burke. Mr M.J. Birney : You had an army of go-betweens between you and Burkie. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The only little go-between I am familiar with is the 14-year-old boy in the 1971 movie starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie. That is the go-between I am familiar with. By the way, it is a great film; it is a beautiful little story. What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
(2) What did the Premier discuss with Mr Marlborough in these conversations? (3) Is it the case that Norm Marlborough told the Premier that the influence of Brian Burke was right behind him in his push to become Premier? (4) Was the Premier aware that Norm Marlborough was simply acting as the conduit for Brian Burke? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for the question. I also offer my congratulations to Julie Bishop who, as a Western Australian, has got to that deputy Liberal leadership position, to all the members of the Rudd cabinet, including those Western Australians and, of course, to Brendan Nelson, a former member of the Labor Party and union boss who is now leader of the federal Liberal Party. The upside-down nature of the political world never ceases to amaze me. There we go. Last week we were told civilisation was under threat because all these former union officials would be coming into the federal Labor Party government. They won, endorsed by the community - Mr G. Snook : Their day is coming. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It certainly is. Lo and behold, the new federal parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party is a former member of the Labor Party and union boss. Maybe it is just consistent with being in opposition, I do not know. (1)-(4) What has been happening in the past few weeks? It has been quite interesting. What happened last night in the upper house of this Parliament? A claim was made by a member in the upper house, Shelley Archer, that I had phoned Brian Burke seeking his support and that she knew that because she was a witness to the conversation - she was in the house with Brian Burke when the conversation took place. Today, she says that was not true - she was not there and nothing like that happened. I do not know from where the opposition is getting this line of information, but I suspect it is coming from the same source. I feel sorry for Norm Marlborough, because he, Shelley Archer and others have basically had their political lives and, to some extent, their lives destroyed by their involvement with Brian Burke. That is the truth of it and I warned them all. Mr M.J. Birney : Did you warn yourself? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes. I did not have to warn myself because, member for Kalgoorlie, I had watched and had seen what had happened for a long time. I warned them all to stay away from Brian Burke. Mr M.J. Birney : You had an army of go-betweens between you and Burkie. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The only little go-between I am familiar with is the 14-year-old boy in the 1971 movie starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie. That is the go-between I am familiar with. By the way, it is a great film; it is a beautiful little story. What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
(3) Is it the case that Norm Marlborough told the Premier that the influence of Brian Burke was right behind him in his push to become Premier? (4) Was the Premier aware that Norm Marlborough was simply acting as the conduit for Brian Burke? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for the question. I also offer my congratulations to Julie Bishop who, as a Western Australian, has got to that deputy Liberal leadership position, to all the members of the Rudd cabinet, including those Western Australians and, of course, to Brendan Nelson, a former member of the Labor Party and union boss who is now leader of the federal Liberal Party. The upside-down nature of the political world never ceases to amaze me. There we go. Last week we were told civilisation was under threat because all these former union officials would be coming into the federal Labor Party government. They won, endorsed by the community - Mr G. Snook : Their day is coming. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It certainly is. Lo and behold, the new federal parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party is a former member of the Labor Party and union boss. Maybe it is just consistent with being in opposition, I do not know. (1)-(4) What has been happening in the past few weeks? It has been quite interesting. What happened last night in the upper house of this Parliament? A claim was made by a member in the upper house, Shelley Archer, that I had phoned Brian Burke seeking his support and that she knew that because she was a witness to the conversation - she was in the house with Brian Burke when the conversation took place. Today, she says that was not true - she was not there and nothing like that happened. I do not know from where the opposition is getting this line of information, but I suspect it is coming from the same source. I feel sorry for Norm Marlborough, because he, Shelley Archer and others have basically had their political lives and, to some extent, their lives destroyed by their involvement with Brian Burke. That is the truth of it and I warned them all. Mr M.J. Birney : Did you warn yourself? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes. I did not have to warn myself because, member for Kalgoorlie, I had watched and had seen what had happened for a long time. I warned them all to stay away from Brian Burke. Mr M.J. Birney : You had an army of go-betweens between you and Burkie. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The only little go-between I am familiar with is the 14-year-old boy in the 1971 movie starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie. That is the go-between I am familiar with. By the way, it is a great film; it is a beautiful little story. What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
(4) Was the Premier aware that Norm Marlborough was simply acting as the conduit for Brian Burke? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for the question. I also offer my congratulations to Julie Bishop who, as a Western Australian, has got to that deputy Liberal leadership position, to all the members of the Rudd cabinet, including those Western Australians and, of course, to Brendan Nelson, a former member of the Labor Party and union boss who is now leader of the federal Liberal Party. The upside-down nature of the political world never ceases to amaze me. There we go. Last week we were told civilisation was under threat because all these former union officials would be coming into the federal Labor Party government. They won, endorsed by the community - Mr G. Snook : Their day is coming. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It certainly is. Lo and behold, the new federal parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party is a former member of the Labor Party and union boss. Maybe it is just consistent with being in opposition, I do not know. (1)-(4) What has been happening in the past few weeks? It has been quite interesting. What happened last night in the upper house of this Parliament? A claim was made by a member in the upper house, Shelley Archer, that I had phoned Brian Burke seeking his support and that she knew that because she was a witness to the conversation - she was in the house with Brian Burke when the conversation took place. Today, she says that was not true - she was not there and nothing like that happened. I do not know from where the opposition is getting this line of information, but I suspect it is coming from the same source. I feel sorry for Norm Marlborough, because he, Shelley Archer and others have basically had their political lives and, to some extent, their lives destroyed by their involvement with Brian Burke. That is the truth of it and I warned them all. Mr M.J. Birney : Did you warn yourself? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes. I did not have to warn myself because, member for Kalgoorlie, I had watched and had seen what had happened for a long time. I warned them all to stay away from Brian Burke. Mr M.J. Birney : You had an army of go-betweens between you and Burkie. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The only little go-between I am familiar with is the 14-year-old boy in the 1971 movie starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie. That is the go-between I am familiar with. By the way, it is a great film; it is a beautiful little story. What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for the question. I also offer my congratulations to Julie Bishop who, as a Western Australian, has got to that deputy Liberal leadership position, to all the members of the Rudd cabinet, including those Western Australians and, of course, to Brendan Nelson, a former member of the Labor Party and union boss who is now leader of the federal Liberal Party. The upside-down nature of the political world never ceases to amaze me. There we go. Last week we were told civilisation was under threat because all these former union officials would be coming into the federal Labor Party government. They won, endorsed by the community - Mr G. Snook : Their day is coming. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It certainly is. Lo and behold, the new federal parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party is a former member of the Labor Party and union boss. Maybe it is just consistent with being in opposition, I do not know. (1)-(4) What has been happening in the past few weeks? It has been quite interesting. What happened last night in the upper house of this Parliament? A claim was made by a member in the upper house, Shelley Archer, that I had phoned Brian Burke seeking his support and that she knew that because she was a witness to the conversation - she was in the house with Brian Burke when the conversation took place. Today, she says that was not true - she was not there and nothing like that happened. I do not know from where the opposition is getting this line of information, but I suspect it is coming from the same source. I feel sorry for Norm Marlborough, because he, Shelley Archer and others have basically had their political lives and, to some extent, their lives destroyed by their involvement with Brian Burke. That is the truth of it and I warned them all. Mr M.J. Birney : Did you warn yourself? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes. I did not have to warn myself because, member for Kalgoorlie, I had watched and had seen what had happened for a long time. I warned them all to stay away from Brian Burke. Mr M.J. Birney : You had an army of go-betweens between you and Burkie. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The only little go-between I am familiar with is the 14-year-old boy in the 1971 movie starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie. That is the go-between I am familiar with. By the way, it is a great film; it is a beautiful little story. What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
I thank the member for the question. I also offer my congratulations to Julie Bishop who, as a Western Australian, has got to that deputy Liberal leadership position, to all the members of the Rudd cabinet, including those Western Australians and, of course, to Brendan Nelson, a former member of the Labor Party and union boss who is now leader of the federal Liberal Party. The upside-down nature of the political world never ceases to amaze me. There we go. Last week we were told civilisation was under threat because all these former union officials would be coming into the federal Labor Party government. They won, endorsed by the community - Mr G. Snook : Their day is coming. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It certainly is. Lo and behold, the new federal parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party is a former member of the Labor Party and union boss. Maybe it is just consistent with being in opposition, I do not know. (1)-(4) What has been happening in the past few weeks? It has been quite interesting. What happened last night in the upper house of this Parliament? A claim was made by a member in the upper house, Shelley Archer, that I had phoned Brian Burke seeking his support and that she knew that because she was a witness to the conversation - she was in the house with Brian Burke when the conversation took place. Today, she says that was not true - she was not there and nothing like that happened. I do not know from where the opposition is getting this line of information, but I suspect it is coming from the same source. I feel sorry for Norm Marlborough, because he, Shelley Archer and others have basically had their political lives and, to some extent, their lives destroyed by their involvement with Brian Burke. That is the truth of it and I warned them all. Mr M.J. Birney : Did you warn yourself? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes. I did not have to warn myself because, member for Kalgoorlie, I had watched and had seen what had happened for a long time. I warned them all to stay away from Brian Burke. Mr M.J. Birney : You had an army of go-betweens between you and Burkie. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The only little go-between I am familiar with is the 14-year-old boy in the 1971 movie starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie. That is the go-between I am familiar with. By the way, it is a great film; it is a beautiful little story. What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr G. Snook : Their day is coming. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It certainly is. Lo and behold, the new federal parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party is a former member of the Labor Party and union boss. Maybe it is just consistent with being in opposition, I do not know. (1)-(4) What has been happening in the past few weeks? It has been quite interesting. What happened last night in the upper house of this Parliament? A claim was made by a member in the upper house, Shelley Archer, that I had phoned Brian Burke seeking his support and that she knew that because she was a witness to the conversation - she was in the house with Brian Burke when the conversation took place. Today, she says that was not true - she was not there and nothing like that happened. I do not know from where the opposition is getting this line of information, but I suspect it is coming from the same source. I feel sorry for Norm Marlborough, because he, Shelley Archer and others have basically had their political lives and, to some extent, their lives destroyed by their involvement with Brian Burke. That is the truth of it and I warned them all. Mr M.J. Birney : Did you warn yourself? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes. I did not have to warn myself because, member for Kalgoorlie, I had watched and had seen what had happened for a long time. I warned them all to stay away from Brian Burke. Mr M.J. Birney : You had an army of go-betweens between you and Burkie. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The only little go-between I am familiar with is the 14-year-old boy in the 1971 movie starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie. That is the go-between I am familiar with. By the way, it is a great film; it is a beautiful little story. What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It certainly is. Lo and behold, the new federal parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party is a former member of the Labor Party and union boss. Maybe it is just consistent with being in opposition, I do not know. (1)-(4) What has been happening in the past few weeks? It has been quite interesting. What happened last night in the upper house of this Parliament? A claim was made by a member in the upper house, Shelley Archer, that I had phoned Brian Burke seeking his support and that she knew that because she was a witness to the conversation - she was in the house with Brian Burke when the conversation took place. Today, she says that was not true - she was not there and nothing like that happened. I do not know from where the opposition is getting this line of information, but I suspect it is coming from the same source. I feel sorry for Norm Marlborough, because he, Shelley Archer and others have basically had their political lives and, to some extent, their lives destroyed by their involvement with Brian Burke. That is the truth of it and I warned them all. Mr M.J. Birney : Did you warn yourself? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes. I did not have to warn myself because, member for Kalgoorlie, I had watched and had seen what had happened for a long time. I warned them all to stay away from Brian Burke. Mr M.J. Birney : You had an army of go-betweens between you and Burkie. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The only little go-between I am familiar with is the 14-year-old boy in the 1971 movie starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie. That is the go-between I am familiar with. By the way, it is a great film; it is a beautiful little story. What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
(1)-(4) What has been happening in the past few weeks? It has been quite interesting. What happened last night in the upper house of this Parliament? A claim was made by a member in the upper house, Shelley Archer, that I had phoned Brian Burke seeking his support and that she knew that because she was a witness to the conversation - she was in the house with Brian Burke when the conversation took place. Today, she says that was not true - she was not there and nothing like that happened. I do not know from where the opposition is getting this line of information, but I suspect it is coming from the same source. I feel sorry for Norm Marlborough, because he, Shelley Archer and others have basically had their political lives and, to some extent, their lives destroyed by their involvement with Brian Burke. That is the truth of it and I warned them all. Mr M.J. Birney : Did you warn yourself? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes. I did not have to warn myself because, member for Kalgoorlie, I had watched and had seen what had happened for a long time. I warned them all to stay away from Brian Burke. Mr M.J. Birney : You had an army of go-betweens between you and Burkie. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The only little go-between I am familiar with is the 14-year-old boy in the 1971 movie starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie. That is the go-between I am familiar with. By the way, it is a great film; it is a beautiful little story. What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr M.J. Birney : Did you warn yourself? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes. I did not have to warn myself because, member for Kalgoorlie, I had watched and had seen what had happened for a long time. I warned them all to stay away from Brian Burke. Mr M.J. Birney : You had an army of go-betweens between you and Burkie. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The only little go-between I am familiar with is the 14-year-old boy in the 1971 movie starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie. That is the go-between I am familiar with. By the way, it is a great film; it is a beautiful little story. What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes. I did not have to warn myself because, member for Kalgoorlie, I had watched and had seen what had happened for a long time. I warned them all to stay away from Brian Burke. Mr M.J. Birney : You had an army of go-betweens between you and Burkie. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The only little go-between I am familiar with is the 14-year-old boy in the 1971 movie starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie. That is the go-between I am familiar with. By the way, it is a great film; it is a beautiful little story. What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr M.J. Birney : You had an army of go-betweens between you and Burkie. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The only little go-between I am familiar with is the 14-year-old boy in the 1971 movie starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie. That is the go-between I am familiar with. By the way, it is a great film; it is a beautiful little story. What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The only little go-between I am familiar with is the 14-year-old boy in the 1971 movie starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie. That is the go-between I am familiar with. By the way, it is a great film; it is a beautiful little story. What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
I refer the Premier to his constant denials in this house that any deals were done with Brian Burke to secure his ascension to the position of Premier. (1) Is it the case that in the days and hours leading up to the vote on who would become Premier, the Premier spoke to Norm Marlborough numerous times, including when the Premier was in London? (2) What did the Premier discuss with Mr Marlborough in these conversations? (3) Is it the case that Norm Marlborough told the Premier that the influence of Brian Burke was right behind him in his push to become Premier? (4) Was the Premier aware that Norm Marlborough was simply acting as the conduit for Brian Burke? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for the question. I also offer my congratulations to Julie Bishop who, as a Western Australian, has got to that deputy Liberal leadership position, to all the members of the Rudd cabinet, including those Western Australians and, of course, to Brendan Nelson, a former member of the Labor Party and union boss who is now leader of the federal Liberal Party. The upside-down nature of the political world never ceases to amaze me. There we go. Last week we were told civilisation was under threat because all these former union officials would be coming into the federal Labor Party government. They won, endorsed by the community - Mr G. Snook : Their day is coming. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It certainly is. Lo and behold, the new federal parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party is a former member of the Labor Party and union boss. Maybe it is just consistent with being in opposition, I do not know. (1)-(4) What has been happening in the past few weeks? It has been quite interesting. What happened last night in the upper house of this Parliament? A claim was made by a member in the upper house, Shelley Archer, that I had phoned Brian Burke seeking his support and that she knew that because she was a witness to the conversation - she was in the house with Brian Burke when the conversation took place. Today, she says that was not true - she was not there and nothing like that happened. I do not know from where the opposition is getting this line of information, but I suspect it is coming from the same source. I feel sorry for Norm Marlborough, because he, Shelley Archer and others have basically had their political lives and, to some extent, their lives destroyed by their involvement with Brian Burke. That is the truth of it and I warned them all. Mr M.J. Birney : Did you warn yourself? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes. I did not have to warn myself because, member for Kalgoorlie, I had watched and had seen what had happened for a long time. I warned them all to stay away from Brian Burke. Mr M.J. Birney : You had an army of go-betweens between you and Burkie. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The only little go-between I am familiar with is the 14-year-old boy in the 1971 movie starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie. That is the go-between I am familiar with. By the way, it is a great film; it is a beautiful little story. What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
(1) Is it the case that in the days and hours leading up to the vote on who would become Premier, the Premier spoke to Norm Marlborough numerous times, including when the Premier was in London? (2) What did the Premier discuss with Mr Marlborough in these conversations? (3) Is it the case that Norm Marlborough told the Premier that the influence of Brian Burke was right behind him in his push to become Premier? (4) Was the Premier aware that Norm Marlborough was simply acting as the conduit for Brian Burke? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for the question. I also offer my congratulations to Julie Bishop who, as a Western Australian, has got to that deputy Liberal leadership position, to all the members of the Rudd cabinet, including those Western Australians and, of course, to Brendan Nelson, a former member of the Labor Party and union boss who is now leader of the federal Liberal Party. The upside-down nature of the political world never ceases to amaze me. There we go. Last week we were told civilisation was under threat because all these former union officials would be coming into the federal Labor Party government. They won, endorsed by the community - Mr G. Snook : Their day is coming. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It certainly is. Lo and behold, the new federal parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party is a former member of the Labor Party and union boss. Maybe it is just consistent with being in opposition, I do not know. (1)-(4) What has been happening in the past few weeks? It has been quite interesting. What happened last night in the upper house of this Parliament? A claim was made by a member in the upper house, Shelley Archer, that I had phoned Brian Burke seeking his support and that she knew that because she was a witness to the conversation - she was in the house with Brian Burke when the conversation took place. Today, she says that was not true - she was not there and nothing like that happened. I do not know from where the opposition is getting this line of information, but I suspect it is coming from the same source. I feel sorry for Norm Marlborough, because he, Shelley Archer and others have basically had their political lives and, to some extent, their lives destroyed by their involvement with Brian Burke. That is the truth of it and I warned them all. Mr M.J. Birney : Did you warn yourself? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes. I did not have to warn myself because, member for Kalgoorlie, I had watched and had seen what had happened for a long time. I warned them all to stay away from Brian Burke. Mr M.J. Birney : You had an army of go-betweens between you and Burkie. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The only little go-between I am familiar with is the 14-year-old boy in the 1971 movie starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie. That is the go-between I am familiar with. By the way, it is a great film; it is a beautiful little story. What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
(2) What did the Premier discuss with Mr Marlborough in these conversations? (3) Is it the case that Norm Marlborough told the Premier that the influence of Brian Burke was right behind him in his push to become Premier? (4) Was the Premier aware that Norm Marlborough was simply acting as the conduit for Brian Burke? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for the question. I also offer my congratulations to Julie Bishop who, as a Western Australian, has got to that deputy Liberal leadership position, to all the members of the Rudd cabinet, including those Western Australians and, of course, to Brendan Nelson, a former member of the Labor Party and union boss who is now leader of the federal Liberal Party. The upside-down nature of the political world never ceases to amaze me. There we go. Last week we were told civilisation was under threat because all these former union officials would be coming into the federal Labor Party government. They won, endorsed by the community - Mr G. Snook : Their day is coming. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It certainly is. Lo and behold, the new federal parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party is a former member of the Labor Party and union boss. Maybe it is just consistent with being in opposition, I do not know. (1)-(4) What has been happening in the past few weeks? It has been quite interesting. What happened last night in the upper house of this Parliament? A claim was made by a member in the upper house, Shelley Archer, that I had phoned Brian Burke seeking his support and that she knew that because she was a witness to the conversation - she was in the house with Brian Burke when the conversation took place. Today, she says that was not true - she was not there and nothing like that happened. I do not know from where the opposition is getting this line of information, but I suspect it is coming from the same source. I feel sorry for Norm Marlborough, because he, Shelley Archer and others have basically had their political lives and, to some extent, their lives destroyed by their involvement with Brian Burke. That is the truth of it and I warned them all. Mr M.J. Birney : Did you warn yourself? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes. I did not have to warn myself because, member for Kalgoorlie, I had watched and had seen what had happened for a long time. I warned them all to stay away from Brian Burke. Mr M.J. Birney : You had an army of go-betweens between you and Burkie. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The only little go-between I am familiar with is the 14-year-old boy in the 1971 movie starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie. That is the go-between I am familiar with. By the way, it is a great film; it is a beautiful little story. What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
(3) Is it the case that Norm Marlborough told the Premier that the influence of Brian Burke was right behind him in his push to become Premier? (4) Was the Premier aware that Norm Marlborough was simply acting as the conduit for Brian Burke? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for the question. I also offer my congratulations to Julie Bishop who, as a Western Australian, has got to that deputy Liberal leadership position, to all the members of the Rudd cabinet, including those Western Australians and, of course, to Brendan Nelson, a former member of the Labor Party and union boss who is now leader of the federal Liberal Party. The upside-down nature of the political world never ceases to amaze me. There we go. Last week we were told civilisation was under threat because all these former union officials would be coming into the federal Labor Party government. They won, endorsed by the community - Mr G. Snook : Their day is coming. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It certainly is. Lo and behold, the new federal parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party is a former member of the Labor Party and union boss. Maybe it is just consistent with being in opposition, I do not know. (1)-(4) What has been happening in the past few weeks? It has been quite interesting. What happened last night in the upper house of this Parliament? A claim was made by a member in the upper house, Shelley Archer, that I had phoned Brian Burke seeking his support and that she knew that because she was a witness to the conversation - she was in the house with Brian Burke when the conversation took place. Today, she says that was not true - she was not there and nothing like that happened. I do not know from where the opposition is getting this line of information, but I suspect it is coming from the same source. I feel sorry for Norm Marlborough, because he, Shelley Archer and others have basically had their political lives and, to some extent, their lives destroyed by their involvement with Brian Burke. That is the truth of it and I warned them all. Mr M.J. Birney : Did you warn yourself? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes. I did not have to warn myself because, member for Kalgoorlie, I had watched and had seen what had happened for a long time. I warned them all to stay away from Brian Burke. Mr M.J. Birney : You had an army of go-betweens between you and Burkie. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The only little go-between I am familiar with is the 14-year-old boy in the 1971 movie starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie. That is the go-between I am familiar with. By the way, it is a great film; it is a beautiful little story. What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
(4) Was the Premier aware that Norm Marlborough was simply acting as the conduit for Brian Burke? Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for the question. I also offer my congratulations to Julie Bishop who, as a Western Australian, has got to that deputy Liberal leadership position, to all the members of the Rudd cabinet, including those Western Australians and, of course, to Brendan Nelson, a former member of the Labor Party and union boss who is now leader of the federal Liberal Party. The upside-down nature of the political world never ceases to amaze me. There we go. Last week we were told civilisation was under threat because all these former union officials would be coming into the federal Labor Party government. They won, endorsed by the community - Mr G. Snook : Their day is coming. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It certainly is. Lo and behold, the new federal parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party is a former member of the Labor Party and union boss. Maybe it is just consistent with being in opposition, I do not know. (1)-(4) What has been happening in the past few weeks? It has been quite interesting. What happened last night in the upper house of this Parliament? A claim was made by a member in the upper house, Shelley Archer, that I had phoned Brian Burke seeking his support and that she knew that because she was a witness to the conversation - she was in the house with Brian Burke when the conversation took place. Today, she says that was not true - she was not there and nothing like that happened. I do not know from where the opposition is getting this line of information, but I suspect it is coming from the same source. I feel sorry for Norm Marlborough, because he, Shelley Archer and others have basically had their political lives and, to some extent, their lives destroyed by their involvement with Brian Burke. That is the truth of it and I warned them all. Mr M.J. Birney : Did you warn yourself? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes. I did not have to warn myself because, member for Kalgoorlie, I had watched and had seen what had happened for a long time. I warned them all to stay away from Brian Burke. Mr M.J. Birney : You had an army of go-betweens between you and Burkie. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The only little go-between I am familiar with is the 14-year-old boy in the 1971 movie starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie. That is the go-between I am familiar with. By the way, it is a great film; it is a beautiful little story. What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER replied: I thank the member for the question. I also offer my congratulations to Julie Bishop who, as a Western Australian, has got to that deputy Liberal leadership position, to all the members of the Rudd cabinet, including those Western Australians and, of course, to Brendan Nelson, a former member of the Labor Party and union boss who is now leader of the federal Liberal Party. The upside-down nature of the political world never ceases to amaze me. There we go. Last week we were told civilisation was under threat because all these former union officials would be coming into the federal Labor Party government. They won, endorsed by the community - Mr G. Snook : Their day is coming. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It certainly is. Lo and behold, the new federal parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party is a former member of the Labor Party and union boss. Maybe it is just consistent with being in opposition, I do not know. (1)-(4) What has been happening in the past few weeks? It has been quite interesting. What happened last night in the upper house of this Parliament? A claim was made by a member in the upper house, Shelley Archer, that I had phoned Brian Burke seeking his support and that she knew that because she was a witness to the conversation - she was in the house with Brian Burke when the conversation took place. Today, she says that was not true - she was not there and nothing like that happened. I do not know from where the opposition is getting this line of information, but I suspect it is coming from the same source. I feel sorry for Norm Marlborough, because he, Shelley Archer and others have basically had their political lives and, to some extent, their lives destroyed by their involvement with Brian Burke. That is the truth of it and I warned them all. Mr M.J. Birney : Did you warn yourself? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes. I did not have to warn myself because, member for Kalgoorlie, I had watched and had seen what had happened for a long time. I warned them all to stay away from Brian Burke. Mr M.J. Birney : You had an army of go-betweens between you and Burkie. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The only little go-between I am familiar with is the 14-year-old boy in the 1971 movie starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie. That is the go-between I am familiar with. By the way, it is a great film; it is a beautiful little story. What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
I thank the member for the question. I also offer my congratulations to Julie Bishop who, as a Western Australian, has got to that deputy Liberal leadership position, to all the members of the Rudd cabinet, including those Western Australians and, of course, to Brendan Nelson, a former member of the Labor Party and union boss who is now leader of the federal Liberal Party. The upside-down nature of the political world never ceases to amaze me. There we go. Last week we were told civilisation was under threat because all these former union officials would be coming into the federal Labor Party government. They won, endorsed by the community - Mr G. Snook : Their day is coming. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It certainly is. Lo and behold, the new federal parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party is a former member of the Labor Party and union boss. Maybe it is just consistent with being in opposition, I do not know. (1)-(4) What has been happening in the past few weeks? It has been quite interesting. What happened last night in the upper house of this Parliament? A claim was made by a member in the upper house, Shelley Archer, that I had phoned Brian Burke seeking his support and that she knew that because she was a witness to the conversation - she was in the house with Brian Burke when the conversation took place. Today, she says that was not true - she was not there and nothing like that happened. I do not know from where the opposition is getting this line of information, but I suspect it is coming from the same source. I feel sorry for Norm Marlborough, because he, Shelley Archer and others have basically had their political lives and, to some extent, their lives destroyed by their involvement with Brian Burke. That is the truth of it and I warned them all. Mr M.J. Birney : Did you warn yourself? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes. I did not have to warn myself because, member for Kalgoorlie, I had watched and had seen what had happened for a long time. I warned them all to stay away from Brian Burke. Mr M.J. Birney : You had an army of go-betweens between you and Burkie. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The only little go-between I am familiar with is the 14-year-old boy in the 1971 movie starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie. That is the go-between I am familiar with. By the way, it is a great film; it is a beautiful little story. What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr G. Snook : Their day is coming. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It certainly is. Lo and behold, the new federal parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party is a former member of the Labor Party and union boss. Maybe it is just consistent with being in opposition, I do not know. (1)-(4) What has been happening in the past few weeks? It has been quite interesting. What happened last night in the upper house of this Parliament? A claim was made by a member in the upper house, Shelley Archer, that I had phoned Brian Burke seeking his support and that she knew that because she was a witness to the conversation - she was in the house with Brian Burke when the conversation took place. Today, she says that was not true - she was not there and nothing like that happened. I do not know from where the opposition is getting this line of information, but I suspect it is coming from the same source. I feel sorry for Norm Marlborough, because he, Shelley Archer and others have basically had their political lives and, to some extent, their lives destroyed by their involvement with Brian Burke. That is the truth of it and I warned them all. Mr M.J. Birney : Did you warn yourself? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes. I did not have to warn myself because, member for Kalgoorlie, I had watched and had seen what had happened for a long time. I warned them all to stay away from Brian Burke. Mr M.J. Birney : You had an army of go-betweens between you and Burkie. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The only little go-between I am familiar with is the 14-year-old boy in the 1971 movie starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie. That is the go-between I am familiar with. By the way, it is a great film; it is a beautiful little story. What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : It certainly is. Lo and behold, the new federal parliamentary leader of the Liberal Party is a former member of the Labor Party and union boss. Maybe it is just consistent with being in opposition, I do not know. (1)-(4) What has been happening in the past few weeks? It has been quite interesting. What happened last night in the upper house of this Parliament? A claim was made by a member in the upper house, Shelley Archer, that I had phoned Brian Burke seeking his support and that she knew that because she was a witness to the conversation - she was in the house with Brian Burke when the conversation took place. Today, she says that was not true - she was not there and nothing like that happened. I do not know from where the opposition is getting this line of information, but I suspect it is coming from the same source. I feel sorry for Norm Marlborough, because he, Shelley Archer and others have basically had their political lives and, to some extent, their lives destroyed by their involvement with Brian Burke. That is the truth of it and I warned them all. Mr M.J. Birney : Did you warn yourself? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes. I did not have to warn myself because, member for Kalgoorlie, I had watched and had seen what had happened for a long time. I warned them all to stay away from Brian Burke. Mr M.J. Birney : You had an army of go-betweens between you and Burkie. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The only little go-between I am familiar with is the 14-year-old boy in the 1971 movie starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie. That is the go-between I am familiar with. By the way, it is a great film; it is a beautiful little story. What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
(1)-(4) What has been happening in the past few weeks? It has been quite interesting. What happened last night in the upper house of this Parliament? A claim was made by a member in the upper house, Shelley Archer, that I had phoned Brian Burke seeking his support and that she knew that because she was a witness to the conversation - she was in the house with Brian Burke when the conversation took place. Today, she says that was not true - she was not there and nothing like that happened. I do not know from where the opposition is getting this line of information, but I suspect it is coming from the same source. I feel sorry for Norm Marlborough, because he, Shelley Archer and others have basically had their political lives and, to some extent, their lives destroyed by their involvement with Brian Burke. That is the truth of it and I warned them all. Mr M.J. Birney : Did you warn yourself? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes. I did not have to warn myself because, member for Kalgoorlie, I had watched and had seen what had happened for a long time. I warned them all to stay away from Brian Burke. Mr M.J. Birney : You had an army of go-betweens between you and Burkie. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The only little go-between I am familiar with is the 14-year-old boy in the 1971 movie starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie. That is the go-between I am familiar with. By the way, it is a great film; it is a beautiful little story. What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr M.J. Birney : Did you warn yourself? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes. I did not have to warn myself because, member for Kalgoorlie, I had watched and had seen what had happened for a long time. I warned them all to stay away from Brian Burke. Mr M.J. Birney : You had an army of go-betweens between you and Burkie. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The only little go-between I am familiar with is the 14-year-old boy in the 1971 movie starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie. That is the go-between I am familiar with. By the way, it is a great film; it is a beautiful little story. What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Yes. I did not have to warn myself because, member for Kalgoorlie, I had watched and had seen what had happened for a long time. I warned them all to stay away from Brian Burke. Mr M.J. Birney : You had an army of go-betweens between you and Burkie. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The only little go-between I am familiar with is the 14-year-old boy in the 1971 movie starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie. That is the go-between I am familiar with. By the way, it is a great film; it is a beautiful little story. What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr M.J. Birney : You had an army of go-betweens between you and Burkie. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The only little go-between I am familiar with is the 14-year-old boy in the 1971 movie starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie. That is the go-between I am familiar with. By the way, it is a great film; it is a beautiful little story. What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : The only little go-between I am familiar with is the 14-year-old boy in the 1971 movie starring Alan Bates and Julie Christie. That is the go-between I am familiar with. By the way, it is a great film; it is a beautiful little story. What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
What do we have? In politics in Western Australia today these lies are being told about my leadership and they are being exposed every five minutes as another series of lies. The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
The focus on leadership is on the Leader of the Opposition. I am sorry to say that, but it is on the Leader of the Opposition. Everybody in this chamber and the state of Western Australia knows that the real problem with political leadership in this state lies with the Liberal Party. Look at the front bench opposite, all walking around trying to avoid eyes and whispering in the corridors. The member for Warren-Blackwood spoke on the radio today and nominated them all. He nominated his deputy and nominated the member for Kalgoorlie and dared them and challenged them to bring it on. “I’ll take them all on”, he said - one, two; one, two. He said he would drop the lot of them. For those who did not hear it yesterday, he said that anybody who dared to challenge him he would punch in the head. That is where we have got to in politics in Western Australia. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : He has nominated a couple and there is one sitting right next to him. His right arm is free - have a swing. Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr P.D. Omodei : I would love to go a couple of rounds - Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I know. I am pretty sure he could handle him. What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
What is going to happen? Is anybody going to tell the story of what is really happening in politics? I am trying to clean up politics in Western Australia and the opposition is trying to stop me. Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them and you know it. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : What did the member for Warren-Blackwood say? Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr P.D. Omodei : You’re just as crooked as the rest of them. Withdrawal of Remark The SPEAKER : I direct that the Leader of the Opposition withdraw that comment. Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr P.D. OMODEI : I withdraw, Mr Speaker. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : Member for Warren-Blackwood, there is an Italian saying: “Il gobbo piu diritto d’Italia”. Does the member know what that means? Point of Order Mr A.D. McRAE : The member for Murdoch said, “Yes, but it’s true.” He was repeating what already has been deemed unparliamentary and he should also be made to withdraw. The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
The SPEAKER : I did not hear that utterance; therefore, I will not take any further action. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr A.J. CARPENTER : An allegation was made about me last night in the upper house of state Parliament. When the allegation was put to me, I said it was a lie. It is a lie, and perhaps Hon Shelley Archer had forgotten, as she seemed to forget the previous time, that the Corruption and Crime Commission had been tapping Brian Burke’s phone conversations and would have on record any such conversation that took place. What do we hear today, “Whoops, it didn’t happen”, she said, and so we get the next lot of lies, which is that I used go-betweens. Poor old Norm Marlborough has been fingered as a go-between. The member for Murchison-Eyre was nominated as a go-between. At least he had the decency to walk outside the Parliament and say, “That’s not true.” The lie was still warm on Shelley Archer’s lips and the person who was nominated went outside and said, “No, that’s not true.” There we go. Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr M.J. Birney : Premier, did you ask Shelley Archer to resign back in March? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No. I asked her to resign from the parliamentary committees, and she did. Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr M.J. Birney : But not from the Labor Party? Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : No, I did not. I remember the arguments we had about that in this place and that the opposition demanded that I ask her to resign from the Labor Party. I explained then why I would not. Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Several members interjected. Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : I honestly did not. Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr J.N. Hyde : Is this the best that they can do? Bring in Benazir Bhutto now! Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr A.J. CARPENTER : We are getting close. Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Consistent with the sort of imagery that the Leader of the Opposition is running, I remember the photograph of him in the newspaper wearing boxing gloves. Behind the Leader of the Opposition on the wall was a picture of Muhammad Ali. That was beautiful. The article suggested that the Leader of the Opposition would punch anyone who challenged him; indeed, when asked about any challengers, the Leader of the Opposition said “Bring them on”. I remember the Rumble in the Jungle. When I saw that picture I thought about the rope-a-dope technique. Poor old George Foreman swung like a threshing machine until his arms got tired. Muhammad Ali kept popping his head out from behind his gloves and asking, “Is that all you got?” I ask the Leader of the Opposition: is that all you got? Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Mr P.D. Omodei : No, I have a supplementary question! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
The SPEAKER : Order, members! I give the call to the Leader of the Opposition.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.