❓ Dr. Honey questions the Premier regarding the Attorney General's alleged failure to wear a mask at a funeral, while the Premier defends the Attorney General, citing human error and atonement through a fine.
AnsweredQoN 55Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
ATTORNEY GENERAL — MASK WEARING
55. Dr D.J. HONEY to the Premier:
Noting reports on the under siege
Attorney General disregarding the government's own public health
mandate by failing to wear a mask in Broome Cathedral earlier this month, I ask:
how is it excusable for the highest law officer in Western Australia to flout
his own government's measures?
55. Dr D.J. HONEY to the Premier:
Noting reports on the under siege
Attorney General disregarding the government's own public health
mandate by failing to wear a mask in Broome Cathedral earlier this month, I ask:
how is it excusable for the highest law officer in Western Australia to flout
his own government's measures?
AnswerView source ↗
I will explain the situation to the
house so that people understand what occurred. The Attorney General went to
Broome and whilst he was there he attended the funeral of a relative, someone
that he had known throughout most of his life or at least the last 45 years. It
was a sad event. When he was outside the church, he was mixing with mourners,
as you do, and was not wearing a mask because it is not required outside a church
because it is outside. At the last moment, he was invited to be a pallbearer.
He had a mask in his pocket but when he took the handle of the coffin, he
inadvertently did not put the mask on. He walked through the church and sat
down. He was advised at some point that he had not put a mask on. He does not
recall it exactly, but he forgot to put his mask on. He is not perfect; I am
not perfect; you are not perfect: people do make mistakes, particularly in a situation
in which they might be teary and quite upset by the circumstances. People out
there do make mistakes. I know that lots of people will do this. I suspect that
if I walk around Parliament at some point in time, I will see people who have
forgotten to put a mask on. Does that mean that there should be a royal
commission into it? I do not think so. What I do think is that we need to do
our best to comply with the rules and the laws. The Attorney General knows that
and we all know that. The Attorney General volunteered to pay a fine, which he
has done, to atone for the mistake he made.
house so that people understand what occurred. The Attorney General went to
Broome and whilst he was there he attended the funeral of a relative, someone
that he had known throughout most of his life or at least the last 45 years. It
was a sad event. When he was outside the church, he was mixing with mourners,
as you do, and was not wearing a mask because it is not required outside a church
because it is outside. At the last moment, he was invited to be a pallbearer.
He had a mask in his pocket but when he took the handle of the coffin, he
inadvertently did not put the mask on. He walked through the church and sat
down. He was advised at some point that he had not put a mask on. He does not
recall it exactly, but he forgot to put his mask on. He is not perfect; I am
not perfect; you are not perfect: people do make mistakes, particularly in a situation
in which they might be teary and quite upset by the circumstances. People out
there do make mistakes. I know that lots of people will do this. I suspect that
if I walk around Parliament at some point in time, I will see people who have
forgotten to put a mask on. Does that mean that there should be a royal
commission into it? I do not think so. What I do think is that we need to do
our best to comply with the rules and the laws. The Attorney General knows that
and we all know that. The Attorney General volunteered to pay a fine, which he
has done, to atone for the mistake he made.
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