❓ Opposition questions the Premier about the appointment of Geoff Wedgwood to a senior public service role, alleging political favouritism. The Premier denies involvement and defends Wedgwood's capabilities, accusing Labor of past political purges in the public sector.
AnsweredQoN 610Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
GEOFFREY WEDGWOOD 610. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier: I also welcome our distinguished guests here today. I refer to the appointment of Mr Geoff Wedgwood to the Deputy Director General of the Department of State Development position for a five-year period at a cost of more than $1 million. He is a person who was originally appointed to the Premier’s office to secure the Browse and Oakajee projects, which did not happen. (1) Why is the Premier making such a blatant political appointment to a senior public service position just six months out from the next state election? (2) Does the Premier think it is appropriate to appoint to this role someone who was unsuccessful in the priority projects that were allocated to him when he was employed in his office? Mr C.J. BARNETT
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) Does that not tell us a lot about the Labor Party. It tells us an enormous amount about the Labor Party. The first I knew about this appointment was when I read about it in “Inside Cover” this morning. That was the first I knew about it. I had no knowledge that Geoff Wedgwood was an applicant or that he had been appointed to that position and my office had no involvement at all. Any individual is entitled to apply for a job—what is wrong with that? He has not worked for me for a long time. The Leader of the Opposition comes in here and criticises someone—do you know Geoff Wedgwood? Mr M. McGowan : I’ve met him. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition has met him. Does he know him? Has he ever worked with him or does he just take the bias and bigoted approach of the Labor Party? Some members will not remember, but I will remind them. When the former Liberal-National government under Richard Court lost government in 2001 and Labor came in, it basically forced out more than 30 senior public servants—more than 30 were forced out. Many of them had been career lifetime public servants in Health, in electricity—career public servants. They had spent their entire careers there and Labor forced them out. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can name them. I tell you what; I will get a list before question time is over and read out who they were. I can think of some—Alan Bansemer, David Eiszele and others. I will get the whole list. If the opposition wants them, I will get the whole list. They were career public servants. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The wall of noise on both sides! Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
610. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier: I also welcome our distinguished guests here today. I refer to the appointment of Mr Geoff Wedgwood to the Deputy Director General of the Department of State Development position for a five-year period at a cost of more than $1 million. He is a person who was originally appointed to the Premier’s office to secure the Browse and Oakajee projects, which did not happen. (1) Why is the Premier making such a blatant political appointment to a senior public service position just six months out from the next state election? (2) Does the Premier think it is appropriate to appoint to this role someone who was unsuccessful in the priority projects that were allocated to him when he was employed in his office? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(2) Does that not tell us a lot about the Labor Party. It tells us an enormous amount about the Labor Party. The first I knew about this appointment was when I read about it in “Inside Cover” this morning. That was the first I knew about it. I had no knowledge that Geoff Wedgwood was an applicant or that he had been appointed to that position and my office had no involvement at all. Any individual is entitled to apply for a job—what is wrong with that? He has not worked for me for a long time. The Leader of the Opposition comes in here and criticises someone—do you know Geoff Wedgwood? Mr M. McGowan : I’ve met him. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition has met him. Does he know him? Has he ever worked with him or does he just take the bias and bigoted approach of the Labor Party? Some members will not remember, but I will remind them. When the former Liberal-National government under Richard Court lost government in 2001 and Labor came in, it basically forced out more than 30 senior public servants—more than 30 were forced out. Many of them had been career lifetime public servants in Health, in electricity—career public servants. They had spent their entire careers there and Labor forced them out. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can name them. I tell you what; I will get a list before question time is over and read out who they were. I can think of some—Alan Bansemer, David Eiszele and others. I will get the whole list. If the opposition wants them, I will get the whole list. They were career public servants. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The wall of noise on both sides! Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
I also welcome our distinguished guests here today. I refer to the appointment of Mr Geoff Wedgwood to the Deputy Director General of the Department of State Development position for a five-year period at a cost of more than $1 million. He is a person who was originally appointed to the Premier’s office to secure the Browse and Oakajee projects, which did not happen. (1) Why is the Premier making such a blatant political appointment to a senior public service position just six months out from the next state election? (2) Does the Premier think it is appropriate to appoint to this role someone who was unsuccessful in the priority projects that were allocated to him when he was employed in his office? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(2) Does that not tell us a lot about the Labor Party. It tells us an enormous amount about the Labor Party. The first I knew about this appointment was when I read about it in “Inside Cover” this morning. That was the first I knew about it. I had no knowledge that Geoff Wedgwood was an applicant or that he had been appointed to that position and my office had no involvement at all. Any individual is entitled to apply for a job—what is wrong with that? He has not worked for me for a long time. The Leader of the Opposition comes in here and criticises someone—do you know Geoff Wedgwood? Mr M. McGowan : I’ve met him. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition has met him. Does he know him? Has he ever worked with him or does he just take the bias and bigoted approach of the Labor Party? Some members will not remember, but I will remind them. When the former Liberal-National government under Richard Court lost government in 2001 and Labor came in, it basically forced out more than 30 senior public servants—more than 30 were forced out. Many of them had been career lifetime public servants in Health, in electricity—career public servants. They had spent their entire careers there and Labor forced them out. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can name them. I tell you what; I will get a list before question time is over and read out who they were. I can think of some—Alan Bansemer, David Eiszele and others. I will get the whole list. If the opposition wants them, I will get the whole list. They were career public servants. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The wall of noise on both sides! Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
I refer to the appointment of Mr Geoff Wedgwood to the Deputy Director General of the Department of State Development position for a five-year period at a cost of more than $1 million. He is a person who was originally appointed to the Premier’s office to secure the Browse and Oakajee projects, which did not happen. (1) Why is the Premier making such a blatant political appointment to a senior public service position just six months out from the next state election? (2) Does the Premier think it is appropriate to appoint to this role someone who was unsuccessful in the priority projects that were allocated to him when he was employed in his office? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(2) Does that not tell us a lot about the Labor Party. It tells us an enormous amount about the Labor Party. The first I knew about this appointment was when I read about it in “Inside Cover” this morning. That was the first I knew about it. I had no knowledge that Geoff Wedgwood was an applicant or that he had been appointed to that position and my office had no involvement at all. Any individual is entitled to apply for a job—what is wrong with that? He has not worked for me for a long time. The Leader of the Opposition comes in here and criticises someone—do you know Geoff Wedgwood? Mr M. McGowan : I’ve met him. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition has met him. Does he know him? Has he ever worked with him or does he just take the bias and bigoted approach of the Labor Party? Some members will not remember, but I will remind them. When the former Liberal-National government under Richard Court lost government in 2001 and Labor came in, it basically forced out more than 30 senior public servants—more than 30 were forced out. Many of them had been career lifetime public servants in Health, in electricity—career public servants. They had spent their entire careers there and Labor forced them out. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can name them. I tell you what; I will get a list before question time is over and read out who they were. I can think of some—Alan Bansemer, David Eiszele and others. I will get the whole list. If the opposition wants them, I will get the whole list. They were career public servants. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The wall of noise on both sides! Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
(1) Why is the Premier making such a blatant political appointment to a senior public service position just six months out from the next state election? (2) Does the Premier think it is appropriate to appoint to this role someone who was unsuccessful in the priority projects that were allocated to him when he was employed in his office? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(2) Does that not tell us a lot about the Labor Party. It tells us an enormous amount about the Labor Party. The first I knew about this appointment was when I read about it in “Inside Cover” this morning. That was the first I knew about it. I had no knowledge that Geoff Wedgwood was an applicant or that he had been appointed to that position and my office had no involvement at all. Any individual is entitled to apply for a job—what is wrong with that? He has not worked for me for a long time. The Leader of the Opposition comes in here and criticises someone—do you know Geoff Wedgwood? Mr M. McGowan : I’ve met him. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition has met him. Does he know him? Has he ever worked with him or does he just take the bias and bigoted approach of the Labor Party? Some members will not remember, but I will remind them. When the former Liberal-National government under Richard Court lost government in 2001 and Labor came in, it basically forced out more than 30 senior public servants—more than 30 were forced out. Many of them had been career lifetime public servants in Health, in electricity—career public servants. They had spent their entire careers there and Labor forced them out. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can name them. I tell you what; I will get a list before question time is over and read out who they were. I can think of some—Alan Bansemer, David Eiszele and others. I will get the whole list. If the opposition wants them, I will get the whole list. They were career public servants. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The wall of noise on both sides! Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
(2) Does the Premier think it is appropriate to appoint to this role someone who was unsuccessful in the priority projects that were allocated to him when he was employed in his office? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(2) Does that not tell us a lot about the Labor Party. It tells us an enormous amount about the Labor Party. The first I knew about this appointment was when I read about it in “Inside Cover” this morning. That was the first I knew about it. I had no knowledge that Geoff Wedgwood was an applicant or that he had been appointed to that position and my office had no involvement at all. Any individual is entitled to apply for a job—what is wrong with that? He has not worked for me for a long time. The Leader of the Opposition comes in here and criticises someone—do you know Geoff Wedgwood? Mr M. McGowan : I’ve met him. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition has met him. Does he know him? Has he ever worked with him or does he just take the bias and bigoted approach of the Labor Party? Some members will not remember, but I will remind them. When the former Liberal-National government under Richard Court lost government in 2001 and Labor came in, it basically forced out more than 30 senior public servants—more than 30 were forced out. Many of them had been career lifetime public servants in Health, in electricity—career public servants. They had spent their entire careers there and Labor forced them out. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can name them. I tell you what; I will get a list before question time is over and read out who they were. I can think of some—Alan Bansemer, David Eiszele and others. I will get the whole list. If the opposition wants them, I will get the whole list. They were career public servants. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The wall of noise on both sides! Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(2) Does that not tell us a lot about the Labor Party. It tells us an enormous amount about the Labor Party. The first I knew about this appointment was when I read about it in “Inside Cover” this morning. That was the first I knew about it. I had no knowledge that Geoff Wedgwood was an applicant or that he had been appointed to that position and my office had no involvement at all. Any individual is entitled to apply for a job—what is wrong with that? He has not worked for me for a long time. The Leader of the Opposition comes in here and criticises someone—do you know Geoff Wedgwood? Mr M. McGowan : I’ve met him. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition has met him. Does he know him? Has he ever worked with him or does he just take the bias and bigoted approach of the Labor Party? Some members will not remember, but I will remind them. When the former Liberal-National government under Richard Court lost government in 2001 and Labor came in, it basically forced out more than 30 senior public servants—more than 30 were forced out. Many of them had been career lifetime public servants in Health, in electricity—career public servants. They had spent their entire careers there and Labor forced them out. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can name them. I tell you what; I will get a list before question time is over and read out who they were. I can think of some—Alan Bansemer, David Eiszele and others. I will get the whole list. If the opposition wants them, I will get the whole list. They were career public servants. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The wall of noise on both sides! Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
(1)–(2) Does that not tell us a lot about the Labor Party. It tells us an enormous amount about the Labor Party. The first I knew about this appointment was when I read about it in “Inside Cover” this morning. That was the first I knew about it. I had no knowledge that Geoff Wedgwood was an applicant or that he had been appointed to that position and my office had no involvement at all. Any individual is entitled to apply for a job—what is wrong with that? He has not worked for me for a long time. The Leader of the Opposition comes in here and criticises someone—do you know Geoff Wedgwood? Mr M. McGowan : I’ve met him. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition has met him. Does he know him? Has he ever worked with him or does he just take the bias and bigoted approach of the Labor Party? Some members will not remember, but I will remind them. When the former Liberal-National government under Richard Court lost government in 2001 and Labor came in, it basically forced out more than 30 senior public servants—more than 30 were forced out. Many of them had been career lifetime public servants in Health, in electricity—career public servants. They had spent their entire careers there and Labor forced them out. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can name them. I tell you what; I will get a list before question time is over and read out who they were. I can think of some—Alan Bansemer, David Eiszele and others. I will get the whole list. If the opposition wants them, I will get the whole list. They were career public servants. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The wall of noise on both sides! Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr M. McGowan : I’ve met him. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition has met him. Does he know him? Has he ever worked with him or does he just take the bias and bigoted approach of the Labor Party? Some members will not remember, but I will remind them. When the former Liberal-National government under Richard Court lost government in 2001 and Labor came in, it basically forced out more than 30 senior public servants—more than 30 were forced out. Many of them had been career lifetime public servants in Health, in electricity—career public servants. They had spent their entire careers there and Labor forced them out. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can name them. I tell you what; I will get a list before question time is over and read out who they were. I can think of some—Alan Bansemer, David Eiszele and others. I will get the whole list. If the opposition wants them, I will get the whole list. They were career public servants. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The wall of noise on both sides! Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition has met him. Does he know him? Has he ever worked with him or does he just take the bias and bigoted approach of the Labor Party? Some members will not remember, but I will remind them. When the former Liberal-National government under Richard Court lost government in 2001 and Labor came in, it basically forced out more than 30 senior public servants—more than 30 were forced out. Many of them had been career lifetime public servants in Health, in electricity—career public servants. They had spent their entire careers there and Labor forced them out. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can name them. I tell you what; I will get a list before question time is over and read out who they were. I can think of some—Alan Bansemer, David Eiszele and others. I will get the whole list. If the opposition wants them, I will get the whole list. They were career public servants. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The wall of noise on both sides! Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can name them. I tell you what; I will get a list before question time is over and read out who they were. I can think of some—Alan Bansemer, David Eiszele and others. I will get the whole list. If the opposition wants them, I will get the whole list. They were career public servants. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The wall of noise on both sides! Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can name them. I tell you what; I will get a list before question time is over and read out who they were. I can think of some—Alan Bansemer, David Eiszele and others. I will get the whole list. If the opposition wants them, I will get the whole list. They were career public servants. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The wall of noise on both sides! Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The wall of noise on both sides! Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
The SPEAKER : The wall of noise on both sides! Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
610. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier: I also welcome our distinguished guests here today. I refer to the appointment of Mr Geoff Wedgwood to the Deputy Director General of the Department of State Development position for a five-year period at a cost of more than $1 million. He is a person who was originally appointed to the Premier’s office to secure the Browse and Oakajee projects, which did not happen. (1) Why is the Premier making such a blatant political appointment to a senior public service position just six months out from the next state election? (2) Does the Premier think it is appropriate to appoint to this role someone who was unsuccessful in the priority projects that were allocated to him when he was employed in his office? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(2) Does that not tell us a lot about the Labor Party. It tells us an enormous amount about the Labor Party. The first I knew about this appointment was when I read about it in “Inside Cover” this morning. That was the first I knew about it. I had no knowledge that Geoff Wedgwood was an applicant or that he had been appointed to that position and my office had no involvement at all. Any individual is entitled to apply for a job—what is wrong with that? He has not worked for me for a long time. The Leader of the Opposition comes in here and criticises someone—do you know Geoff Wedgwood? Mr M. McGowan : I’ve met him. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition has met him. Does he know him? Has he ever worked with him or does he just take the bias and bigoted approach of the Labor Party? Some members will not remember, but I will remind them. When the former Liberal-National government under Richard Court lost government in 2001 and Labor came in, it basically forced out more than 30 senior public servants—more than 30 were forced out. Many of them had been career lifetime public servants in Health, in electricity—career public servants. They had spent their entire careers there and Labor forced them out. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can name them. I tell you what; I will get a list before question time is over and read out who they were. I can think of some—Alan Bansemer, David Eiszele and others. I will get the whole list. If the opposition wants them, I will get the whole list. They were career public servants. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The wall of noise on both sides! Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
I also welcome our distinguished guests here today. I refer to the appointment of Mr Geoff Wedgwood to the Deputy Director General of the Department of State Development position for a five-year period at a cost of more than $1 million. He is a person who was originally appointed to the Premier’s office to secure the Browse and Oakajee projects, which did not happen. (1) Why is the Premier making such a blatant political appointment to a senior public service position just six months out from the next state election? (2) Does the Premier think it is appropriate to appoint to this role someone who was unsuccessful in the priority projects that were allocated to him when he was employed in his office? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(2) Does that not tell us a lot about the Labor Party. It tells us an enormous amount about the Labor Party. The first I knew about this appointment was when I read about it in “Inside Cover” this morning. That was the first I knew about it. I had no knowledge that Geoff Wedgwood was an applicant or that he had been appointed to that position and my office had no involvement at all. Any individual is entitled to apply for a job—what is wrong with that? He has not worked for me for a long time. The Leader of the Opposition comes in here and criticises someone—do you know Geoff Wedgwood? Mr M. McGowan : I’ve met him. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition has met him. Does he know him? Has he ever worked with him or does he just take the bias and bigoted approach of the Labor Party? Some members will not remember, but I will remind them. When the former Liberal-National government under Richard Court lost government in 2001 and Labor came in, it basically forced out more than 30 senior public servants—more than 30 were forced out. Many of them had been career lifetime public servants in Health, in electricity—career public servants. They had spent their entire careers there and Labor forced them out. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can name them. I tell you what; I will get a list before question time is over and read out who they were. I can think of some—Alan Bansemer, David Eiszele and others. I will get the whole list. If the opposition wants them, I will get the whole list. They were career public servants. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The wall of noise on both sides! Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
I refer to the appointment of Mr Geoff Wedgwood to the Deputy Director General of the Department of State Development position for a five-year period at a cost of more than $1 million. He is a person who was originally appointed to the Premier’s office to secure the Browse and Oakajee projects, which did not happen. (1) Why is the Premier making such a blatant political appointment to a senior public service position just six months out from the next state election? (2) Does the Premier think it is appropriate to appoint to this role someone who was unsuccessful in the priority projects that were allocated to him when he was employed in his office? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(2) Does that not tell us a lot about the Labor Party. It tells us an enormous amount about the Labor Party. The first I knew about this appointment was when I read about it in “Inside Cover” this morning. That was the first I knew about it. I had no knowledge that Geoff Wedgwood was an applicant or that he had been appointed to that position and my office had no involvement at all. Any individual is entitled to apply for a job—what is wrong with that? He has not worked for me for a long time. The Leader of the Opposition comes in here and criticises someone—do you know Geoff Wedgwood? Mr M. McGowan : I’ve met him. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition has met him. Does he know him? Has he ever worked with him or does he just take the bias and bigoted approach of the Labor Party? Some members will not remember, but I will remind them. When the former Liberal-National government under Richard Court lost government in 2001 and Labor came in, it basically forced out more than 30 senior public servants—more than 30 were forced out. Many of them had been career lifetime public servants in Health, in electricity—career public servants. They had spent their entire careers there and Labor forced them out. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can name them. I tell you what; I will get a list before question time is over and read out who they were. I can think of some—Alan Bansemer, David Eiszele and others. I will get the whole list. If the opposition wants them, I will get the whole list. They were career public servants. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The wall of noise on both sides! Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
(1) Why is the Premier making such a blatant political appointment to a senior public service position just six months out from the next state election? (2) Does the Premier think it is appropriate to appoint to this role someone who was unsuccessful in the priority projects that were allocated to him when he was employed in his office? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(2) Does that not tell us a lot about the Labor Party. It tells us an enormous amount about the Labor Party. The first I knew about this appointment was when I read about it in “Inside Cover” this morning. That was the first I knew about it. I had no knowledge that Geoff Wedgwood was an applicant or that he had been appointed to that position and my office had no involvement at all. Any individual is entitled to apply for a job—what is wrong with that? He has not worked for me for a long time. The Leader of the Opposition comes in here and criticises someone—do you know Geoff Wedgwood? Mr M. McGowan : I’ve met him. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition has met him. Does he know him? Has he ever worked with him or does he just take the bias and bigoted approach of the Labor Party? Some members will not remember, but I will remind them. When the former Liberal-National government under Richard Court lost government in 2001 and Labor came in, it basically forced out more than 30 senior public servants—more than 30 were forced out. Many of them had been career lifetime public servants in Health, in electricity—career public servants. They had spent their entire careers there and Labor forced them out. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can name them. I tell you what; I will get a list before question time is over and read out who they were. I can think of some—Alan Bansemer, David Eiszele and others. I will get the whole list. If the opposition wants them, I will get the whole list. They were career public servants. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The wall of noise on both sides! Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
(2) Does the Premier think it is appropriate to appoint to this role someone who was unsuccessful in the priority projects that were allocated to him when he was employed in his office? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(2) Does that not tell us a lot about the Labor Party. It tells us an enormous amount about the Labor Party. The first I knew about this appointment was when I read about it in “Inside Cover” this morning. That was the first I knew about it. I had no knowledge that Geoff Wedgwood was an applicant or that he had been appointed to that position and my office had no involvement at all. Any individual is entitled to apply for a job—what is wrong with that? He has not worked for me for a long time. The Leader of the Opposition comes in here and criticises someone—do you know Geoff Wedgwood? Mr M. McGowan : I’ve met him. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition has met him. Does he know him? Has he ever worked with him or does he just take the bias and bigoted approach of the Labor Party? Some members will not remember, but I will remind them. When the former Liberal-National government under Richard Court lost government in 2001 and Labor came in, it basically forced out more than 30 senior public servants—more than 30 were forced out. Many of them had been career lifetime public servants in Health, in electricity—career public servants. They had spent their entire careers there and Labor forced them out. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can name them. I tell you what; I will get a list before question time is over and read out who they were. I can think of some—Alan Bansemer, David Eiszele and others. I will get the whole list. If the opposition wants them, I will get the whole list. They were career public servants. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The wall of noise on both sides! Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: (1)–(2) Does that not tell us a lot about the Labor Party. It tells us an enormous amount about the Labor Party. The first I knew about this appointment was when I read about it in “Inside Cover” this morning. That was the first I knew about it. I had no knowledge that Geoff Wedgwood was an applicant or that he had been appointed to that position and my office had no involvement at all. Any individual is entitled to apply for a job—what is wrong with that? He has not worked for me for a long time. The Leader of the Opposition comes in here and criticises someone—do you know Geoff Wedgwood? Mr M. McGowan : I’ve met him. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition has met him. Does he know him? Has he ever worked with him or does he just take the bias and bigoted approach of the Labor Party? Some members will not remember, but I will remind them. When the former Liberal-National government under Richard Court lost government in 2001 and Labor came in, it basically forced out more than 30 senior public servants—more than 30 were forced out. Many of them had been career lifetime public servants in Health, in electricity—career public servants. They had spent their entire careers there and Labor forced them out. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can name them. I tell you what; I will get a list before question time is over and read out who they were. I can think of some—Alan Bansemer, David Eiszele and others. I will get the whole list. If the opposition wants them, I will get the whole list. They were career public servants. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The wall of noise on both sides! Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
(1)–(2) Does that not tell us a lot about the Labor Party. It tells us an enormous amount about the Labor Party. The first I knew about this appointment was when I read about it in “Inside Cover” this morning. That was the first I knew about it. I had no knowledge that Geoff Wedgwood was an applicant or that he had been appointed to that position and my office had no involvement at all. Any individual is entitled to apply for a job—what is wrong with that? He has not worked for me for a long time. The Leader of the Opposition comes in here and criticises someone—do you know Geoff Wedgwood? Mr M. McGowan : I’ve met him. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition has met him. Does he know him? Has he ever worked with him or does he just take the bias and bigoted approach of the Labor Party? Some members will not remember, but I will remind them. When the former Liberal-National government under Richard Court lost government in 2001 and Labor came in, it basically forced out more than 30 senior public servants—more than 30 were forced out. Many of them had been career lifetime public servants in Health, in electricity—career public servants. They had spent their entire careers there and Labor forced them out. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can name them. I tell you what; I will get a list before question time is over and read out who they were. I can think of some—Alan Bansemer, David Eiszele and others. I will get the whole list. If the opposition wants them, I will get the whole list. They were career public servants. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The wall of noise on both sides! Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr M. McGowan : I’ve met him. Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition has met him. Does he know him? Has he ever worked with him or does he just take the bias and bigoted approach of the Labor Party? Some members will not remember, but I will remind them. When the former Liberal-National government under Richard Court lost government in 2001 and Labor came in, it basically forced out more than 30 senior public servants—more than 30 were forced out. Many of them had been career lifetime public servants in Health, in electricity—career public servants. They had spent their entire careers there and Labor forced them out. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can name them. I tell you what; I will get a list before question time is over and read out who they were. I can think of some—Alan Bansemer, David Eiszele and others. I will get the whole list. If the opposition wants them, I will get the whole list. They were career public servants. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The wall of noise on both sides! Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : The Leader of the Opposition has met him. Does he know him? Has he ever worked with him or does he just take the bias and bigoted approach of the Labor Party? Some members will not remember, but I will remind them. When the former Liberal-National government under Richard Court lost government in 2001 and Labor came in, it basically forced out more than 30 senior public servants—more than 30 were forced out. Many of them had been career lifetime public servants in Health, in electricity—career public servants. They had spent their entire careers there and Labor forced them out. Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can name them. I tell you what; I will get a list before question time is over and read out who they were. I can think of some—Alan Bansemer, David Eiszele and others. I will get the whole list. If the opposition wants them, I will get the whole list. They were career public servants. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The wall of noise on both sides! Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr R.H. Cook interjected. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can name them. I tell you what; I will get a list before question time is over and read out who they were. I can think of some—Alan Bansemer, David Eiszele and others. I will get the whole list. If the opposition wants them, I will get the whole list. They were career public servants. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The wall of noise on both sides! Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I can name them. I tell you what; I will get a list before question time is over and read out who they were. I can think of some—Alan Bansemer, David Eiszele and others. I will get the whole list. If the opposition wants them, I will get the whole list. They were career public servants. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The wall of noise on both sides! Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : The wall of noise on both sides! Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
The SPEAKER : The wall of noise on both sides! Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
The SPEAKER : That is enough. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I contrast that — Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr D.J. Kelly interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
The SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I hope I am not being unfair to anyone, but I well remember what happened when Richard Court led the Liberal Party to victory in 1993, defeating Carmen Lawrence’s government. How many public servants were required to leave? Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr W.R. Marmion : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : No; one person was required to leave. That one public servant was actually a term-of-government employee, but that does not matter. One person—Marcel Anderson—came to Richard Court and said, “I understand I should leave”, and resigned. That was credible and commendable. Compare that with what happened under Labor when it came to office. When this government — Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
The SPEAKER : Members! Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : We have a system of public servants who have permanency, but we also have a term-of-government system under which ministerial staff are employed; they are basically political appointments. They come and go with governments, unless the incoming government decides to keep them on. When this government won the election in 2008, aside from term-of-government employees, who generally just take a package and go, how many public servants were asked to leave? Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mrs L.M. Harvey : None. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Yes, none; absolutely zero. This government set up the Public Sector Commission to ensure that we would never get the abuse of public service positions, as happened under the Labor government when it was elected in 2001. With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
With respect to Geoff Wedgwood, as I said, I had no knowledge of that and no role in that. The Leader of the Opposition got up and criticised a person he really does not even know, because that is his nature. I employed Geoff Wedgwood when I first became a minister way back in 1993. The Leader of the Opposition implied that he could not get things done. Who sorted out the Collie power station? It was Geoff Wedgwood. That is something Labor had struggled with for 10 years. Geoff Wedgwood played the principal role in sorting out the Collie power station project, which was built. The member for Collie–Preston will remember that. Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr M.P. Murray interjected. The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston, I call you to order for the first time. Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr M.P. Murray : If he keeps poking that finger at me, I’ll poke something back! The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
The SPEAKER : Member for Collie–Preston! Premier, I want you to wind up. Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : One of the most unheralded, but most complex, negotiations under the resources or state development portfolio was the renegotiation and the disaggregation of the north west shelf gas contracts. The key adviser who helped me on that was Geoff Wedgwood.
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