❓ Opposition questions the Premier regarding the resignation payout of his former media advisor, James Larsson, focusing on discrepancies in the Premier's statements and the amount paid compared to a previous staff member. The Premier defends his handling of the situation, criticizes the opposition's focus on the issue, and denies any wrongdoing.
AnsweredQoN 571Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
JAMES LARSSON —
RESIGNATION PAYOUT
571. Mr B.S. WYATT to the Premier:
The Director General of the
Department of the Premier and Cabinet revealed this afternoon that the Premier's
former media adviser, James Larsson, was constructively dismissed.
(1) Now that this
has been established, why has the Premier previously maintained that Mr Larsson
resigned?
(2) Why was Mr Larsson
worth $50 000 more than the Premier's former chief of staff Deidre
Willmott, who resigned after a similar term of service as Mr Larsson?
RESIGNATION PAYOUT
571. Mr B.S. WYATT to the Premier:
The Director General of the
Department of the Premier and Cabinet revealed this afternoon that the Premier's
former media adviser, James Larsson, was constructively dismissed.
(1) Now that this
has been established, why has the Premier previously maintained that Mr Larsson
resigned?
(2) Why was Mr Larsson
worth $50 000 more than the Premier's former chief of staff Deidre
Willmott, who resigned after a similar term of service as Mr Larsson?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2)
I am no lawyer, but I think the term ''constructively dismissed''
means that someone is basically given an alternative—that they do not
have a future in government and they are given an option to resign. Mr Larsson
resigned. It was quite a proper process. As I said yesterday, what Mr Larsson
did was wrong. It certainly fell well short of the standard that I set for
propriety in a Premier's office or a ministerial office. He admitted
that—he conceded it was the wrong thing. He is a young guy in his 20s—I
think he is 28 years old. He made a serious mistake. Should it destroy his
future career? No, I do not think it should. He has gone back to Queensland; I
think he has got married. He is now working in Queensland. Yet the opposition
pursues him ad nauseam.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : We
are pursuing you.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
No, you're not. You're pursuing him.
The Labor Party is picking on a young guy who made a mistake.
Did he steal? Did he provide confidential information to third parties? Was he
involved in some corruption scandal? No; nothing. What did he do? He sent a
photograph of the Leader of the Opposition's house, which was publicly
available, to a journalist who I presume circulated it. That is what he did.
On this issue—yes, it is an issue but it was months
ago—the opposition has asked 16 questions on James Larsson in this
house, including supplementary questions. It has also asked a question without
notice in the upper house. It has moved a matter of public interest, it has
asked supplementary questions through the estimates process, it has made six
freedom of information applications and there has been a committee inquiry.
Give the guy a break! He sent a photograph of the Leader of the Opposition's
house, which was publicly available, to a journalist, who circulated it. For
that, the opposition pursues him absolutely relentlessly! Give him a break; he
is a 28-year-old! Members opposite are an absolute joke. There are some serious
issues out there, but all it can focus on is that.
Mr P. Papalia : It
is about your integrity.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
My integrity! We can debate that if you want.
The James Larsson issue was over six months ago. The
opposition bangs on about it because it has nothing credible to do. The Labor
Party is lazy as an opposition. It has shown today the dirty, low politics that
it will play. One, two, three, four members on the opposition front bench play
dirty personal politics!
I am no lawyer, but I think the term ''constructively dismissed''
means that someone is basically given an alternative—that they do not
have a future in government and they are given an option to resign. Mr Larsson
resigned. It was quite a proper process. As I said yesterday, what Mr Larsson
did was wrong. It certainly fell well short of the standard that I set for
propriety in a Premier's office or a ministerial office. He admitted
that—he conceded it was the wrong thing. He is a young guy in his 20s—I
think he is 28 years old. He made a serious mistake. Should it destroy his
future career? No, I do not think it should. He has gone back to Queensland; I
think he has got married. He is now working in Queensland. Yet the opposition
pursues him ad nauseam.
Mr B.S. Wyatt : We
are pursuing you.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
No, you're not. You're pursuing him.
The Labor Party is picking on a young guy who made a mistake.
Did he steal? Did he provide confidential information to third parties? Was he
involved in some corruption scandal? No; nothing. What did he do? He sent a
photograph of the Leader of the Opposition's house, which was publicly
available, to a journalist who I presume circulated it. That is what he did.
On this issue—yes, it is an issue but it was months
ago—the opposition has asked 16 questions on James Larsson in this
house, including supplementary questions. It has also asked a question without
notice in the upper house. It has moved a matter of public interest, it has
asked supplementary questions through the estimates process, it has made six
freedom of information applications and there has been a committee inquiry.
Give the guy a break! He sent a photograph of the Leader of the Opposition's
house, which was publicly available, to a journalist, who circulated it. For
that, the opposition pursues him absolutely relentlessly! Give him a break; he
is a 28-year-old! Members opposite are an absolute joke. There are some serious
issues out there, but all it can focus on is that.
Mr P. Papalia : It
is about your integrity.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
My integrity! We can debate that if you want.
The James Larsson issue was over six months ago. The
opposition bangs on about it because it has nothing credible to do. The Labor
Party is lazy as an opposition. It has shown today the dirty, low politics that
it will play. One, two, three, four members on the opposition front bench play
dirty personal politics!
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