❓ Question regarding the Premier's criticism of a committee chair and whether the director general of the Department of Premier and Cabinet should resign due to a flawed investigation into the Buswell scandal. The Premier deflects, accuses the opposition of ignoring mental health issues, and denies interference in inquiries.
AnsweredQoN 128Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
FORMER MEMBER FOR VASSE — ROAD TRAFFIC INCIDENT
— CORRUPTION AND CRIME COMMISSION REPORT — PREMIER'S
COMMENTS
128. Mr B.S. WYATT to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's
attacks on the member for Girrawheen as Chair of the Community Development and
Justice Standing Committee in respect of the committee's report into
the Buswell scandal and the Premier's comments that her actions were
appalling, and his demand for her to resign as chairperson of that committee.
Given that the investigation conducted by the director general of the
Department of the Premier and Cabinet into this affair was so fundamentally
flawed, will the Premier now demand his resignation?
— CORRUPTION AND CRIME COMMISSION REPORT — PREMIER'S
COMMENTS
128. Mr B.S. WYATT to the Premier:
I refer to the Premier's
attacks on the member for Girrawheen as Chair of the Community Development and
Justice Standing Committee in respect of the committee's report into
the Buswell scandal and the Premier's comments that her actions were
appalling, and his demand for her to resign as chairperson of that committee.
Given that the investigation conducted by the director general of the
Department of the Premier and Cabinet into this affair was so fundamentally
flawed, will the Premier now demand his resignation?
AnswerView source ↗
What a stupid question. One thing
you need to be able to do in politics is distinguish issues. I cannot remember
what I said.
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Is the question about the director general or about the
member for Girrawheen? Work that out first!
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : I am on my feet. If you shout out again, member for Butler, you
will be having a rest; okay? It is up to you; your fate is in your own hands.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I cannot recall specifically the comments or the situation
with the member for Girrawheen, but I know I was concerned, if not upset, by
the disdain that she displayed on the mental health issue—absolute
disdain.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cannington!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Her attitude was not to care a toss.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank you!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The member for Girrawheen and other member did not give a toss
about the health of a former colleague. It was appalling.
Point of Order
Mr B.S. WYATT : Again, my
question was specific. Every time the Premier gets to his feet, he wraps
himself in the mantle of mental health issues. He should deal with the issues
that are being put to him.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Your question, member for Victoria Park, related first to the
member for Girrawheen, so if she is upset, she should be upset with you for
putting her in the limelight! That is what you did.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Members opposite might be interested: when they were so
preoccupied with having a go at Troy Buswell or having a go at me or whatever
they wanted, they completely ignored the reality of someone in a mental health
crisis. The Leader of the Opposition sneers now; he is as bad as anyone, but he
might be interested to know that some prominent Labor people in his party, both
federal and state, came to me to apologise for his behaviour and that of the
Labor Party. They came to me directly to apologise as they were so embarrassed
by his stance on mental health.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! Through
the Chair, please.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
P.B. Watson interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Albany! Thank you for that snippet; we will move on.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : So, Mr Speaker —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members! That is enough.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The sort of accusations members opposite make is a reflection
on them.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Wanneroo, I call you to order for the first time. Through the Chair.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The investigation, if you like, or the initial inquiries by
the director general of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, Mr Peter
Conran, were, by their nature, preliminary and were relying —
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : They were. We were relying on the answers given to him and to
staff within the Department of the Premier and Cabinet by Rachael Turnseck and
others.
Mr
F.M. Logan interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : A whitewash?
The
SPEAKER : Come on! Thank you.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The imputation of members opposite —
Mr
W.J. Johnston interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Cannington! I call you to order for the second time. We are bogging down,
Premier. A short answer through the Chair, please.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker, I am endeavouring to.
The imputation that members opposite
are wishing to convey is that somehow I, as Premier, interfered in either the
inquiries by Peter Conran or, indeed, maybe the Corruption and Crime Commission
inquiries to try to whitewash or cover-up. Give me any example and I will
respond to it, but they cannot, because it never happened. It never ever
happened, as the CCC report confirms.
Mr
W.J. Johnston interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Cannington! I am not going to call you for the third time; if you carry on like
this, you will have a double whammy.
you need to be able to do in politics is distinguish issues. I cannot remember
what I said.
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Is the question about the director general or about the
member for Girrawheen? Work that out first!
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : I am on my feet. If you shout out again, member for Butler, you
will be having a rest; okay? It is up to you; your fate is in your own hands.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I cannot recall specifically the comments or the situation
with the member for Girrawheen, but I know I was concerned, if not upset, by
the disdain that she displayed on the mental health issue—absolute
disdain.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Cannington!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Her attitude was not to care a toss.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank you!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The member for Girrawheen and other member did not give a toss
about the health of a former colleague. It was appalling.
Point of Order
Mr B.S. WYATT : Again, my
question was specific. Every time the Premier gets to his feet, he wraps
himself in the mantle of mental health issues. He should deal with the issues
that are being put to him.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Your question, member for Victoria Park, related first to the
member for Girrawheen, so if she is upset, she should be upset with you for
putting her in the limelight! That is what you did.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Members opposite might be interested: when they were so
preoccupied with having a go at Troy Buswell or having a go at me or whatever
they wanted, they completely ignored the reality of someone in a mental health
crisis. The Leader of the Opposition sneers now; he is as bad as anyone, but he
might be interested to know that some prominent Labor people in his party, both
federal and state, came to me to apologise for his behaviour and that of the
Labor Party. They came to me directly to apologise as they were so embarrassed
by his stance on mental health.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members! Through
the Chair, please.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
P.B. Watson interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Albany! Thank you for that snippet; we will move on.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : So, Mr Speaker —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members! That is enough.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The sort of accusations members opposite make is a reflection
on them.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Wanneroo, I call you to order for the first time. Through the Chair.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The investigation, if you like, or the initial inquiries by
the director general of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, Mr Peter
Conran, were, by their nature, preliminary and were relying —
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : They were. We were relying on the answers given to him and to
staff within the Department of the Premier and Cabinet by Rachael Turnseck and
others.
Mr
F.M. Logan interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : A whitewash?
The
SPEAKER : Come on! Thank you.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : The imputation of members opposite —
Mr
W.J. Johnston interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Cannington! I call you to order for the second time. We are bogging down,
Premier. A short answer through the Chair, please.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Mr Speaker, I am endeavouring to.
The imputation that members opposite
are wishing to convey is that somehow I, as Premier, interfered in either the
inquiries by Peter Conran or, indeed, maybe the Corruption and Crime Commission
inquiries to try to whitewash or cover-up. Give me any example and I will
respond to it, but they cannot, because it never happened. It never ever
happened, as the CCC report confirms.
Mr
W.J. Johnston interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Cannington! I am not going to call you for the third time; if you carry on like
this, you will have a double whammy.
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