❓ Mr. McGowan questions the Premier regarding contact between his staff and Rachael Turnseck following a road traffic incident involving the Treasurer. The Premier provides details of meetings and phone calls, focusing on the Treasurer's health and resignation.
AnsweredQoN 92Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
MEMBER FOR VASSE — ROAD TRAFFIC INCIDENT —
RACHAEL TURNSECK
92. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
Some notice of these questions has
been given.
(1) Has any
member of the Premier's staff at Hale House, other than his chief of
staff, met with or spoken to Rachael Turnseck since 23 February?
(2) When was the meeting or conversation?
(3) Where was it?
(4) What was discussed?
(5) Were they informed that the Treasurer had crashed his
government car?
RACHAEL TURNSECK
92. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
Some notice of these questions has
been given.
(1) Has any
member of the Premier's staff at Hale House, other than his chief of
staff, met with or spoken to Rachael Turnseck since 23 February?
(2) When was the meeting or conversation?
(3) Where was it?
(4) What was discussed?
(5) Were they informed that the Treasurer had crashed his
government car?
AnswerView source ↗
Members at least on this side of the
house, and I am sure other members as well, would be concerned about the health
of the member for Vasse. Our only concern, on this side of the house, has been
his wellbeing, and obviously then there were the logistics of changing cabinet
positions.
Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Midland!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I would think everyone in Western Australia would wish Troy a
full recovery and a return to Parliament.
(1)–(5)
With respect to the questions, of which some prior notice was given, the first
that I knew of the damage to the member for Vasse's vehicle was when I
received a phone call about 2.00 pm on the Sunday afternoon. At about 4.30, I
spoke to the member himself. He rang me at my home, and he confirmed that there
was damage to the vehicle, and he also told me obviously of his decision to
resign.
With respect to the question
asked, there were no formally arranged or diarised meetings—there were
not. Bear in mind that it was just coming from one minister's office to
the Premier's office. However, to the best of the recollection of staff
concerned, I provide the following information.
The only members of my staff who
have met with Rachael Turnseck since 23 February are my chief of staff, Brian
Pontifex, and my director of government strategy, Narelle Cant. To the best of
everyone's recollection, only three meetings took place. There may well
have been phone calls along the way as well, but there were three meetings.
They were quite informal—just simply coming across to my office. The
first of those meetings was at 9.00 am on Tuesday, 25 February. As I said, I
was aware, first, of the breakdown that the member had on Sunday, 23 February.
I kept that information to myself, but, obviously, I then informed my staff and
also informed the Deputy Premier. I had met with Rachael Turnseck myself on
Monday morning, 24 February—that was just the two of us—and
that was kept strictly confidential from everyone, including my staff. The
following day there was, however, a meeting with Mr Pontifex and Narelle Cant;
so that was 9.00 am on Tuesday, 25 February. The meeting lasted about 45 minutes
and it was solely about the Treasurer's state of health and his
requirement to take leave.
The second meeting was on Sunday,
the Sunday just gone, 9 March. That followed media inquiries and information
provided to both the Department of the Premier and Cabinet and the Minister for
Police's office concerning damage to the vehicle. At that meeting, Ms Turnseck
did confirm that the then Treasurer had damaged his vehicle and there was a
discussion, I guess, about that and the impending media story. So that was
Sunday, 9 March. That meeting was held at Ms Turnseck's home; it was a
Sunday. A further meeting was held on Monday, 10 March—yesterday. That
was in my chief of staff Brian Pontifex's office. The meeting lasted
about 30 minutes and involved both the chief of staff and Ms Cant. Dixie
Marshall was not at the meeting but did attend the final stages of the meeting
and, obviously, some discussion then would have been about the announcement of
Troy's resignation. That is it.
house, and I am sure other members as well, would be concerned about the health
of the member for Vasse. Our only concern, on this side of the house, has been
his wellbeing, and obviously then there were the logistics of changing cabinet
positions.
Mrs M.H. Roberts interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Midland!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I would think everyone in Western Australia would wish Troy a
full recovery and a return to Parliament.
(1)–(5)
With respect to the questions, of which some prior notice was given, the first
that I knew of the damage to the member for Vasse's vehicle was when I
received a phone call about 2.00 pm on the Sunday afternoon. At about 4.30, I
spoke to the member himself. He rang me at my home, and he confirmed that there
was damage to the vehicle, and he also told me obviously of his decision to
resign.
With respect to the question
asked, there were no formally arranged or diarised meetings—there were
not. Bear in mind that it was just coming from one minister's office to
the Premier's office. However, to the best of the recollection of staff
concerned, I provide the following information.
The only members of my staff who
have met with Rachael Turnseck since 23 February are my chief of staff, Brian
Pontifex, and my director of government strategy, Narelle Cant. To the best of
everyone's recollection, only three meetings took place. There may well
have been phone calls along the way as well, but there were three meetings.
They were quite informal—just simply coming across to my office. The
first of those meetings was at 9.00 am on Tuesday, 25 February. As I said, I
was aware, first, of the breakdown that the member had on Sunday, 23 February.
I kept that information to myself, but, obviously, I then informed my staff and
also informed the Deputy Premier. I had met with Rachael Turnseck myself on
Monday morning, 24 February—that was just the two of us—and
that was kept strictly confidential from everyone, including my staff. The
following day there was, however, a meeting with Mr Pontifex and Narelle Cant;
so that was 9.00 am on Tuesday, 25 February. The meeting lasted about 45 minutes
and it was solely about the Treasurer's state of health and his
requirement to take leave.
The second meeting was on Sunday,
the Sunday just gone, 9 March. That followed media inquiries and information
provided to both the Department of the Premier and Cabinet and the Minister for
Police's office concerning damage to the vehicle. At that meeting, Ms Turnseck
did confirm that the then Treasurer had damaged his vehicle and there was a
discussion, I guess, about that and the impending media story. So that was
Sunday, 9 March. That meeting was held at Ms Turnseck's home; it was a
Sunday. A further meeting was held on Monday, 10 March—yesterday. That
was in my chief of staff Brian Pontifex's office. The meeting lasted
about 30 minutes and involved both the chief of staff and Ms Cant. Dixie
Marshall was not at the meeting but did attend the final stages of the meeting
and, obviously, some discussion then would have been about the announcement of
Troy's resignation. That is it.
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