❓ The question asks if the government will adopt the Leader of the Opposition's approach to parliamentary standards. The answer is a strong rebuke, detailing numerous alleged ethical breaches by the Leader of the Opposition when in government and opposition.
AnsweredQoN 938Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
PARLIAMENTARY STANDARDS - LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION
I refer to the Leader of the Opposition’s in-principle support for the establishment of a commission for parliamentary standards. Will the government be adopting as policy the Leader of the Opposition’s approach to standards? Mr E.S. RIPPER
I refer to the Leader of the Opposition’s in-principle support for the establishment of a commission for parliamentary standards. Will the government be adopting as policy the Leader of the Opposition’s approach to standards? Mr E.S. RIPPER
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member very much for the question. I noted that the Leader of the Opposition said that he supported the principle of a proposal to establish a commission for parliamentary standards. There is one word that occurs to me as I think about that. That word is “hypocrisy”. Let us look at the standards demonstrated by the Leader of the Opposition when in government. When he was the Minister for Local Government, he breached purchasing probity rules by awarding a contract to Scott Four Colour Print without seeking any other quotes. At the time his party and factional colleague Hon Barbara Scott was a director of Scott Four Colour Print. In 1999 there was a much more serious conflict of interest. In March of that year Moltoni Agricultural Ltd applied for a water licence for the Koorian Estate in Gingin. In April that year the water licence was issued. At the time the Leader of the Opposition was a director of Moltoni Agricultural Ltd and Koorian Land Company Ltd. At that same time the Rights in Water and Irrigation Amendment Bill was introduced into Parliament. Members who know something about the water issue will know that that legislation made water licences a tradeable asset. Guess how much the Koorian water licence was valued at? Let us think about whether it was worth $1 000, $2 000, $3 000 or $4 000. It was worth $900 000! The member was in cabinet considering legislation to make water licences tradable assets while he was a director of a company that had applied for, and received, a water licence. He failed to disclose that conflict of interest. Those are not the only examples. When he was the Minister for Local Government he was at it again. He applied to the Shire of Manjimup to rezone his farm to residential at the same time as his own department was investigating the Shire of Manjimup. How would a person like to be the shire officer assessing that application? How would a person like to be a shire councillor voting on the application while the minister’s department is leaning on the shire and investigating it? In April 1999 he broke the purchasing rules again by using his government credit card to pay for staff Christmas dinners, which was quite contrary to the rules. We all remember how, prior to the election, he cleared native vegetation from outside his property, thus breaking conservation laws. Unfortunately, he has taken these very same standards - which I do not want to see us adopting in government - into opposition. In May 2004 he accused the RSPCA of breaching its own law and code of practice over charges against a farmer in his electorate. The court handed down a record fine against the person that the Leader of the Opposition had said had done no wrong. The Leader of the Opposition was asked to apologise to the RSPCA but he refused. We all remember the incident I mentioned last week when he abused parliamentary privilege in June 2004 by claiming that a person in his electorate was a serial sex offender. He put that person at serious personal risk. There was no foundation at all for his allegation. In April this year he asked a disgraceful question that seriously offended the grandmother of poor Wade Scale. Margaret Jakins said with regard to the Leader of the Opposition’s question - Whoever the person was that asked that despicable question should ask themselves what they might be going through if they had been through this very tragic, trying, stressful period. Did he apologise? Again, true to form, he did not apologise. We now find him applying or not applying standards - poor standards in any case if he is applying them - with regard to the latest series of events. His own deputy was out in the car park conspiring with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to cook up their evidence before the Corruption and Crime Commission. His own deputy has conspired with Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton. Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : We are having a lot of debate about the issue of the CCC inquiry and the Shire of Busselton. What the minister just said was that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition conspired to stack the shire. Mr F.M. Logan : He probably did. Mr C.J. BARNETT : That is a very big call for the minister to make. The whole investigation is before the CCC. The Leader of the Opposition’s reputation is being impugned and an assertion is being made that cannot be backed up. To accuse someone of a conspiracy - to use the word “conspire” in this chamber - is highly unparliamentary. I ask that the minister withdraw that comment. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe is right. The use of the word does indicate an attack on a person’s character and it should not be used in that manner. There are other ways of saying things that do not offend the rules. I direct that the comment be withdrawn. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition met with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton council elections. Against all of that background, what is the response of the Leader of the Opposition? What is his response to the lack of standards and grossly improper behaviour of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition? How inadequate a response is this for anyone who pretends to be a leader: he said, “What Troy Buswell does is Troy Buswell’s business.” That is his pathetic response as a leader. The Leader of the Opposition has no creditability on standards. We need only go back to the $900 000 water licence to know that, let alone all the other things that dot his record in government and his sorry record in opposition. The answer to the question is a profound no. We will not be adopting the approach of the Leader of the Opposition to standards as policy for this government.
Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: I thank the member very much for the question. I noted that the Leader of the Opposition said that he supported the principle of a proposal to establish a commission for parliamentary standards. There is one word that occurs to me as I think about that. That word is “hypocrisy”. Let us look at the standards demonstrated by the Leader of the Opposition when in government. When he was the Minister for Local Government, he breached purchasing probity rules by awarding a contract to Scott Four Colour Print without seeking any other quotes. At the time his party and factional colleague Hon Barbara Scott was a director of Scott Four Colour Print. In 1999 there was a much more serious conflict of interest. In March of that year Moltoni Agricultural Ltd applied for a water licence for the Koorian Estate in Gingin. In April that year the water licence was issued. At the time the Leader of the Opposition was a director of Moltoni Agricultural Ltd and Koorian Land Company Ltd. At that same time the Rights in Water and Irrigation Amendment Bill was introduced into Parliament. Members who know something about the water issue will know that that legislation made water licences a tradeable asset. Guess how much the Koorian water licence was valued at? Let us think about whether it was worth $1 000, $2 000, $3 000 or $4 000. It was worth $900 000! The member was in cabinet considering legislation to make water licences tradable assets while he was a director of a company that had applied for, and received, a water licence. He failed to disclose that conflict of interest. Those are not the only examples. When he was the Minister for Local Government he was at it again. He applied to the Shire of Manjimup to rezone his farm to residential at the same time as his own department was investigating the Shire of Manjimup. How would a person like to be the shire officer assessing that application? How would a person like to be a shire councillor voting on the application while the minister’s department is leaning on the shire and investigating it? In April 1999 he broke the purchasing rules again by using his government credit card to pay for staff Christmas dinners, which was quite contrary to the rules. We all remember how, prior to the election, he cleared native vegetation from outside his property, thus breaking conservation laws. Unfortunately, he has taken these very same standards - which I do not want to see us adopting in government - into opposition. In May 2004 he accused the RSPCA of breaching its own law and code of practice over charges against a farmer in his electorate. The court handed down a record fine against the person that the Leader of the Opposition had said had done no wrong. The Leader of the Opposition was asked to apologise to the RSPCA but he refused. We all remember the incident I mentioned last week when he abused parliamentary privilege in June 2004 by claiming that a person in his electorate was a serial sex offender. He put that person at serious personal risk. There was no foundation at all for his allegation. In April this year he asked a disgraceful question that seriously offended the grandmother of poor Wade Scale. Margaret Jakins said with regard to the Leader of the Opposition’s question - Whoever the person was that asked that despicable question should ask themselves what they might be going through if they had been through this very tragic, trying, stressful period. Did he apologise? Again, true to form, he did not apologise. We now find him applying or not applying standards - poor standards in any case if he is applying them - with regard to the latest series of events. His own deputy was out in the car park conspiring with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to cook up their evidence before the Corruption and Crime Commission. His own deputy has conspired with Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton. Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : We are having a lot of debate about the issue of the CCC inquiry and the Shire of Busselton. What the minister just said was that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition conspired to stack the shire. Mr F.M. Logan : He probably did. Mr C.J. BARNETT : That is a very big call for the minister to make. The whole investigation is before the CCC. The Leader of the Opposition’s reputation is being impugned and an assertion is being made that cannot be backed up. To accuse someone of a conspiracy - to use the word “conspire” in this chamber - is highly unparliamentary. I ask that the minister withdraw that comment. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe is right. The use of the word does indicate an attack on a person’s character and it should not be used in that manner. There are other ways of saying things that do not offend the rules. I direct that the comment be withdrawn. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition met with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton council elections. Against all of that background, what is the response of the Leader of the Opposition? What is his response to the lack of standards and grossly improper behaviour of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition? How inadequate a response is this for anyone who pretends to be a leader: he said, “What Troy Buswell does is Troy Buswell’s business.” That is his pathetic response as a leader. The Leader of the Opposition has no creditability on standards. We need only go back to the $900 000 water licence to know that, let alone all the other things that dot his record in government and his sorry record in opposition. The answer to the question is a profound no. We will not be adopting the approach of the Leader of the Opposition to standards as policy for this government.
I thank the member very much for the question. I noted that the Leader of the Opposition said that he supported the principle of a proposal to establish a commission for parliamentary standards. There is one word that occurs to me as I think about that. That word is “hypocrisy”. Let us look at the standards demonstrated by the Leader of the Opposition when in government. When he was the Minister for Local Government, he breached purchasing probity rules by awarding a contract to Scott Four Colour Print without seeking any other quotes. At the time his party and factional colleague Hon Barbara Scott was a director of Scott Four Colour Print. In 1999 there was a much more serious conflict of interest. In March of that year Moltoni Agricultural Ltd applied for a water licence for the Koorian Estate in Gingin. In April that year the water licence was issued. At the time the Leader of the Opposition was a director of Moltoni Agricultural Ltd and Koorian Land Company Ltd. At that same time the Rights in Water and Irrigation Amendment Bill was introduced into Parliament. Members who know something about the water issue will know that that legislation made water licences a tradeable asset. Guess how much the Koorian water licence was valued at? Let us think about whether it was worth $1 000, $2 000, $3 000 or $4 000. It was worth $900 000! The member was in cabinet considering legislation to make water licences tradable assets while he was a director of a company that had applied for, and received, a water licence. He failed to disclose that conflict of interest. Those are not the only examples. When he was the Minister for Local Government he was at it again. He applied to the Shire of Manjimup to rezone his farm to residential at the same time as his own department was investigating the Shire of Manjimup. How would a person like to be the shire officer assessing that application? How would a person like to be a shire councillor voting on the application while the minister’s department is leaning on the shire and investigating it? In April 1999 he broke the purchasing rules again by using his government credit card to pay for staff Christmas dinners, which was quite contrary to the rules. We all remember how, prior to the election, he cleared native vegetation from outside his property, thus breaking conservation laws. Unfortunately, he has taken these very same standards - which I do not want to see us adopting in government - into opposition. In May 2004 he accused the RSPCA of breaching its own law and code of practice over charges against a farmer in his electorate. The court handed down a record fine against the person that the Leader of the Opposition had said had done no wrong. The Leader of the Opposition was asked to apologise to the RSPCA but he refused. We all remember the incident I mentioned last week when he abused parliamentary privilege in June 2004 by claiming that a person in his electorate was a serial sex offender. He put that person at serious personal risk. There was no foundation at all for his allegation. In April this year he asked a disgraceful question that seriously offended the grandmother of poor Wade Scale. Margaret Jakins said with regard to the Leader of the Opposition’s question - Whoever the person was that asked that despicable question should ask themselves what they might be going through if they had been through this very tragic, trying, stressful period. Did he apologise? Again, true to form, he did not apologise. We now find him applying or not applying standards - poor standards in any case if he is applying them - with regard to the latest series of events. His own deputy was out in the car park conspiring with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to cook up their evidence before the Corruption and Crime Commission. His own deputy has conspired with Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton. Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : We are having a lot of debate about the issue of the CCC inquiry and the Shire of Busselton. What the minister just said was that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition conspired to stack the shire. Mr F.M. Logan : He probably did. Mr C.J. BARNETT : That is a very big call for the minister to make. The whole investigation is before the CCC. The Leader of the Opposition’s reputation is being impugned and an assertion is being made that cannot be backed up. To accuse someone of a conspiracy - to use the word “conspire” in this chamber - is highly unparliamentary. I ask that the minister withdraw that comment. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe is right. The use of the word does indicate an attack on a person’s character and it should not be used in that manner. There are other ways of saying things that do not offend the rules. I direct that the comment be withdrawn. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition met with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton council elections. Against all of that background, what is the response of the Leader of the Opposition? What is his response to the lack of standards and grossly improper behaviour of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition? How inadequate a response is this for anyone who pretends to be a leader: he said, “What Troy Buswell does is Troy Buswell’s business.” That is his pathetic response as a leader. The Leader of the Opposition has no creditability on standards. We need only go back to the $900 000 water licence to know that, let alone all the other things that dot his record in government and his sorry record in opposition. The answer to the question is a profound no. We will not be adopting the approach of the Leader of the Opposition to standards as policy for this government.
When he was the Minister for Local Government, he breached purchasing probity rules by awarding a contract to Scott Four Colour Print without seeking any other quotes. At the time his party and factional colleague Hon Barbara Scott was a director of Scott Four Colour Print. In 1999 there was a much more serious conflict of interest. In March of that year Moltoni Agricultural Ltd applied for a water licence for the Koorian Estate in Gingin. In April that year the water licence was issued. At the time the Leader of the Opposition was a director of Moltoni Agricultural Ltd and Koorian Land Company Ltd. At that same time the Rights in Water and Irrigation Amendment Bill was introduced into Parliament. Members who know something about the water issue will know that that legislation made water licences a tradeable asset. Guess how much the Koorian water licence was valued at? Let us think about whether it was worth $1 000, $2 000, $3 000 or $4 000. It was worth $900 000! The member was in cabinet considering legislation to make water licences tradable assets while he was a director of a company that had applied for, and received, a water licence. He failed to disclose that conflict of interest. Those are not the only examples. When he was the Minister for Local Government he was at it again. He applied to the Shire of Manjimup to rezone his farm to residential at the same time as his own department was investigating the Shire of Manjimup. How would a person like to be the shire officer assessing that application? How would a person like to be a shire councillor voting on the application while the minister’s department is leaning on the shire and investigating it? In April 1999 he broke the purchasing rules again by using his government credit card to pay for staff Christmas dinners, which was quite contrary to the rules. We all remember how, prior to the election, he cleared native vegetation from outside his property, thus breaking conservation laws. Unfortunately, he has taken these very same standards - which I do not want to see us adopting in government - into opposition. In May 2004 he accused the RSPCA of breaching its own law and code of practice over charges against a farmer in his electorate. The court handed down a record fine against the person that the Leader of the Opposition had said had done no wrong. The Leader of the Opposition was asked to apologise to the RSPCA but he refused. We all remember the incident I mentioned last week when he abused parliamentary privilege in June 2004 by claiming that a person in his electorate was a serial sex offender. He put that person at serious personal risk. There was no foundation at all for his allegation. In April this year he asked a disgraceful question that seriously offended the grandmother of poor Wade Scale. Margaret Jakins said with regard to the Leader of the Opposition’s question - Whoever the person was that asked that despicable question should ask themselves what they might be going through if they had been through this very tragic, trying, stressful period. Did he apologise? Again, true to form, he did not apologise. We now find him applying or not applying standards - poor standards in any case if he is applying them - with regard to the latest series of events. His own deputy was out in the car park conspiring with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to cook up their evidence before the Corruption and Crime Commission. His own deputy has conspired with Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton. Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : We are having a lot of debate about the issue of the CCC inquiry and the Shire of Busselton. What the minister just said was that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition conspired to stack the shire. Mr F.M. Logan : He probably did. Mr C.J. BARNETT : That is a very big call for the minister to make. The whole investigation is before the CCC. The Leader of the Opposition’s reputation is being impugned and an assertion is being made that cannot be backed up. To accuse someone of a conspiracy - to use the word “conspire” in this chamber - is highly unparliamentary. I ask that the minister withdraw that comment. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe is right. The use of the word does indicate an attack on a person’s character and it should not be used in that manner. There are other ways of saying things that do not offend the rules. I direct that the comment be withdrawn. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition met with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton council elections. Against all of that background, what is the response of the Leader of the Opposition? What is his response to the lack of standards and grossly improper behaviour of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition? How inadequate a response is this for anyone who pretends to be a leader: he said, “What Troy Buswell does is Troy Buswell’s business.” That is his pathetic response as a leader. The Leader of the Opposition has no creditability on standards. We need only go back to the $900 000 water licence to know that, let alone all the other things that dot his record in government and his sorry record in opposition. The answer to the question is a profound no. We will not be adopting the approach of the Leader of the Opposition to standards as policy for this government.
Those are not the only examples. When he was the Minister for Local Government he was at it again. He applied to the Shire of Manjimup to rezone his farm to residential at the same time as his own department was investigating the Shire of Manjimup. How would a person like to be the shire officer assessing that application? How would a person like to be a shire councillor voting on the application while the minister’s department is leaning on the shire and investigating it? In April 1999 he broke the purchasing rules again by using his government credit card to pay for staff Christmas dinners, which was quite contrary to the rules. We all remember how, prior to the election, he cleared native vegetation from outside his property, thus breaking conservation laws. Unfortunately, he has taken these very same standards - which I do not want to see us adopting in government - into opposition. In May 2004 he accused the RSPCA of breaching its own law and code of practice over charges against a farmer in his electorate. The court handed down a record fine against the person that the Leader of the Opposition had said had done no wrong. The Leader of the Opposition was asked to apologise to the RSPCA but he refused. We all remember the incident I mentioned last week when he abused parliamentary privilege in June 2004 by claiming that a person in his electorate was a serial sex offender. He put that person at serious personal risk. There was no foundation at all for his allegation. In April this year he asked a disgraceful question that seriously offended the grandmother of poor Wade Scale. Margaret Jakins said with regard to the Leader of the Opposition’s question - Whoever the person was that asked that despicable question should ask themselves what they might be going through if they had been through this very tragic, trying, stressful period. Did he apologise? Again, true to form, he did not apologise. We now find him applying or not applying standards - poor standards in any case if he is applying them - with regard to the latest series of events. His own deputy was out in the car park conspiring with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to cook up their evidence before the Corruption and Crime Commission. His own deputy has conspired with Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton. Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : We are having a lot of debate about the issue of the CCC inquiry and the Shire of Busselton. What the minister just said was that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition conspired to stack the shire. Mr F.M. Logan : He probably did. Mr C.J. BARNETT : That is a very big call for the minister to make. The whole investigation is before the CCC. The Leader of the Opposition’s reputation is being impugned and an assertion is being made that cannot be backed up. To accuse someone of a conspiracy - to use the word “conspire” in this chamber - is highly unparliamentary. I ask that the minister withdraw that comment. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe is right. The use of the word does indicate an attack on a person’s character and it should not be used in that manner. There are other ways of saying things that do not offend the rules. I direct that the comment be withdrawn. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition met with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton council elections. Against all of that background, what is the response of the Leader of the Opposition? What is his response to the lack of standards and grossly improper behaviour of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition? How inadequate a response is this for anyone who pretends to be a leader: he said, “What Troy Buswell does is Troy Buswell’s business.” That is his pathetic response as a leader. The Leader of the Opposition has no creditability on standards. We need only go back to the $900 000 water licence to know that, let alone all the other things that dot his record in government and his sorry record in opposition. The answer to the question is a profound no. We will not be adopting the approach of the Leader of the Opposition to standards as policy for this government.
In April 1999 he broke the purchasing rules again by using his government credit card to pay for staff Christmas dinners, which was quite contrary to the rules. We all remember how, prior to the election, he cleared native vegetation from outside his property, thus breaking conservation laws. Unfortunately, he has taken these very same standards - which I do not want to see us adopting in government - into opposition. In May 2004 he accused the RSPCA of breaching its own law and code of practice over charges against a farmer in his electorate. The court handed down a record fine against the person that the Leader of the Opposition had said had done no wrong. The Leader of the Opposition was asked to apologise to the RSPCA but he refused. We all remember the incident I mentioned last week when he abused parliamentary privilege in June 2004 by claiming that a person in his electorate was a serial sex offender. He put that person at serious personal risk. There was no foundation at all for his allegation. In April this year he asked a disgraceful question that seriously offended the grandmother of poor Wade Scale. Margaret Jakins said with regard to the Leader of the Opposition’s question - Whoever the person was that asked that despicable question should ask themselves what they might be going through if they had been through this very tragic, trying, stressful period. Did he apologise? Again, true to form, he did not apologise. We now find him applying or not applying standards - poor standards in any case if he is applying them - with regard to the latest series of events. His own deputy was out in the car park conspiring with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to cook up their evidence before the Corruption and Crime Commission. His own deputy has conspired with Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton. Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : We are having a lot of debate about the issue of the CCC inquiry and the Shire of Busselton. What the minister just said was that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition conspired to stack the shire. Mr F.M. Logan : He probably did. Mr C.J. BARNETT : That is a very big call for the minister to make. The whole investigation is before the CCC. The Leader of the Opposition’s reputation is being impugned and an assertion is being made that cannot be backed up. To accuse someone of a conspiracy - to use the word “conspire” in this chamber - is highly unparliamentary. I ask that the minister withdraw that comment. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe is right. The use of the word does indicate an attack on a person’s character and it should not be used in that manner. There are other ways of saying things that do not offend the rules. I direct that the comment be withdrawn. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition met with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton council elections. Against all of that background, what is the response of the Leader of the Opposition? What is his response to the lack of standards and grossly improper behaviour of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition? How inadequate a response is this for anyone who pretends to be a leader: he said, “What Troy Buswell does is Troy Buswell’s business.” That is his pathetic response as a leader. The Leader of the Opposition has no creditability on standards. We need only go back to the $900 000 water licence to know that, let alone all the other things that dot his record in government and his sorry record in opposition. The answer to the question is a profound no. We will not be adopting the approach of the Leader of the Opposition to standards as policy for this government.
We all remember the incident I mentioned last week when he abused parliamentary privilege in June 2004 by claiming that a person in his electorate was a serial sex offender. He put that person at serious personal risk. There was no foundation at all for his allegation. In April this year he asked a disgraceful question that seriously offended the grandmother of poor Wade Scale. Margaret Jakins said with regard to the Leader of the Opposition’s question - Whoever the person was that asked that despicable question should ask themselves what they might be going through if they had been through this very tragic, trying, stressful period. Did he apologise? Again, true to form, he did not apologise. We now find him applying or not applying standards - poor standards in any case if he is applying them - with regard to the latest series of events. His own deputy was out in the car park conspiring with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to cook up their evidence before the Corruption and Crime Commission. His own deputy has conspired with Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton. Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : We are having a lot of debate about the issue of the CCC inquiry and the Shire of Busselton. What the minister just said was that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition conspired to stack the shire. Mr F.M. Logan : He probably did. Mr C.J. BARNETT : That is a very big call for the minister to make. The whole investigation is before the CCC. The Leader of the Opposition’s reputation is being impugned and an assertion is being made that cannot be backed up. To accuse someone of a conspiracy - to use the word “conspire” in this chamber - is highly unparliamentary. I ask that the minister withdraw that comment. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe is right. The use of the word does indicate an attack on a person’s character and it should not be used in that manner. There are other ways of saying things that do not offend the rules. I direct that the comment be withdrawn. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition met with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton council elections. Against all of that background, what is the response of the Leader of the Opposition? What is his response to the lack of standards and grossly improper behaviour of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition? How inadequate a response is this for anyone who pretends to be a leader: he said, “What Troy Buswell does is Troy Buswell’s business.” That is his pathetic response as a leader. The Leader of the Opposition has no creditability on standards. We need only go back to the $900 000 water licence to know that, let alone all the other things that dot his record in government and his sorry record in opposition. The answer to the question is a profound no. We will not be adopting the approach of the Leader of the Opposition to standards as policy for this government.
We now find him applying or not applying standards - poor standards in any case if he is applying them - with regard to the latest series of events. His own deputy was out in the car park conspiring with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to cook up their evidence before the Corruption and Crime Commission. His own deputy has conspired with Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton. Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : We are having a lot of debate about the issue of the CCC inquiry and the Shire of Busselton. What the minister just said was that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition conspired to stack the shire. Mr F.M. Logan : He probably did. Mr C.J. BARNETT : That is a very big call for the minister to make. The whole investigation is before the CCC. The Leader of the Opposition’s reputation is being impugned and an assertion is being made that cannot be backed up. To accuse someone of a conspiracy - to use the word “conspire” in this chamber - is highly unparliamentary. I ask that the minister withdraw that comment. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe is right. The use of the word does indicate an attack on a person’s character and it should not be used in that manner. There are other ways of saying things that do not offend the rules. I direct that the comment be withdrawn. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition met with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton council elections. Against all of that background, what is the response of the Leader of the Opposition? What is his response to the lack of standards and grossly improper behaviour of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition? How inadequate a response is this for anyone who pretends to be a leader: he said, “What Troy Buswell does is Troy Buswell’s business.” That is his pathetic response as a leader. The Leader of the Opposition has no creditability on standards. We need only go back to the $900 000 water licence to know that, let alone all the other things that dot his record in government and his sorry record in opposition. The answer to the question is a profound no. We will not be adopting the approach of the Leader of the Opposition to standards as policy for this government.
Mr F.M. Logan : He probably did. Mr C.J. BARNETT : That is a very big call for the minister to make. The whole investigation is before the CCC. The Leader of the Opposition’s reputation is being impugned and an assertion is being made that cannot be backed up. To accuse someone of a conspiracy - to use the word “conspire” in this chamber - is highly unparliamentary. I ask that the minister withdraw that comment. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe is right. The use of the word does indicate an attack on a person’s character and it should not be used in that manner. There are other ways of saying things that do not offend the rules. I direct that the comment be withdrawn. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition met with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton council elections. Against all of that background, what is the response of the Leader of the Opposition? What is his response to the lack of standards and grossly improper behaviour of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition? How inadequate a response is this for anyone who pretends to be a leader: he said, “What Troy Buswell does is Troy Buswell’s business.” That is his pathetic response as a leader. The Leader of the Opposition has no creditability on standards. We need only go back to the $900 000 water licence to know that, let alone all the other things that dot his record in government and his sorry record in opposition. The answer to the question is a profound no. We will not be adopting the approach of the Leader of the Opposition to standards as policy for this government.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : That is a very big call for the minister to make. The whole investigation is before the CCC. The Leader of the Opposition’s reputation is being impugned and an assertion is being made that cannot be backed up. To accuse someone of a conspiracy - to use the word “conspire” in this chamber - is highly unparliamentary. I ask that the minister withdraw that comment. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe is right. The use of the word does indicate an attack on a person’s character and it should not be used in that manner. There are other ways of saying things that do not offend the rules. I direct that the comment be withdrawn. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition met with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton council elections. Against all of that background, what is the response of the Leader of the Opposition? What is his response to the lack of standards and grossly improper behaviour of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition? How inadequate a response is this for anyone who pretends to be a leader: he said, “What Troy Buswell does is Troy Buswell’s business.” That is his pathetic response as a leader. The Leader of the Opposition has no creditability on standards. We need only go back to the $900 000 water licence to know that, let alone all the other things that dot his record in government and his sorry record in opposition. The answer to the question is a profound no. We will not be adopting the approach of the Leader of the Opposition to standards as policy for this government.
The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe is right. The use of the word does indicate an attack on a person’s character and it should not be used in that manner. There are other ways of saying things that do not offend the rules. I direct that the comment be withdrawn. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition met with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton council elections. Against all of that background, what is the response of the Leader of the Opposition? What is his response to the lack of standards and grossly improper behaviour of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition? How inadequate a response is this for anyone who pretends to be a leader: he said, “What Troy Buswell does is Troy Buswell’s business.” That is his pathetic response as a leader. The Leader of the Opposition has no creditability on standards. We need only go back to the $900 000 water licence to know that, let alone all the other things that dot his record in government and his sorry record in opposition. The answer to the question is a profound no. We will not be adopting the approach of the Leader of the Opposition to standards as policy for this government.
Mr E.S. RIPPER : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition met with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton council elections. Against all of that background, what is the response of the Leader of the Opposition? What is his response to the lack of standards and grossly improper behaviour of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition? How inadequate a response is this for anyone who pretends to be a leader: he said, “What Troy Buswell does is Troy Buswell’s business.” That is his pathetic response as a leader. The Leader of the Opposition has no creditability on standards. We need only go back to the $900 000 water licence to know that, let alone all the other things that dot his record in government and his sorry record in opposition. The answer to the question is a profound no. We will not be adopting the approach of the Leader of the Opposition to standards as policy for this government.
The Leader of the Opposition has no creditability on standards. We need only go back to the $900 000 water licence to know that, let alone all the other things that dot his record in government and his sorry record in opposition. The answer to the question is a profound no. We will not be adopting the approach of the Leader of the Opposition to standards as policy for this government.
Mr E.S. RIPPER replied: I thank the member very much for the question. I noted that the Leader of the Opposition said that he supported the principle of a proposal to establish a commission for parliamentary standards. There is one word that occurs to me as I think about that. That word is “hypocrisy”. Let us look at the standards demonstrated by the Leader of the Opposition when in government. When he was the Minister for Local Government, he breached purchasing probity rules by awarding a contract to Scott Four Colour Print without seeking any other quotes. At the time his party and factional colleague Hon Barbara Scott was a director of Scott Four Colour Print. In 1999 there was a much more serious conflict of interest. In March of that year Moltoni Agricultural Ltd applied for a water licence for the Koorian Estate in Gingin. In April that year the water licence was issued. At the time the Leader of the Opposition was a director of Moltoni Agricultural Ltd and Koorian Land Company Ltd. At that same time the Rights in Water and Irrigation Amendment Bill was introduced into Parliament. Members who know something about the water issue will know that that legislation made water licences a tradeable asset. Guess how much the Koorian water licence was valued at? Let us think about whether it was worth $1 000, $2 000, $3 000 or $4 000. It was worth $900 000! The member was in cabinet considering legislation to make water licences tradable assets while he was a director of a company that had applied for, and received, a water licence. He failed to disclose that conflict of interest. Those are not the only examples. When he was the Minister for Local Government he was at it again. He applied to the Shire of Manjimup to rezone his farm to residential at the same time as his own department was investigating the Shire of Manjimup. How would a person like to be the shire officer assessing that application? How would a person like to be a shire councillor voting on the application while the minister’s department is leaning on the shire and investigating it? In April 1999 he broke the purchasing rules again by using his government credit card to pay for staff Christmas dinners, which was quite contrary to the rules. We all remember how, prior to the election, he cleared native vegetation from outside his property, thus breaking conservation laws. Unfortunately, he has taken these very same standards - which I do not want to see us adopting in government - into opposition. In May 2004 he accused the RSPCA of breaching its own law and code of practice over charges against a farmer in his electorate. The court handed down a record fine against the person that the Leader of the Opposition had said had done no wrong. The Leader of the Opposition was asked to apologise to the RSPCA but he refused. We all remember the incident I mentioned last week when he abused parliamentary privilege in June 2004 by claiming that a person in his electorate was a serial sex offender. He put that person at serious personal risk. There was no foundation at all for his allegation. In April this year he asked a disgraceful question that seriously offended the grandmother of poor Wade Scale. Margaret Jakins said with regard to the Leader of the Opposition’s question - Whoever the person was that asked that despicable question should ask themselves what they might be going through if they had been through this very tragic, trying, stressful period. Did he apologise? Again, true to form, he did not apologise. We now find him applying or not applying standards - poor standards in any case if he is applying them - with regard to the latest series of events. His own deputy was out in the car park conspiring with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to cook up their evidence before the Corruption and Crime Commission. His own deputy has conspired with Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton. Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : We are having a lot of debate about the issue of the CCC inquiry and the Shire of Busselton. What the minister just said was that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition conspired to stack the shire. Mr F.M. Logan : He probably did. Mr C.J. BARNETT : That is a very big call for the minister to make. The whole investigation is before the CCC. The Leader of the Opposition’s reputation is being impugned and an assertion is being made that cannot be backed up. To accuse someone of a conspiracy - to use the word “conspire” in this chamber - is highly unparliamentary. I ask that the minister withdraw that comment. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe is right. The use of the word does indicate an attack on a person’s character and it should not be used in that manner. There are other ways of saying things that do not offend the rules. I direct that the comment be withdrawn. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition met with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton council elections. Against all of that background, what is the response of the Leader of the Opposition? What is his response to the lack of standards and grossly improper behaviour of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition? How inadequate a response is this for anyone who pretends to be a leader: he said, “What Troy Buswell does is Troy Buswell’s business.” That is his pathetic response as a leader. The Leader of the Opposition has no creditability on standards. We need only go back to the $900 000 water licence to know that, let alone all the other things that dot his record in government and his sorry record in opposition. The answer to the question is a profound no. We will not be adopting the approach of the Leader of the Opposition to standards as policy for this government.
I thank the member very much for the question. I noted that the Leader of the Opposition said that he supported the principle of a proposal to establish a commission for parliamentary standards. There is one word that occurs to me as I think about that. That word is “hypocrisy”. Let us look at the standards demonstrated by the Leader of the Opposition when in government. When he was the Minister for Local Government, he breached purchasing probity rules by awarding a contract to Scott Four Colour Print without seeking any other quotes. At the time his party and factional colleague Hon Barbara Scott was a director of Scott Four Colour Print. In 1999 there was a much more serious conflict of interest. In March of that year Moltoni Agricultural Ltd applied for a water licence for the Koorian Estate in Gingin. In April that year the water licence was issued. At the time the Leader of the Opposition was a director of Moltoni Agricultural Ltd and Koorian Land Company Ltd. At that same time the Rights in Water and Irrigation Amendment Bill was introduced into Parliament. Members who know something about the water issue will know that that legislation made water licences a tradeable asset. Guess how much the Koorian water licence was valued at? Let us think about whether it was worth $1 000, $2 000, $3 000 or $4 000. It was worth $900 000! The member was in cabinet considering legislation to make water licences tradable assets while he was a director of a company that had applied for, and received, a water licence. He failed to disclose that conflict of interest. Those are not the only examples. When he was the Minister for Local Government he was at it again. He applied to the Shire of Manjimup to rezone his farm to residential at the same time as his own department was investigating the Shire of Manjimup. How would a person like to be the shire officer assessing that application? How would a person like to be a shire councillor voting on the application while the minister’s department is leaning on the shire and investigating it? In April 1999 he broke the purchasing rules again by using his government credit card to pay for staff Christmas dinners, which was quite contrary to the rules. We all remember how, prior to the election, he cleared native vegetation from outside his property, thus breaking conservation laws. Unfortunately, he has taken these very same standards - which I do not want to see us adopting in government - into opposition. In May 2004 he accused the RSPCA of breaching its own law and code of practice over charges against a farmer in his electorate. The court handed down a record fine against the person that the Leader of the Opposition had said had done no wrong. The Leader of the Opposition was asked to apologise to the RSPCA but he refused. We all remember the incident I mentioned last week when he abused parliamentary privilege in June 2004 by claiming that a person in his electorate was a serial sex offender. He put that person at serious personal risk. There was no foundation at all for his allegation. In April this year he asked a disgraceful question that seriously offended the grandmother of poor Wade Scale. Margaret Jakins said with regard to the Leader of the Opposition’s question - Whoever the person was that asked that despicable question should ask themselves what they might be going through if they had been through this very tragic, trying, stressful period. Did he apologise? Again, true to form, he did not apologise. We now find him applying or not applying standards - poor standards in any case if he is applying them - with regard to the latest series of events. His own deputy was out in the car park conspiring with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to cook up their evidence before the Corruption and Crime Commission. His own deputy has conspired with Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton. Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : We are having a lot of debate about the issue of the CCC inquiry and the Shire of Busselton. What the minister just said was that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition conspired to stack the shire. Mr F.M. Logan : He probably did. Mr C.J. BARNETT : That is a very big call for the minister to make. The whole investigation is before the CCC. The Leader of the Opposition’s reputation is being impugned and an assertion is being made that cannot be backed up. To accuse someone of a conspiracy - to use the word “conspire” in this chamber - is highly unparliamentary. I ask that the minister withdraw that comment. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe is right. The use of the word does indicate an attack on a person’s character and it should not be used in that manner. There are other ways of saying things that do not offend the rules. I direct that the comment be withdrawn. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition met with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton council elections. Against all of that background, what is the response of the Leader of the Opposition? What is his response to the lack of standards and grossly improper behaviour of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition? How inadequate a response is this for anyone who pretends to be a leader: he said, “What Troy Buswell does is Troy Buswell’s business.” That is his pathetic response as a leader. The Leader of the Opposition has no creditability on standards. We need only go back to the $900 000 water licence to know that, let alone all the other things that dot his record in government and his sorry record in opposition. The answer to the question is a profound no. We will not be adopting the approach of the Leader of the Opposition to standards as policy for this government.
When he was the Minister for Local Government, he breached purchasing probity rules by awarding a contract to Scott Four Colour Print without seeking any other quotes. At the time his party and factional colleague Hon Barbara Scott was a director of Scott Four Colour Print. In 1999 there was a much more serious conflict of interest. In March of that year Moltoni Agricultural Ltd applied for a water licence for the Koorian Estate in Gingin. In April that year the water licence was issued. At the time the Leader of the Opposition was a director of Moltoni Agricultural Ltd and Koorian Land Company Ltd. At that same time the Rights in Water and Irrigation Amendment Bill was introduced into Parliament. Members who know something about the water issue will know that that legislation made water licences a tradeable asset. Guess how much the Koorian water licence was valued at? Let us think about whether it was worth $1 000, $2 000, $3 000 or $4 000. It was worth $900 000! The member was in cabinet considering legislation to make water licences tradable assets while he was a director of a company that had applied for, and received, a water licence. He failed to disclose that conflict of interest. Those are not the only examples. When he was the Minister for Local Government he was at it again. He applied to the Shire of Manjimup to rezone his farm to residential at the same time as his own department was investigating the Shire of Manjimup. How would a person like to be the shire officer assessing that application? How would a person like to be a shire councillor voting on the application while the minister’s department is leaning on the shire and investigating it? In April 1999 he broke the purchasing rules again by using his government credit card to pay for staff Christmas dinners, which was quite contrary to the rules. We all remember how, prior to the election, he cleared native vegetation from outside his property, thus breaking conservation laws. Unfortunately, he has taken these very same standards - which I do not want to see us adopting in government - into opposition. In May 2004 he accused the RSPCA of breaching its own law and code of practice over charges against a farmer in his electorate. The court handed down a record fine against the person that the Leader of the Opposition had said had done no wrong. The Leader of the Opposition was asked to apologise to the RSPCA but he refused. We all remember the incident I mentioned last week when he abused parliamentary privilege in June 2004 by claiming that a person in his electorate was a serial sex offender. He put that person at serious personal risk. There was no foundation at all for his allegation. In April this year he asked a disgraceful question that seriously offended the grandmother of poor Wade Scale. Margaret Jakins said with regard to the Leader of the Opposition’s question - Whoever the person was that asked that despicable question should ask themselves what they might be going through if they had been through this very tragic, trying, stressful period. Did he apologise? Again, true to form, he did not apologise. We now find him applying or not applying standards - poor standards in any case if he is applying them - with regard to the latest series of events. His own deputy was out in the car park conspiring with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to cook up their evidence before the Corruption and Crime Commission. His own deputy has conspired with Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton. Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : We are having a lot of debate about the issue of the CCC inquiry and the Shire of Busselton. What the minister just said was that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition conspired to stack the shire. Mr F.M. Logan : He probably did. Mr C.J. BARNETT : That is a very big call for the minister to make. The whole investigation is before the CCC. The Leader of the Opposition’s reputation is being impugned and an assertion is being made that cannot be backed up. To accuse someone of a conspiracy - to use the word “conspire” in this chamber - is highly unparliamentary. I ask that the minister withdraw that comment. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe is right. The use of the word does indicate an attack on a person’s character and it should not be used in that manner. There are other ways of saying things that do not offend the rules. I direct that the comment be withdrawn. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition met with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton council elections. Against all of that background, what is the response of the Leader of the Opposition? What is his response to the lack of standards and grossly improper behaviour of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition? How inadequate a response is this for anyone who pretends to be a leader: he said, “What Troy Buswell does is Troy Buswell’s business.” That is his pathetic response as a leader. The Leader of the Opposition has no creditability on standards. We need only go back to the $900 000 water licence to know that, let alone all the other things that dot his record in government and his sorry record in opposition. The answer to the question is a profound no. We will not be adopting the approach of the Leader of the Opposition to standards as policy for this government.
Those are not the only examples. When he was the Minister for Local Government he was at it again. He applied to the Shire of Manjimup to rezone his farm to residential at the same time as his own department was investigating the Shire of Manjimup. How would a person like to be the shire officer assessing that application? How would a person like to be a shire councillor voting on the application while the minister’s department is leaning on the shire and investigating it? In April 1999 he broke the purchasing rules again by using his government credit card to pay for staff Christmas dinners, which was quite contrary to the rules. We all remember how, prior to the election, he cleared native vegetation from outside his property, thus breaking conservation laws. Unfortunately, he has taken these very same standards - which I do not want to see us adopting in government - into opposition. In May 2004 he accused the RSPCA of breaching its own law and code of practice over charges against a farmer in his electorate. The court handed down a record fine against the person that the Leader of the Opposition had said had done no wrong. The Leader of the Opposition was asked to apologise to the RSPCA but he refused. We all remember the incident I mentioned last week when he abused parliamentary privilege in June 2004 by claiming that a person in his electorate was a serial sex offender. He put that person at serious personal risk. There was no foundation at all for his allegation. In April this year he asked a disgraceful question that seriously offended the grandmother of poor Wade Scale. Margaret Jakins said with regard to the Leader of the Opposition’s question - Whoever the person was that asked that despicable question should ask themselves what they might be going through if they had been through this very tragic, trying, stressful period. Did he apologise? Again, true to form, he did not apologise. We now find him applying or not applying standards - poor standards in any case if he is applying them - with regard to the latest series of events. His own deputy was out in the car park conspiring with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to cook up their evidence before the Corruption and Crime Commission. His own deputy has conspired with Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton. Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : We are having a lot of debate about the issue of the CCC inquiry and the Shire of Busselton. What the minister just said was that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition conspired to stack the shire. Mr F.M. Logan : He probably did. Mr C.J. BARNETT : That is a very big call for the minister to make. The whole investigation is before the CCC. The Leader of the Opposition’s reputation is being impugned and an assertion is being made that cannot be backed up. To accuse someone of a conspiracy - to use the word “conspire” in this chamber - is highly unparliamentary. I ask that the minister withdraw that comment. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe is right. The use of the word does indicate an attack on a person’s character and it should not be used in that manner. There are other ways of saying things that do not offend the rules. I direct that the comment be withdrawn. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition met with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton council elections. Against all of that background, what is the response of the Leader of the Opposition? What is his response to the lack of standards and grossly improper behaviour of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition? How inadequate a response is this for anyone who pretends to be a leader: he said, “What Troy Buswell does is Troy Buswell’s business.” That is his pathetic response as a leader. The Leader of the Opposition has no creditability on standards. We need only go back to the $900 000 water licence to know that, let alone all the other things that dot his record in government and his sorry record in opposition. The answer to the question is a profound no. We will not be adopting the approach of the Leader of the Opposition to standards as policy for this government.
In April 1999 he broke the purchasing rules again by using his government credit card to pay for staff Christmas dinners, which was quite contrary to the rules. We all remember how, prior to the election, he cleared native vegetation from outside his property, thus breaking conservation laws. Unfortunately, he has taken these very same standards - which I do not want to see us adopting in government - into opposition. In May 2004 he accused the RSPCA of breaching its own law and code of practice over charges against a farmer in his electorate. The court handed down a record fine against the person that the Leader of the Opposition had said had done no wrong. The Leader of the Opposition was asked to apologise to the RSPCA but he refused. We all remember the incident I mentioned last week when he abused parliamentary privilege in June 2004 by claiming that a person in his electorate was a serial sex offender. He put that person at serious personal risk. There was no foundation at all for his allegation. In April this year he asked a disgraceful question that seriously offended the grandmother of poor Wade Scale. Margaret Jakins said with regard to the Leader of the Opposition’s question - Whoever the person was that asked that despicable question should ask themselves what they might be going through if they had been through this very tragic, trying, stressful period. Did he apologise? Again, true to form, he did not apologise. We now find him applying or not applying standards - poor standards in any case if he is applying them - with regard to the latest series of events. His own deputy was out in the car park conspiring with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to cook up their evidence before the Corruption and Crime Commission. His own deputy has conspired with Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton. Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : We are having a lot of debate about the issue of the CCC inquiry and the Shire of Busselton. What the minister just said was that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition conspired to stack the shire. Mr F.M. Logan : He probably did. Mr C.J. BARNETT : That is a very big call for the minister to make. The whole investigation is before the CCC. The Leader of the Opposition’s reputation is being impugned and an assertion is being made that cannot be backed up. To accuse someone of a conspiracy - to use the word “conspire” in this chamber - is highly unparliamentary. I ask that the minister withdraw that comment. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe is right. The use of the word does indicate an attack on a person’s character and it should not be used in that manner. There are other ways of saying things that do not offend the rules. I direct that the comment be withdrawn. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition met with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton council elections. Against all of that background, what is the response of the Leader of the Opposition? What is his response to the lack of standards and grossly improper behaviour of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition? How inadequate a response is this for anyone who pretends to be a leader: he said, “What Troy Buswell does is Troy Buswell’s business.” That is his pathetic response as a leader. The Leader of the Opposition has no creditability on standards. We need only go back to the $900 000 water licence to know that, let alone all the other things that dot his record in government and his sorry record in opposition. The answer to the question is a profound no. We will not be adopting the approach of the Leader of the Opposition to standards as policy for this government.
We all remember the incident I mentioned last week when he abused parliamentary privilege in June 2004 by claiming that a person in his electorate was a serial sex offender. He put that person at serious personal risk. There was no foundation at all for his allegation. In April this year he asked a disgraceful question that seriously offended the grandmother of poor Wade Scale. Margaret Jakins said with regard to the Leader of the Opposition’s question - Whoever the person was that asked that despicable question should ask themselves what they might be going through if they had been through this very tragic, trying, stressful period. Did he apologise? Again, true to form, he did not apologise. We now find him applying or not applying standards - poor standards in any case if he is applying them - with regard to the latest series of events. His own deputy was out in the car park conspiring with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to cook up their evidence before the Corruption and Crime Commission. His own deputy has conspired with Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton. Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : We are having a lot of debate about the issue of the CCC inquiry and the Shire of Busselton. What the minister just said was that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition conspired to stack the shire. Mr F.M. Logan : He probably did. Mr C.J. BARNETT : That is a very big call for the minister to make. The whole investigation is before the CCC. The Leader of the Opposition’s reputation is being impugned and an assertion is being made that cannot be backed up. To accuse someone of a conspiracy - to use the word “conspire” in this chamber - is highly unparliamentary. I ask that the minister withdraw that comment. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe is right. The use of the word does indicate an attack on a person’s character and it should not be used in that manner. There are other ways of saying things that do not offend the rules. I direct that the comment be withdrawn. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition met with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton council elections. Against all of that background, what is the response of the Leader of the Opposition? What is his response to the lack of standards and grossly improper behaviour of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition? How inadequate a response is this for anyone who pretends to be a leader: he said, “What Troy Buswell does is Troy Buswell’s business.” That is his pathetic response as a leader. The Leader of the Opposition has no creditability on standards. We need only go back to the $900 000 water licence to know that, let alone all the other things that dot his record in government and his sorry record in opposition. The answer to the question is a profound no. We will not be adopting the approach of the Leader of the Opposition to standards as policy for this government.
We now find him applying or not applying standards - poor standards in any case if he is applying them - with regard to the latest series of events. His own deputy was out in the car park conspiring with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to cook up their evidence before the Corruption and Crime Commission. His own deputy has conspired with Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton. Withdrawal of Remark Mr C.J. BARNETT : We are having a lot of debate about the issue of the CCC inquiry and the Shire of Busselton. What the minister just said was that the Deputy Leader of the Opposition conspired to stack the shire. Mr F.M. Logan : He probably did. Mr C.J. BARNETT : That is a very big call for the minister to make. The whole investigation is before the CCC. The Leader of the Opposition’s reputation is being impugned and an assertion is being made that cannot be backed up. To accuse someone of a conspiracy - to use the word “conspire” in this chamber - is highly unparliamentary. I ask that the minister withdraw that comment. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe is right. The use of the word does indicate an attack on a person’s character and it should not be used in that manner. There are other ways of saying things that do not offend the rules. I direct that the comment be withdrawn. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition met with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton council elections. Against all of that background, what is the response of the Leader of the Opposition? What is his response to the lack of standards and grossly improper behaviour of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition? How inadequate a response is this for anyone who pretends to be a leader: he said, “What Troy Buswell does is Troy Buswell’s business.” That is his pathetic response as a leader. The Leader of the Opposition has no creditability on standards. We need only go back to the $900 000 water licence to know that, let alone all the other things that dot his record in government and his sorry record in opposition. The answer to the question is a profound no. We will not be adopting the approach of the Leader of the Opposition to standards as policy for this government.
Mr F.M. Logan : He probably did. Mr C.J. BARNETT : That is a very big call for the minister to make. The whole investigation is before the CCC. The Leader of the Opposition’s reputation is being impugned and an assertion is being made that cannot be backed up. To accuse someone of a conspiracy - to use the word “conspire” in this chamber - is highly unparliamentary. I ask that the minister withdraw that comment. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe is right. The use of the word does indicate an attack on a person’s character and it should not be used in that manner. There are other ways of saying things that do not offend the rules. I direct that the comment be withdrawn. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition met with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton council elections. Against all of that background, what is the response of the Leader of the Opposition? What is his response to the lack of standards and grossly improper behaviour of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition? How inadequate a response is this for anyone who pretends to be a leader: he said, “What Troy Buswell does is Troy Buswell’s business.” That is his pathetic response as a leader. The Leader of the Opposition has no creditability on standards. We need only go back to the $900 000 water licence to know that, let alone all the other things that dot his record in government and his sorry record in opposition. The answer to the question is a profound no. We will not be adopting the approach of the Leader of the Opposition to standards as policy for this government.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : That is a very big call for the minister to make. The whole investigation is before the CCC. The Leader of the Opposition’s reputation is being impugned and an assertion is being made that cannot be backed up. To accuse someone of a conspiracy - to use the word “conspire” in this chamber - is highly unparliamentary. I ask that the minister withdraw that comment. The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe is right. The use of the word does indicate an attack on a person’s character and it should not be used in that manner. There are other ways of saying things that do not offend the rules. I direct that the comment be withdrawn. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition met with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton council elections. Against all of that background, what is the response of the Leader of the Opposition? What is his response to the lack of standards and grossly improper behaviour of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition? How inadequate a response is this for anyone who pretends to be a leader: he said, “What Troy Buswell does is Troy Buswell’s business.” That is his pathetic response as a leader. The Leader of the Opposition has no creditability on standards. We need only go back to the $900 000 water licence to know that, let alone all the other things that dot his record in government and his sorry record in opposition. The answer to the question is a profound no. We will not be adopting the approach of the Leader of the Opposition to standards as policy for this government.
The SPEAKER : The member for Cottesloe is right. The use of the word does indicate an attack on a person’s character and it should not be used in that manner. There are other ways of saying things that do not offend the rules. I direct that the comment be withdrawn. Mr E.S. RIPPER : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition met with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton council elections. Against all of that background, what is the response of the Leader of the Opposition? What is his response to the lack of standards and grossly improper behaviour of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition? How inadequate a response is this for anyone who pretends to be a leader: he said, “What Troy Buswell does is Troy Buswell’s business.” That is his pathetic response as a leader. The Leader of the Opposition has no creditability on standards. We need only go back to the $900 000 water licence to know that, let alone all the other things that dot his record in government and his sorry record in opposition. The answer to the question is a profound no. We will not be adopting the approach of the Leader of the Opposition to standards as policy for this government.
Mr E.S. RIPPER : I withdraw that comment. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr E.S. RIPPER : The Deputy Leader of the Opposition met with disgraced lobbyist Noel Crichton-Browne to stack the Shire of Busselton council elections. Against all of that background, what is the response of the Leader of the Opposition? What is his response to the lack of standards and grossly improper behaviour of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition? How inadequate a response is this for anyone who pretends to be a leader: he said, “What Troy Buswell does is Troy Buswell’s business.” That is his pathetic response as a leader. The Leader of the Opposition has no creditability on standards. We need only go back to the $900 000 water licence to know that, let alone all the other things that dot his record in government and his sorry record in opposition. The answer to the question is a profound no. We will not be adopting the approach of the Leader of the Opposition to standards as policy for this government.
The Leader of the Opposition has no creditability on standards. We need only go back to the $900 000 water licence to know that, let alone all the other things that dot his record in government and his sorry record in opposition. The answer to the question is a profound no. We will not be adopting the approach of the Leader of the Opposition to standards as policy for this government.
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