❓ WA Premier Colin Barnett answers questions regarding his attendance at Liberal Party Leaders' Forum events, detailing the forum's purpose and his limited involvement. The opposition probes the nature of the forum and potential benefits for donors.
AnsweredQoN 252Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
LIBERAL
PARTY LEADERS' FORUM — PREMIER'S ATTENDANCE
252. Ms M.M. QUIRK to the Premier:
Some notice of my question has been given. I refer to media
reports concerning a group known as the leaders' forum.
(1) How many
forum events has the Premier attended since 23 September 2008, and on what
dates did the Premier attend each forum event?
(2) What was the location of each forum event attended by the
Premier?
(3) Who within the Premier's office coordinates his
attendance at forum events?
(4) What are
the names of all public sector staff or Premier's office employees who
have attended forum events with him, and at which events?
PARTY LEADERS' FORUM — PREMIER'S ATTENDANCE
252. Ms M.M. QUIRK to the Premier:
Some notice of my question has been given. I refer to media
reports concerning a group known as the leaders' forum.
(1) How many
forum events has the Premier attended since 23 September 2008, and on what
dates did the Premier attend each forum event?
(2) What was the location of each forum event attended by the
Premier?
(3) Who within the Premier's office coordinates his
attendance at forum events?
(4) What are
the names of all public sector staff or Premier's office employees who
have attended forum events with him, and at which events?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for some prior notice of that question.
(1)–(4)
Let me explain to members that the leaders' forum is an organisation—in
fact, it is not even an organisation, it is a group of members of the Liberal
Party and of corporations that make donations to the Liberal Party, who meet
probably about five or six times a year, generally over lunch. They are people,
or companies, who each contribute $25 000 for the specific purpose of funding
the ongoing administration of the Liberal Party. In other words —
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
That is what it was formed for. The opposition can laugh if it wants to, but
that is what it was formed for.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you, members!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
That money is used to employ the staff and to maintain the administration of
the Liberal Party. So it was a group of members and supporters who came
together, realising that the Liberal Party needed to be able to sustain itself
between elections, whether they be federal or state. That is quite proper.
These donations are recorded and disclosed according to electoral requirements.
Ms M.M. Quirk :
What's in it for them?
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Does the member want the answer? They are published in the reports according to
the Electoral Commission; they are totally open disclosures.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
What is the point!
The SPEAKER : Thank
you, members! The member for Girrawheen has asked the question of the Premier;
she has not asked it to anybody else to my right. I do not think the member for
Girrawheen needs any assistance from anybody else on my left.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The leaders' forum is basically a group of Liberal members and
supporters simply to fund the ongoing administration of Liberal Party; that is
what it exists for. It is not a separate entity, as the 500 Club is; the 500
Club is incorporated, and, yes, in support of conservative politics, but
separate from the Liberal Party.
Yes, the leaders' forum has meetings. I have not been
to a luncheon this year with them; I did go to a small thankyou function at
Menzies House. In response to the member's questions, the last time I
went to a lunch was over six months ago—late last year. I usually go to
one, sometimes two, a year. If the member wants to know the dates, the last one
I attended was a lunch of about probably, typically, 15 to 18 people on 14 December
2011; so one last year. The year before, 2010, on 21 May and 4 November—so
two in that year. In 2009, one in that year on 26 March; in 2008, one
attendance on 28 October. These are held at various premises around the central
business district.
I am not going to list who they are. These are people who
provide a boardroom and often provide the lunch. Sometimes they are in public
venues; sometimes they are in company boardrooms. It is no different from what
you do in the Labor Party—no different at all.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you, members!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
am trying to answer the question.
Regarding the involvement of my staff, these are Liberal
Party events. My staff have no involvement, other than my appointments
secretary in that if I accept to go to one, my appointments secretary will put
the appointment in the diary. Yes, a member of my staff accompanies me. As
Premier, everywhere I go, public or private, a member of my staff comes with
me, as is appropriate for a person who holds the office of Premier.
But I wonder why the Labor Party is so interested, because in
just having a little bit of a look around—ever heard of this?
Tabling of Paper
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS :
In the earlier part of his answer the Premier referred to a sheet of paper,
which appeared to be an official document.
Mr C.J. Barnett :
No, I didn't; it's the answer to the question.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS :
It is typewritten, Premier, and it looks like it is in the question and answer
format as is appropriate in Parliament and has been prepared by his staff.
Therefore, I call upon the Premier to table it.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
What I have is the answer that I just read out to the question.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
Table it then.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
It is not an official document, so I am going to make a point of principle
here: I am not going to table it.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
Why won't you table it?
Several members interjected.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS :
I understand that it is you, Mr Speaker, who rules whether a document is
required to be tabled, and not the person whose document it is. Therefore, I
call upon you to inspect the document and to make a ruling.
The SPEAKER : I am
sure the Premier will provide it to me, member for Midland, and I will provide
information to this house once I have had a look at that document.
[See page 3088.]
Questions without Notice Resumed
The SPEAKER : The
member for Girrawheen has a supplementary question.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
am still speaking.
I wonder why the Labor Party has tried to make so much of the
leaders' forum. Indeed, I wonder whether members opposite are aware of
something call the Federal Labor Business Forum, to which a federal member can
pay $25 000, a federal partner can pay $50 000, a federation partner can pay
$75 000, and a commonwealth partner can pay $100 000.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
What do people get? They get an individual program of policy briefings.
Individual program, one-on-one—that is what they get. They get tickets
to the federal conference. It is amazing! That is what they get.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Minister for Health, you should know that I am standing; I formally call you to
order for the first time today. Member for Victoria Park, if you wish to
represent your concerns in this place, you know there are more appropriate ways
of doing it; I am formally calling you to order for the first time today.
Member for Mount Lawley, the question was not asked of you; I formally call you
to order for the first time today.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
For those who have —
Mr P.B. Watson interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you for your contribution, member for Albany; it entitles you to be formally
called to order for the first time today.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Mr Speaker, for those who have nothing to do this Friday, if members want a bit
of entertainment, and I am pleased to promote this, ''You are invited to
an 'exclusive luncheon'''—exclusive!—''with
the state opposition leader Hon Mark McGowan in support of Reece Whitby.''
Do members know how much it is going to cost them? It is $1 500 for lunch with
him and Reece Whitby! Fantastic! Fifteen hundred bucks! The food would have to
be great, wouldn't it? It would have to be a fantastic meal to justify
that.
Finally, in conclusion —
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The member for Girrawheen asked the question; I am just answering it. In
conclusion, I am aware of a media report from a couple of months ago that said
invitations were sent out last Friday for a special boardroom dinner—shhh,
don't tell anyone—with not only the Prime Minister, but also
state opposition leader Mark McGowan was listed as a special guest on the
invitation to this boardroom dinner. How did that go, Leader of the Opposition?
How did the dinner with Julia go? Was it successful?
Mr M. McGowan : You
can tell the story.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
How did it go? Did you turn up? Did you go? Did anyone turn up? Did it happen?
What happened to the dinner? It was so exclusive no-one went! No-one bought a
ticket. No-one wanted to have dinner with Julia Gillard, least of all you!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Warnbro! Silence is sometimes golden. I formally call you to order
for the second time today—the first and the second. Member for Victoria
Park, sometimes a glance to your right would be useful. I formally call you to
order for the second time today.
(1)–(4)
Let me explain to members that the leaders' forum is an organisation—in
fact, it is not even an organisation, it is a group of members of the Liberal
Party and of corporations that make donations to the Liberal Party, who meet
probably about five or six times a year, generally over lunch. They are people,
or companies, who each contribute $25 000 for the specific purpose of funding
the ongoing administration of the Liberal Party. In other words —
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
That is what it was formed for. The opposition can laugh if it wants to, but
that is what it was formed for.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you, members!
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
That money is used to employ the staff and to maintain the administration of
the Liberal Party. So it was a group of members and supporters who came
together, realising that the Liberal Party needed to be able to sustain itself
between elections, whether they be federal or state. That is quite proper.
These donations are recorded and disclosed according to electoral requirements.
Ms M.M. Quirk :
What's in it for them?
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Does the member want the answer? They are published in the reports according to
the Electoral Commission; they are totally open disclosures.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
What is the point!
The SPEAKER : Thank
you, members! The member for Girrawheen has asked the question of the Premier;
she has not asked it to anybody else to my right. I do not think the member for
Girrawheen needs any assistance from anybody else on my left.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The leaders' forum is basically a group of Liberal members and
supporters simply to fund the ongoing administration of Liberal Party; that is
what it exists for. It is not a separate entity, as the 500 Club is; the 500
Club is incorporated, and, yes, in support of conservative politics, but
separate from the Liberal Party.
Yes, the leaders' forum has meetings. I have not been
to a luncheon this year with them; I did go to a small thankyou function at
Menzies House. In response to the member's questions, the last time I
went to a lunch was over six months ago—late last year. I usually go to
one, sometimes two, a year. If the member wants to know the dates, the last one
I attended was a lunch of about probably, typically, 15 to 18 people on 14 December
2011; so one last year. The year before, 2010, on 21 May and 4 November—so
two in that year. In 2009, one in that year on 26 March; in 2008, one
attendance on 28 October. These are held at various premises around the central
business district.
I am not going to list who they are. These are people who
provide a boardroom and often provide the lunch. Sometimes they are in public
venues; sometimes they are in company boardrooms. It is no different from what
you do in the Labor Party—no different at all.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you, members!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
am trying to answer the question.
Regarding the involvement of my staff, these are Liberal
Party events. My staff have no involvement, other than my appointments
secretary in that if I accept to go to one, my appointments secretary will put
the appointment in the diary. Yes, a member of my staff accompanies me. As
Premier, everywhere I go, public or private, a member of my staff comes with
me, as is appropriate for a person who holds the office of Premier.
But I wonder why the Labor Party is so interested, because in
just having a little bit of a look around—ever heard of this?
Tabling of Paper
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS :
In the earlier part of his answer the Premier referred to a sheet of paper,
which appeared to be an official document.
Mr C.J. Barnett :
No, I didn't; it's the answer to the question.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS :
It is typewritten, Premier, and it looks like it is in the question and answer
format as is appropriate in Parliament and has been prepared by his staff.
Therefore, I call upon the Premier to table it.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
What I have is the answer that I just read out to the question.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
Table it then.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
It is not an official document, so I am going to make a point of principle
here: I am not going to table it.
Mrs M.H. Roberts :
Why won't you table it?
Several members interjected.
Mrs M.H. ROBERTS :
I understand that it is you, Mr Speaker, who rules whether a document is
required to be tabled, and not the person whose document it is. Therefore, I
call upon you to inspect the document and to make a ruling.
The SPEAKER : I am
sure the Premier will provide it to me, member for Midland, and I will provide
information to this house once I have had a look at that document.
[See page 3088.]
Questions without Notice Resumed
The SPEAKER : The
member for Girrawheen has a supplementary question.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
am still speaking.
I wonder why the Labor Party has tried to make so much of the
leaders' forum. Indeed, I wonder whether members opposite are aware of
something call the Federal Labor Business Forum, to which a federal member can
pay $25 000, a federal partner can pay $50 000, a federation partner can pay
$75 000, and a commonwealth partner can pay $100 000.
Several members interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
What do people get? They get an individual program of policy briefings.
Individual program, one-on-one—that is what they get. They get tickets
to the federal conference. It is amazing! That is what they get.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Minister for Health, you should know that I am standing; I formally call you to
order for the first time today. Member for Victoria Park, if you wish to
represent your concerns in this place, you know there are more appropriate ways
of doing it; I am formally calling you to order for the first time today.
Member for Mount Lawley, the question was not asked of you; I formally call you
to order for the first time today.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
For those who have —
Mr P.B. Watson interjected.
The SPEAKER : Thank
you for your contribution, member for Albany; it entitles you to be formally
called to order for the first time today.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
Mr Speaker, for those who have nothing to do this Friday, if members want a bit
of entertainment, and I am pleased to promote this, ''You are invited to
an 'exclusive luncheon'''—exclusive!—''with
the state opposition leader Hon Mark McGowan in support of Reece Whitby.''
Do members know how much it is going to cost them? It is $1 500 for lunch with
him and Reece Whitby! Fantastic! Fifteen hundred bucks! The food would have to
be great, wouldn't it? It would have to be a fantastic meal to justify
that.
Finally, in conclusion —
Ms M.M. Quirk interjected.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
The member for Girrawheen asked the question; I am just answering it. In
conclusion, I am aware of a media report from a couple of months ago that said
invitations were sent out last Friday for a special boardroom dinner—shhh,
don't tell anyone—with not only the Prime Minister, but also
state opposition leader Mark McGowan was listed as a special guest on the
invitation to this boardroom dinner. How did that go, Leader of the Opposition?
How did the dinner with Julia go? Was it successful?
Mr M. McGowan : You
can tell the story.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
How did it go? Did you turn up? Did you go? Did anyone turn up? Did it happen?
What happened to the dinner? It was so exclusive no-one went! No-one bought a
ticket. No-one wanted to have dinner with Julia Gillard, least of all you!
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Warnbro! Silence is sometimes golden. I formally call you to order
for the second time today—the first and the second. Member for Victoria
Park, sometimes a glance to your right would be useful. I formally call you to
order for the second time today.
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