❓ Opposition questions Premier Barnett's statements about Treasurer Troy Buswell's return to work following a breakdown. Barnett defends his comments as optimistic and accuses the opposition of distasteful inquiries into Buswell's private health.
AnsweredQoN 125Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
MEMBER FOR VASSE — RETURN TO WORK —
PREMIER'S COMMENTS
125. Mr
M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. How could the Premier be so
confident that the Treasurer would return to work if he had not spoken to him
or received advice from anyone who had?
PREMIER'S COMMENTS
125. Mr
M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. How could the Premier be so
confident that the Treasurer would return to work if he had not spoken to him
or received advice from anyone who had?
AnswerView source ↗
I was not confident. A journalist asked me, ''When is
Troy coming back?'' He had been away for two weeks. I knew he was out of
hospital and I knew he was improving. Therefore, my guesstimate was that he
would probably be back, in my view, at that stage, within two weeks. That was
my diagnosis—no mystery. What does the opposition expect me to do? Does
it expect me to ring his mother, his sister or his doctor? For goodness sake!
The guy has had a breakdown. He is in a serious situation and I respected that,
as I do today. Again, I say to the opposition —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Butler, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
If the Leader of the Opposition has an accusation to make, make it. If he has
some further information that I do not know, he should tell us.
Mr M. McGowan : We're
asking you questions because it doesn't add up.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
have answered all the opposition's questions truthfully.
Mr M. McGowan : You
have not. You treat the Parliament with contempt.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
gave a detailed briefing. Tell me what I have not answered.
Mr M. McGowan : Why
did you say numerous times he was coming back to work if you had no evidence
that he was?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
give up. What a foolish thing to say. He had been away for two weeks. I had a
view he would be returning; he was out of hospital. It was only after he had
been absent for one week—so, obviously, I was optimistic he would come
back sooner—that I made myself acting Treasurer and acting Minister for
Transport because there was a need in government for that to happen. I had an
expectation he would be back pretty quickly.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Midland, member for West Swan and member for Armadale, I do not want
to hear from you.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
have concluded because I do not know what the opposition wants or expects me to
say, but I place on the record that in my time in Parliament I have never
experienced such distasteful inquiries about a member of this house—ever!
I have heard members in this house ridicule —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Armadale, I call you to order for the first time. Member for
Cannington, I call you to order for the first time. Member for West Swan, I
call you to order for the first time. Premier, can you please bring this to a conclusion.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
have heard members in this house, some time ago, ridiculed in this house over
mental health. I have heard that and it is distasteful. However, I have never
ever heard members of Parliament seek information, which I do not have —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Armadale, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
have never ever experienced members of Parliament —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Albany, I call you to order for the second time. Member for
Cockburn, I call you to order for the first time. I want this question brought
to a conclusion.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I conclude with this: I have never ever in my time in this
place experienced questions about the private health of a member of this house
who is absent on leave because of his health. I have never ever had that. This
is distasteful and unparliamentary, and maybe members opposite should consider
that.
Troy coming back?'' He had been away for two weeks. I knew he was out of
hospital and I knew he was improving. Therefore, my guesstimate was that he
would probably be back, in my view, at that stage, within two weeks. That was
my diagnosis—no mystery. What does the opposition expect me to do? Does
it expect me to ring his mother, his sister or his doctor? For goodness sake!
The guy has had a breakdown. He is in a serious situation and I respected that,
as I do today. Again, I say to the opposition —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Butler, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
If the Leader of the Opposition has an accusation to make, make it. If he has
some further information that I do not know, he should tell us.
Mr M. McGowan : We're
asking you questions because it doesn't add up.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
have answered all the opposition's questions truthfully.
Mr M. McGowan : You
have not. You treat the Parliament with contempt.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
gave a detailed briefing. Tell me what I have not answered.
Mr M. McGowan : Why
did you say numerous times he was coming back to work if you had no evidence
that he was?
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
give up. What a foolish thing to say. He had been away for two weeks. I had a
view he would be returning; he was out of hospital. It was only after he had
been absent for one week—so, obviously, I was optimistic he would come
back sooner—that I made myself acting Treasurer and acting Minister for
Transport because there was a need in government for that to happen. I had an
expectation he would be back pretty quickly.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Midland, member for West Swan and member for Armadale, I do not want
to hear from you.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
have concluded because I do not know what the opposition wants or expects me to
say, but I place on the record that in my time in Parliament I have never
experienced such distasteful inquiries about a member of this house—ever!
I have heard members in this house ridicule —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Armadale, I call you to order for the first time. Member for
Cannington, I call you to order for the first time. Member for West Swan, I
call you to order for the first time. Premier, can you please bring this to a conclusion.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
have heard members in this house, some time ago, ridiculed in this house over
mental health. I have heard that and it is distasteful. However, I have never
ever heard members of Parliament seek information, which I do not have —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Armadale, I call you to order for the second time.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I
have never ever experienced members of Parliament —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER :
Member for Albany, I call you to order for the second time. Member for
Cockburn, I call you to order for the first time. I want this question brought
to a conclusion.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I conclude with this: I have never ever in my time in this
place experienced questions about the private health of a member of this house
who is absent on leave because of his health. I have never ever had that. This
is distasteful and unparliamentary, and maybe members opposite should consider
that.
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