Mr. Logan questions the Premier regarding National Party ministers' apparent breach of cabinet solidarity concerning the Fremantle Port sale, and why they haven't been asked to resign. The Premier explains the National Party ministers were not present for the final decision.

AnsweredQoN 166Legislative Assembly
Asked
23 March 2016
Portfolio
Premier

QuestionView source ↗

FREMANTLE PORT — ASSET SALES
166. Mr F.M. LOGAN to the Premier:
Based on what the Treasurer told
this house about the cabinet decision on the sale of Fremantle port bill, when
he said, ''It was given cabinet approval; okay?'', I draw the
Premier's attention to the longstanding Westminster tradition and
Australian political norm of collective cabinet responsibility whereby a cabinet
member or members who publicly disagree with the cabinet decision have to
resign. I might point out that that Westminster tradition does not recognise
alliances.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : A short question, thank you. Carry on.
Mr
F.M. LOGAN : I ask —
(1) Why is the Premier allowing this
longstanding Westminster tradition to be flagrantly broken?
(2) Will the
Premier now demand that the National Party ministers who have broken collective
cabinet responsibility resign?

AnswerView source ↗

(1)–(2) I
thought that I explained the way that the alliance works. Although National
Party ministers were present for most of the discussion, when we got to the
decision of actually approving the privatisation, they had absented themselves
from cabinet; therefore, they are not bound by that decision.

Explore WA Government Data

Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.

Explore more