Opposition Leader Ripper asks Premier Barnett to apologise to Hon Giz Watson for allegedly imputing impure motives regarding her pursuit of late agency annual reports. Barnett denies making the imputation and questions the Greens' focus on the issue.

AnsweredQoN 754Legislative Assembly
Asked
23 November 2010
Portfolio
Premier

QuestionView source ↗

STANDING COMMITTEE ON ESTIMATES AND FINANCIAL OPERATIONS REPORT — agency ANNUAL REPORTS
I have a supplementary question. In view of the Premier’s over-the-top comments in the house last week and his imputations regarding the motives of Hon Giz Watson, now that he knows that those imputations were false and wrong, will he apologise to Hon Giz Watson for what he said in anger in his intemperate comments last week? Mr C.J. BARNETT

AnswerView source ↗

I am not sure what the Leader of the Opposition thinks I said. Would he like to repeat the comment? Mr E.S. Ripper : You said she had impure motives for pursuing this matter. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, I did not. Mr E.S. Ripper : Yes, you did. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Impure motives? I do not think so. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I have given the supplementary question to the Leader of the Opposition, not to anybody else. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I merely raised the question of why the Greens (WA) in the upper house were focusing their entire efforts on the member for Vasse and I was wondering whether there was a connection. I could not think of the answer myself. I simply wondered, “Is there some connection? Is there something I am missing to explain why the Greens in the upper house would deploy, including their extra staff member, a huge research effort into the reports being four days late?” I cannot find the answer. If that offended Hon Giz Watson, so be it.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: I am not sure what the Leader of the Opposition thinks I said. Would he like to repeat the comment? Mr E.S. Ripper : You said she had impure motives for pursuing this matter. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, I did not. Mr E.S. Ripper : Yes, you did. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Impure motives? I do not think so. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I have given the supplementary question to the Leader of the Opposition, not to anybody else. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I merely raised the question of why the Greens (WA) in the upper house were focusing their entire efforts on the member for Vasse and I was wondering whether there was a connection. I could not think of the answer myself. I simply wondered, “Is there some connection? Is there something I am missing to explain why the Greens in the upper house would deploy, including their extra staff member, a huge research effort into the reports being four days late?” I cannot find the answer. If that offended Hon Giz Watson, so be it.
I am not sure what the Leader of the Opposition thinks I said. Would he like to repeat the comment? Mr E.S. Ripper : You said she had impure motives for pursuing this matter. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, I did not. Mr E.S. Ripper : Yes, you did. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Impure motives? I do not think so. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I have given the supplementary question to the Leader of the Opposition, not to anybody else. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I merely raised the question of why the Greens (WA) in the upper house were focusing their entire efforts on the member for Vasse and I was wondering whether there was a connection. I could not think of the answer myself. I simply wondered, “Is there some connection? Is there something I am missing to explain why the Greens in the upper house would deploy, including their extra staff member, a huge research effort into the reports being four days late?” I cannot find the answer. If that offended Hon Giz Watson, so be it.
Mr E.S. Ripper : You said she had impure motives for pursuing this matter. Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, I did not. Mr E.S. Ripper : Yes, you did. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Impure motives? I do not think so. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I have given the supplementary question to the Leader of the Opposition, not to anybody else. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I merely raised the question of why the Greens (WA) in the upper house were focusing their entire efforts on the member for Vasse and I was wondering whether there was a connection. I could not think of the answer myself. I simply wondered, “Is there some connection? Is there something I am missing to explain why the Greens in the upper house would deploy, including their extra staff member, a huge research effort into the reports being four days late?” I cannot find the answer. If that offended Hon Giz Watson, so be it.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : No, I did not. Mr E.S. Ripper : Yes, you did. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Impure motives? I do not think so. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I have given the supplementary question to the Leader of the Opposition, not to anybody else. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I merely raised the question of why the Greens (WA) in the upper house were focusing their entire efforts on the member for Vasse and I was wondering whether there was a connection. I could not think of the answer myself. I simply wondered, “Is there some connection? Is there something I am missing to explain why the Greens in the upper house would deploy, including their extra staff member, a huge research effort into the reports being four days late?” I cannot find the answer. If that offended Hon Giz Watson, so be it.
Mr E.S. Ripper : Yes, you did. Mr C.J. BARNETT : Impure motives? I do not think so. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I have given the supplementary question to the Leader of the Opposition, not to anybody else. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I merely raised the question of why the Greens (WA) in the upper house were focusing their entire efforts on the member for Vasse and I was wondering whether there was a connection. I could not think of the answer myself. I simply wondered, “Is there some connection? Is there something I am missing to explain why the Greens in the upper house would deploy, including their extra staff member, a huge research effort into the reports being four days late?” I cannot find the answer. If that offended Hon Giz Watson, so be it.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Impure motives? I do not think so. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I have given the supplementary question to the Leader of the Opposition, not to anybody else. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I merely raised the question of why the Greens (WA) in the upper house were focusing their entire efforts on the member for Vasse and I was wondering whether there was a connection. I could not think of the answer myself. I simply wondered, “Is there some connection? Is there something I am missing to explain why the Greens in the upper house would deploy, including their extra staff member, a huge research effort into the reports being four days late?” I cannot find the answer. If that offended Hon Giz Watson, so be it.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I have given the supplementary question to the Leader of the Opposition, not to anybody else. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I merely raised the question of why the Greens (WA) in the upper house were focusing their entire efforts on the member for Vasse and I was wondering whether there was a connection. I could not think of the answer myself. I simply wondered, “Is there some connection? Is there something I am missing to explain why the Greens in the upper house would deploy, including their extra staff member, a huge research effort into the reports being four days late?” I cannot find the answer. If that offended Hon Giz Watson, so be it.
The SPEAKER : I have given the supplementary question to the Leader of the Opposition, not to anybody else. Mr C.J. BARNETT : I merely raised the question of why the Greens (WA) in the upper house were focusing their entire efforts on the member for Vasse and I was wondering whether there was a connection. I could not think of the answer myself. I simply wondered, “Is there some connection? Is there something I am missing to explain why the Greens in the upper house would deploy, including their extra staff member, a huge research effort into the reports being four days late?” I cannot find the answer. If that offended Hon Giz Watson, so be it.
Mr C.J. BARNETT : I merely raised the question of why the Greens (WA) in the upper house were focusing their entire efforts on the member for Vasse and I was wondering whether there was a connection. I could not think of the answer myself. I simply wondered, “Is there some connection? Is there something I am missing to explain why the Greens in the upper house would deploy, including their extra staff member, a huge research effort into the reports being four days late?” I cannot find the answer. If that offended Hon Giz Watson, so be it.

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