A parliamentary question probes the Commerce Minister's legitimacy in negotiating with school support workers, given his country member allowance is similar to their full-time salary. The Minister deflects, stating he receives the same allowance as other country members.

AnsweredQoN 762Legislative Assembly
Asked
23 September 2009
Portfolio
Commerce

QuestionView source ↗

SCHOOL SUPPORT WORKERS — PAY OFFER
As a supplementary question, how does the minister expect to exercise legitimate authority in negotiating with these workers when his much publicised use of his country member’s allowance is virtually the same as their current full-time salary? Mr T.R. BUSWELL

AnswerView source ↗

I claim the same country members allowance and have access to the same country members allowance as—I do not know—the member for Pilbara, the member for Albany, the member for Collie-Preston and all those members in the upper house. It is exactly the same. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Take a seat, minister. I want to hear the answer to the question. I think there are members on both sides who would like to hear the answer to this question. I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition does. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I will just say before I sit down that I used to have a house in Perth just around the corner from the member for Pilbara. I am sure that I claim the same entitlements that he does, as every other country member does. The good thing is that when members go to the Bunbury regional Parliament, I will be able to stay at home and drive to Parliament every day. I am looking forward to that.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL replied: I claim the same country members allowance and have access to the same country members allowance as—I do not know—the member for Pilbara, the member for Albany, the member for Collie-Preston and all those members in the upper house. It is exactly the same. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Take a seat, minister. I want to hear the answer to the question. I think there are members on both sides who would like to hear the answer to this question. I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition does. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I will just say before I sit down that I used to have a house in Perth just around the corner from the member for Pilbara. I am sure that I claim the same entitlements that he does, as every other country member does. The good thing is that when members go to the Bunbury regional Parliament, I will be able to stay at home and drive to Parliament every day. I am looking forward to that.
I claim the same country members allowance and have access to the same country members allowance as—I do not know—the member for Pilbara, the member for Albany, the member for Collie-Preston and all those members in the upper house. It is exactly the same. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Take a seat, minister. I want to hear the answer to the question. I think there are members on both sides who would like to hear the answer to this question. I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition does. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I will just say before I sit down that I used to have a house in Perth just around the corner from the member for Pilbara. I am sure that I claim the same entitlements that he does, as every other country member does. The good thing is that when members go to the Bunbury regional Parliament, I will be able to stay at home and drive to Parliament every day. I am looking forward to that.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Take a seat, minister. I want to hear the answer to the question. I think there are members on both sides who would like to hear the answer to this question. I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition does. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I will just say before I sit down that I used to have a house in Perth just around the corner from the member for Pilbara. I am sure that I claim the same entitlements that he does, as every other country member does. The good thing is that when members go to the Bunbury regional Parliament, I will be able to stay at home and drive to Parliament every day. I am looking forward to that.
The SPEAKER : Take a seat, minister. I want to hear the answer to the question. I think there are members on both sides who would like to hear the answer to this question. I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition does. Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I will just say before I sit down that I used to have a house in Perth just around the corner from the member for Pilbara. I am sure that I claim the same entitlements that he does, as every other country member does. The good thing is that when members go to the Bunbury regional Parliament, I will be able to stay at home and drive to Parliament every day. I am looking forward to that.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I will just say before I sit down that I used to have a house in Perth just around the corner from the member for Pilbara. I am sure that I claim the same entitlements that he does, as every other country member does. The good thing is that when members go to the Bunbury regional Parliament, I will be able to stay at home and drive to Parliament every day. I am looking forward to that.

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