❓ A WA parliamentary question regarding potential conflict of interest in the allocation of space at Fremantle Port, focusing on the Transport Minister's social contact with a director of Mineral Resources Ltd. The questioning suggests concerns about undue influence.
AnsweredQoN 283Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
FREMANTLE PORT — ALLOCATION OF SPACE
I have a supplementary question. I ask again: what social contact has the minister had with Chris Ellison, director of Mineral Resources Ltd, recently? Mr T.R. BUSWELL
I have a supplementary question. I ask again: what social contact has the minister had with Chris Ellison, director of Mineral Resources Ltd, recently? Mr T.R. BUSWELL
AnswerView source ↗
Let me say — Mrs M.H. Roberts : What aren’t you telling us? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I am telling the member all she needs to know in relation to this matter and all she needs to know to have comfort that the Port of Fremantle — Mrs M.H. Roberts : So if you were to be going out to dinner with him or having social contact with him, we would not need to know that; is that right? Mr C.J. Barnett : I had lunch with him in the parliamentary dining room a month ago. Is that a problem? Mrs M.H. Roberts : You are prepared to tell us that. Why won’t he tell us about his contact? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I was about to. I attended a dinner on Monday of this week at which Mr Ellison was a guest. At the preamble to that dinner was also Hon Stephen Smith, the federal member for Perth. He did not stay for the entire dinner; he left. That is what happens in Perth. Did the Port of Fremantle independently make that decision? Absolutely. Was there oversight by an independent accounting firm? Yes, there was.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL replied: Let me say — Mrs M.H. Roberts : What aren’t you telling us? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I am telling the member all she needs to know in relation to this matter and all she needs to know to have comfort that the Port of Fremantle — Mrs M.H. Roberts : So if you were to be going out to dinner with him or having social contact with him, we would not need to know that; is that right? Mr C.J. Barnett : I had lunch with him in the parliamentary dining room a month ago. Is that a problem? Mrs M.H. Roberts : You are prepared to tell us that. Why won’t he tell us about his contact? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I was about to. I attended a dinner on Monday of this week at which Mr Ellison was a guest. At the preamble to that dinner was also Hon Stephen Smith, the federal member for Perth. He did not stay for the entire dinner; he left. That is what happens in Perth. Did the Port of Fremantle independently make that decision? Absolutely. Was there oversight by an independent accounting firm? Yes, there was.
Let me say — Mrs M.H. Roberts : What aren’t you telling us? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I am telling the member all she needs to know in relation to this matter and all she needs to know to have comfort that the Port of Fremantle — Mrs M.H. Roberts : So if you were to be going out to dinner with him or having social contact with him, we would not need to know that; is that right? Mr C.J. Barnett : I had lunch with him in the parliamentary dining room a month ago. Is that a problem? Mrs M.H. Roberts : You are prepared to tell us that. Why won’t he tell us about his contact? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I was about to. I attended a dinner on Monday of this week at which Mr Ellison was a guest. At the preamble to that dinner was also Hon Stephen Smith, the federal member for Perth. He did not stay for the entire dinner; he left. That is what happens in Perth. Did the Port of Fremantle independently make that decision? Absolutely. Was there oversight by an independent accounting firm? Yes, there was.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : What aren’t you telling us? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I am telling the member all she needs to know in relation to this matter and all she needs to know to have comfort that the Port of Fremantle — Mrs M.H. Roberts : So if you were to be going out to dinner with him or having social contact with him, we would not need to know that; is that right? Mr C.J. Barnett : I had lunch with him in the parliamentary dining room a month ago. Is that a problem? Mrs M.H. Roberts : You are prepared to tell us that. Why won’t he tell us about his contact? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I was about to. I attended a dinner on Monday of this week at which Mr Ellison was a guest. At the preamble to that dinner was also Hon Stephen Smith, the federal member for Perth. He did not stay for the entire dinner; he left. That is what happens in Perth. Did the Port of Fremantle independently make that decision? Absolutely. Was there oversight by an independent accounting firm? Yes, there was.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I am telling the member all she needs to know in relation to this matter and all she needs to know to have comfort that the Port of Fremantle — Mrs M.H. Roberts : So if you were to be going out to dinner with him or having social contact with him, we would not need to know that; is that right? Mr C.J. Barnett : I had lunch with him in the parliamentary dining room a month ago. Is that a problem? Mrs M.H. Roberts : You are prepared to tell us that. Why won’t he tell us about his contact? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I was about to. I attended a dinner on Monday of this week at which Mr Ellison was a guest. At the preamble to that dinner was also Hon Stephen Smith, the federal member for Perth. He did not stay for the entire dinner; he left. That is what happens in Perth. Did the Port of Fremantle independently make that decision? Absolutely. Was there oversight by an independent accounting firm? Yes, there was.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : So if you were to be going out to dinner with him or having social contact with him, we would not need to know that; is that right? Mr C.J. Barnett : I had lunch with him in the parliamentary dining room a month ago. Is that a problem? Mrs M.H. Roberts : You are prepared to tell us that. Why won’t he tell us about his contact? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I was about to. I attended a dinner on Monday of this week at which Mr Ellison was a guest. At the preamble to that dinner was also Hon Stephen Smith, the federal member for Perth. He did not stay for the entire dinner; he left. That is what happens in Perth. Did the Port of Fremantle independently make that decision? Absolutely. Was there oversight by an independent accounting firm? Yes, there was.
Mr C.J. Barnett : I had lunch with him in the parliamentary dining room a month ago. Is that a problem? Mrs M.H. Roberts : You are prepared to tell us that. Why won’t he tell us about his contact? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I was about to. I attended a dinner on Monday of this week at which Mr Ellison was a guest. At the preamble to that dinner was also Hon Stephen Smith, the federal member for Perth. He did not stay for the entire dinner; he left. That is what happens in Perth. Did the Port of Fremantle independently make that decision? Absolutely. Was there oversight by an independent accounting firm? Yes, there was.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : You are prepared to tell us that. Why won’t he tell us about his contact? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I was about to. I attended a dinner on Monday of this week at which Mr Ellison was a guest. At the preamble to that dinner was also Hon Stephen Smith, the federal member for Perth. He did not stay for the entire dinner; he left. That is what happens in Perth. Did the Port of Fremantle independently make that decision? Absolutely. Was there oversight by an independent accounting firm? Yes, there was.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I was about to. I attended a dinner on Monday of this week at which Mr Ellison was a guest. At the preamble to that dinner was also Hon Stephen Smith, the federal member for Perth. He did not stay for the entire dinner; he left. That is what happens in Perth. Did the Port of Fremantle independently make that decision? Absolutely. Was there oversight by an independent accounting firm? Yes, there was.
Did the Port of Fremantle independently make that decision? Absolutely. Was there oversight by an independent accounting firm? Yes, there was.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL replied: Let me say — Mrs M.H. Roberts : What aren’t you telling us? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I am telling the member all she needs to know in relation to this matter and all she needs to know to have comfort that the Port of Fremantle — Mrs M.H. Roberts : So if you were to be going out to dinner with him or having social contact with him, we would not need to know that; is that right? Mr C.J. Barnett : I had lunch with him in the parliamentary dining room a month ago. Is that a problem? Mrs M.H. Roberts : You are prepared to tell us that. Why won’t he tell us about his contact? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I was about to. I attended a dinner on Monday of this week at which Mr Ellison was a guest. At the preamble to that dinner was also Hon Stephen Smith, the federal member for Perth. He did not stay for the entire dinner; he left. That is what happens in Perth. Did the Port of Fremantle independently make that decision? Absolutely. Was there oversight by an independent accounting firm? Yes, there was.
Let me say — Mrs M.H. Roberts : What aren’t you telling us? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I am telling the member all she needs to know in relation to this matter and all she needs to know to have comfort that the Port of Fremantle — Mrs M.H. Roberts : So if you were to be going out to dinner with him or having social contact with him, we would not need to know that; is that right? Mr C.J. Barnett : I had lunch with him in the parliamentary dining room a month ago. Is that a problem? Mrs M.H. Roberts : You are prepared to tell us that. Why won’t he tell us about his contact? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I was about to. I attended a dinner on Monday of this week at which Mr Ellison was a guest. At the preamble to that dinner was also Hon Stephen Smith, the federal member for Perth. He did not stay for the entire dinner; he left. That is what happens in Perth. Did the Port of Fremantle independently make that decision? Absolutely. Was there oversight by an independent accounting firm? Yes, there was.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : What aren’t you telling us? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I am telling the member all she needs to know in relation to this matter and all she needs to know to have comfort that the Port of Fremantle — Mrs M.H. Roberts : So if you were to be going out to dinner with him or having social contact with him, we would not need to know that; is that right? Mr C.J. Barnett : I had lunch with him in the parliamentary dining room a month ago. Is that a problem? Mrs M.H. Roberts : You are prepared to tell us that. Why won’t he tell us about his contact? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I was about to. I attended a dinner on Monday of this week at which Mr Ellison was a guest. At the preamble to that dinner was also Hon Stephen Smith, the federal member for Perth. He did not stay for the entire dinner; he left. That is what happens in Perth. Did the Port of Fremantle independently make that decision? Absolutely. Was there oversight by an independent accounting firm? Yes, there was.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I am telling the member all she needs to know in relation to this matter and all she needs to know to have comfort that the Port of Fremantle — Mrs M.H. Roberts : So if you were to be going out to dinner with him or having social contact with him, we would not need to know that; is that right? Mr C.J. Barnett : I had lunch with him in the parliamentary dining room a month ago. Is that a problem? Mrs M.H. Roberts : You are prepared to tell us that. Why won’t he tell us about his contact? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I was about to. I attended a dinner on Monday of this week at which Mr Ellison was a guest. At the preamble to that dinner was also Hon Stephen Smith, the federal member for Perth. He did not stay for the entire dinner; he left. That is what happens in Perth. Did the Port of Fremantle independently make that decision? Absolutely. Was there oversight by an independent accounting firm? Yes, there was.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : So if you were to be going out to dinner with him or having social contact with him, we would not need to know that; is that right? Mr C.J. Barnett : I had lunch with him in the parliamentary dining room a month ago. Is that a problem? Mrs M.H. Roberts : You are prepared to tell us that. Why won’t he tell us about his contact? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I was about to. I attended a dinner on Monday of this week at which Mr Ellison was a guest. At the preamble to that dinner was also Hon Stephen Smith, the federal member for Perth. He did not stay for the entire dinner; he left. That is what happens in Perth. Did the Port of Fremantle independently make that decision? Absolutely. Was there oversight by an independent accounting firm? Yes, there was.
Mr C.J. Barnett : I had lunch with him in the parliamentary dining room a month ago. Is that a problem? Mrs M.H. Roberts : You are prepared to tell us that. Why won’t he tell us about his contact? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I was about to. I attended a dinner on Monday of this week at which Mr Ellison was a guest. At the preamble to that dinner was also Hon Stephen Smith, the federal member for Perth. He did not stay for the entire dinner; he left. That is what happens in Perth. Did the Port of Fremantle independently make that decision? Absolutely. Was there oversight by an independent accounting firm? Yes, there was.
Mrs M.H. Roberts : You are prepared to tell us that. Why won’t he tell us about his contact? Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I was about to. I attended a dinner on Monday of this week at which Mr Ellison was a guest. At the preamble to that dinner was also Hon Stephen Smith, the federal member for Perth. He did not stay for the entire dinner; he left. That is what happens in Perth. Did the Port of Fremantle independently make that decision? Absolutely. Was there oversight by an independent accounting firm? Yes, there was.
Mr T.R. BUSWELL : I was about to. I attended a dinner on Monday of this week at which Mr Ellison was a guest. At the preamble to that dinner was also Hon Stephen Smith, the federal member for Perth. He did not stay for the entire dinner; he left. That is what happens in Perth. Did the Port of Fremantle independently make that decision? Absolutely. Was there oversight by an independent accounting firm? Yes, there was.
Did the Port of Fremantle independently make that decision? Absolutely. Was there oversight by an independent accounting firm? Yes, there was.
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