❓ A contentious exchange regarding the Minister's representation of small business interests versus union interests during cabinet discussions on industrial relations reform. The Minister avoids a direct answer, citing cabinet confidentiality and past practices.
AnsweredQoN 712Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
During cabinet discussions on industrial relations reform, has the minister represented the interests of small business or his union mates? Mr BROWN
AnswerView source ↗
I could give the Deputy Leader of the Opposition the same answer that we received when we were sitting on that side of the House. I am sure even the member would know what that answer was. Does he know what it was? Can he guess what the answer was? He cannot guess. Cabinet discussions are confidential. The member has been here for four years. He has shaved his beard off. I thought we had someone new, but it is the same person. Point of Order Mr BIRNEY: There is not necessarily any requirement for the minister’s answer to be intelligent or coherent or even interesting - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr BIRNEY: There is a requirement for the minister’s answer to be relevant, and I ask you, Mr Speaker, to draw that to the minister’s attention. The SPEAKER: The minister’s answer relates to what happened in Cabinet and it is relevant. There is no point of order. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr BROWN: I am not prepared to breach what was constantly told to us by the now Leader of the Opposition and by the members for Darling Range, Murdoch, Hillarys - who else are the suspects over there? I am prepared to adopt the same philosophical view about disclosing what happens at cabinet meetings as did members of the coalition when they were in government. I take my responsibilities seriously and I represent small business in all forms.
Mr BROWN replied: I could give the Deputy Leader of the Opposition the same answer that we received when we were sitting on that side of the House. I am sure even the member would know what that answer was. Does he know what it was? Can he guess what the answer was? He cannot guess. Cabinet discussions are confidential. The member has been here for four years. He has shaved his beard off. I thought we had someone new, but it is the same person. Point of Order Mr BIRNEY: There is not necessarily any requirement for the minister’s answer to be intelligent or coherent or even interesting - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr BIRNEY: There is a requirement for the minister’s answer to be relevant, and I ask you, Mr Speaker, to draw that to the minister’s attention. The SPEAKER: The minister’s answer relates to what happened in Cabinet and it is relevant. There is no point of order. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr BROWN: I am not prepared to breach what was constantly told to us by the now Leader of the Opposition and by the members for Darling Range, Murdoch, Hillarys - who else are the suspects over there? I am prepared to adopt the same philosophical view about disclosing what happens at cabinet meetings as did members of the coalition when they were in government. I take my responsibilities seriously and I represent small business in all forms.
I could give the Deputy Leader of the Opposition the same answer that we received when we were sitting on that side of the House. I am sure even the member would know what that answer was. Does he know what it was? Can he guess what the answer was? He cannot guess. Cabinet discussions are confidential. The member has been here for four years. He has shaved his beard off. I thought we had someone new, but it is the same person. Point of Order Mr BIRNEY: There is not necessarily any requirement for the minister’s answer to be intelligent or coherent or even interesting - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr BIRNEY: There is a requirement for the minister’s answer to be relevant, and I ask you, Mr Speaker, to draw that to the minister’s attention. The SPEAKER: The minister’s answer relates to what happened in Cabinet and it is relevant. There is no point of order. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr BROWN: I am not prepared to breach what was constantly told to us by the now Leader of the Opposition and by the members for Darling Range, Murdoch, Hillarys - who else are the suspects over there? I am prepared to adopt the same philosophical view about disclosing what happens at cabinet meetings as did members of the coalition when they were in government. I take my responsibilities seriously and I represent small business in all forms.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr BIRNEY: There is a requirement for the minister’s answer to be relevant, and I ask you, Mr Speaker, to draw that to the minister’s attention. The SPEAKER: The minister’s answer relates to what happened in Cabinet and it is relevant. There is no point of order. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr BROWN: I am not prepared to breach what was constantly told to us by the now Leader of the Opposition and by the members for Darling Range, Murdoch, Hillarys - who else are the suspects over there? I am prepared to adopt the same philosophical view about disclosing what happens at cabinet meetings as did members of the coalition when they were in government. I take my responsibilities seriously and I represent small business in all forms.
The SPEAKER: Order! Mr BIRNEY: There is a requirement for the minister’s answer to be relevant, and I ask you, Mr Speaker, to draw that to the minister’s attention. The SPEAKER: The minister’s answer relates to what happened in Cabinet and it is relevant. There is no point of order. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr BROWN: I am not prepared to breach what was constantly told to us by the now Leader of the Opposition and by the members for Darling Range, Murdoch, Hillarys - who else are the suspects over there? I am prepared to adopt the same philosophical view about disclosing what happens at cabinet meetings as did members of the coalition when they were in government. I take my responsibilities seriously and I represent small business in all forms.
Mr BIRNEY: There is a requirement for the minister’s answer to be relevant, and I ask you, Mr Speaker, to draw that to the minister’s attention. The SPEAKER: The minister’s answer relates to what happened in Cabinet and it is relevant. There is no point of order. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr BROWN: I am not prepared to breach what was constantly told to us by the now Leader of the Opposition and by the members for Darling Range, Murdoch, Hillarys - who else are the suspects over there? I am prepared to adopt the same philosophical view about disclosing what happens at cabinet meetings as did members of the coalition when they were in government. I take my responsibilities seriously and I represent small business in all forms.
The SPEAKER: The minister’s answer relates to what happened in Cabinet and it is relevant. There is no point of order. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr BROWN: I am not prepared to breach what was constantly told to us by the now Leader of the Opposition and by the members for Darling Range, Murdoch, Hillarys - who else are the suspects over there? I am prepared to adopt the same philosophical view about disclosing what happens at cabinet meetings as did members of the coalition when they were in government. I take my responsibilities seriously and I represent small business in all forms.
Mr BROWN replied: I could give the Deputy Leader of the Opposition the same answer that we received when we were sitting on that side of the House. I am sure even the member would know what that answer was. Does he know what it was? Can he guess what the answer was? He cannot guess. Cabinet discussions are confidential. The member has been here for four years. He has shaved his beard off. I thought we had someone new, but it is the same person. Point of Order Mr BIRNEY: There is not necessarily any requirement for the minister’s answer to be intelligent or coherent or even interesting - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr BIRNEY: There is a requirement for the minister’s answer to be relevant, and I ask you, Mr Speaker, to draw that to the minister’s attention. The SPEAKER: The minister’s answer relates to what happened in Cabinet and it is relevant. There is no point of order. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr BROWN: I am not prepared to breach what was constantly told to us by the now Leader of the Opposition and by the members for Darling Range, Murdoch, Hillarys - who else are the suspects over there? I am prepared to adopt the same philosophical view about disclosing what happens at cabinet meetings as did members of the coalition when they were in government. I take my responsibilities seriously and I represent small business in all forms.
I could give the Deputy Leader of the Opposition the same answer that we received when we were sitting on that side of the House. I am sure even the member would know what that answer was. Does he know what it was? Can he guess what the answer was? He cannot guess. Cabinet discussions are confidential. The member has been here for four years. He has shaved his beard off. I thought we had someone new, but it is the same person. Point of Order Mr BIRNEY: There is not necessarily any requirement for the minister’s answer to be intelligent or coherent or even interesting - Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr BIRNEY: There is a requirement for the minister’s answer to be relevant, and I ask you, Mr Speaker, to draw that to the minister’s attention. The SPEAKER: The minister’s answer relates to what happened in Cabinet and it is relevant. There is no point of order. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr BROWN: I am not prepared to breach what was constantly told to us by the now Leader of the Opposition and by the members for Darling Range, Murdoch, Hillarys - who else are the suspects over there? I am prepared to adopt the same philosophical view about disclosing what happens at cabinet meetings as did members of the coalition when they were in government. I take my responsibilities seriously and I represent small business in all forms.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER: Order! Mr BIRNEY: There is a requirement for the minister’s answer to be relevant, and I ask you, Mr Speaker, to draw that to the minister’s attention. The SPEAKER: The minister’s answer relates to what happened in Cabinet and it is relevant. There is no point of order. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr BROWN: I am not prepared to breach what was constantly told to us by the now Leader of the Opposition and by the members for Darling Range, Murdoch, Hillarys - who else are the suspects over there? I am prepared to adopt the same philosophical view about disclosing what happens at cabinet meetings as did members of the coalition when they were in government. I take my responsibilities seriously and I represent small business in all forms.
The SPEAKER: Order! Mr BIRNEY: There is a requirement for the minister’s answer to be relevant, and I ask you, Mr Speaker, to draw that to the minister’s attention. The SPEAKER: The minister’s answer relates to what happened in Cabinet and it is relevant. There is no point of order. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr BROWN: I am not prepared to breach what was constantly told to us by the now Leader of the Opposition and by the members for Darling Range, Murdoch, Hillarys - who else are the suspects over there? I am prepared to adopt the same philosophical view about disclosing what happens at cabinet meetings as did members of the coalition when they were in government. I take my responsibilities seriously and I represent small business in all forms.
Mr BIRNEY: There is a requirement for the minister’s answer to be relevant, and I ask you, Mr Speaker, to draw that to the minister’s attention. The SPEAKER: The minister’s answer relates to what happened in Cabinet and it is relevant. There is no point of order. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr BROWN: I am not prepared to breach what was constantly told to us by the now Leader of the Opposition and by the members for Darling Range, Murdoch, Hillarys - who else are the suspects over there? I am prepared to adopt the same philosophical view about disclosing what happens at cabinet meetings as did members of the coalition when they were in government. I take my responsibilities seriously and I represent small business in all forms.
The SPEAKER: The minister’s answer relates to what happened in Cabinet and it is relevant. There is no point of order. Questions without Notice Resumed Mr BROWN: I am not prepared to breach what was constantly told to us by the now Leader of the Opposition and by the members for Darling Range, Murdoch, Hillarys - who else are the suspects over there? I am prepared to adopt the same philosophical view about disclosing what happens at cabinet meetings as did members of the coalition when they were in government. I take my responsibilities seriously and I represent small business in all forms.
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