❓ Opposition asks Premier to apologise to Mr. Barber regarding a legal case. Premier deflects, accusing the opposition of blocking relevant legislation when they were in government, leading to a heated exchange.
AnsweredQoN 599Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Dion Barber—Legal case
599. Mr Basil Zempilas to
the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Will the Premier
apologise to Mr Barber for his government's actions that are causing him,
in the Premier's own words, "more stress and anxiety" on top of
everything he has already been put through?
599. Mr Basil Zempilas to
the Premier:
I have a supplementary question. Will the Premier
apologise to Mr Barber for his government's actions that are causing him,
in the Premier's own words, "more stress and anxiety" on top of
everything he has already been put through?
AnswerView source ↗
I want the other
side of this Parliament to apologise for blocking that legislation when they
were in government. Why did they block that legislation?
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Mr Roger Cook: We come back to the theme: What do
these people stand for?
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members for Central Wheatbelt and
Kalamunda!
Mr Roger Cook: It was the opposition's parties in
government.
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Mr Roger Cook: It was you in government.
Mr Liam Staltari interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Carine!
Mr Roger Cook: It was you in government that took the
deliberate step to deny people the opportunity to have justice served. It was you
in government.
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition! Please stop
interjecting.
Mr Roger Cook: This is perhaps the most shameful piece
of hypocrisy I have ever seen in my political career. Those opposite took the
deliberate step to deny victims of historic child sexual abuse—
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt!
Mr Roger Cook: You stopped them from receiving
justice.
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition! Please stop
interjecting.
Mr Roger Cook: The opportunity is for people to
explain why when in government they took that action. We have been completely
up-front. The Attorney General has been completely transparent and made a full
explanation of why it is important to clarify these laws. It is not to deny
people justice.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt! Member for
Carine! Stop your interjections as well, please.
Mr Roger Cook: We are appealing not to deny them
justice, but to provide them with the justice that hundreds of others have
already received.
I cannot believe the
hypocrisy of those opposite. When in government, they had the opportunity.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Ms Cassie Rowe interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Belmont!
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader
of the Opposition! Your interjections and interactions with other members is
distracting and disorderly. Please stop it.
Mr David Scaife interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Cockburn!
Mr Roger Cook: I have the deepest, deepest respect for
Mr Barber and the bravery that he exhibited in coming forward, but I am very
sorry that this court case is now the subject of this sort of vaudeville performance
that we have over here. Mr Barber will receive and has received his full payment
as part of that initial judgement. There are issues in relation to the law that
need to be clarified. That does not reflect our view about the issues with
which Mr Barber has been confronted. There is no contest in relation to that.
We are trying to clarify these points of law so that others may receive justice
too, justice that was denied to many of these victims because of the actions of
the Liberals and Nationals when they were in government.
side of this Parliament to apologise for blocking that legislation when they
were in government. Why did they block that legislation?
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Mr Roger Cook: We come back to the theme: What do
these people stand for?
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members for Central Wheatbelt and
Kalamunda!
Mr Roger Cook: It was the opposition's parties in
government.
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Mr Roger Cook: It was you in government.
Mr Liam Staltari interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Carine!
Mr Roger Cook: It was you in government that took the
deliberate step to deny people the opportunity to have justice served. It was you
in government.
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition!
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition! Please stop
interjecting.
Mr Roger Cook: This is perhaps the most shameful piece
of hypocrisy I have ever seen in my political career. Those opposite took the
deliberate step to deny victims of historic child sexual abuse—
Mr Lachlan Hunter interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt!
Mr Roger Cook: You stopped them from receiving
justice.
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader of the Opposition! Please stop
interjecting.
Mr Roger Cook: The opportunity is for people to
explain why when in government they took that action. We have been completely
up-front. The Attorney General has been completely transparent and made a full
explanation of why it is important to clarify these laws. It is not to deny
people justice.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Central Wheatbelt! Member for
Carine! Stop your interjections as well, please.
Mr Roger Cook: We are appealing not to deny them
justice, but to provide them with the justice that hundreds of others have
already received.
I cannot believe the
hypocrisy of those opposite. When in government, they had the opportunity.
Several members
interjected.
The Speaker: Members!
Ms Cassie Rowe interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Belmont!
Mr Basil Zempilas interjected.
The Speaker: Leader
of the Opposition! Your interjections and interactions with other members is
distracting and disorderly. Please stop it.
Mr David Scaife interjected.
The Speaker: Member for Cockburn!
Mr Roger Cook: I have the deepest, deepest respect for
Mr Barber and the bravery that he exhibited in coming forward, but I am very
sorry that this court case is now the subject of this sort of vaudeville performance
that we have over here. Mr Barber will receive and has received his full payment
as part of that initial judgement. There are issues in relation to the law that
need to be clarified. That does not reflect our view about the issues with
which Mr Barber has been confronted. There is no contest in relation to that.
We are trying to clarify these points of law so that others may receive justice
too, justice that was denied to many of these victims because of the actions of
the Liberals and Nationals when they were in government.
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