❓ Opposition questions Premier about handling of internal report into former Treasurer's road traffic incident and the subsequent CCC report. Premier defends the actions of public servants, citing a personal crisis and reliance on initial information.
AnsweredQoN 125Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
FORMER MEMBER FOR VASSE — ROAD TRAFFIC
INCIDENT — CORRUPTION AND CRIME COMMISSION REPORT
125. Mr B.S. WYATT to the Premier:
I refer to yesterday's
Corruption and Crime Commission report, which highlights disturbing failings in
the Department of the Premier and Cabinet's internal report into events
surrounding the government's former Treasurer, a report that the
Premier refused to release to the opposition until being forced to do so by the
Information Commissioner.
(1) Does the
Premier now concede that leaving the internal investigation in the hands of
Department of the Premier and Cabinet officials too close to the people
involved was a fundamental error?
(2) What legal
and other advice did the Premier seek after receiving the CCC report and what
advice was recommended in relation to Mr Buswell's former electorate
officer?
(3) Have any
matters arising from the CCC investigation been referred to WA Police following
the Premier's receipt of that report?
INCIDENT — CORRUPTION AND CRIME COMMISSION REPORT
125. Mr B.S. WYATT to the Premier:
I refer to yesterday's
Corruption and Crime Commission report, which highlights disturbing failings in
the Department of the Premier and Cabinet's internal report into events
surrounding the government's former Treasurer, a report that the
Premier refused to release to the opposition until being forced to do so by the
Information Commissioner.
(1) Does the
Premier now concede that leaving the internal investigation in the hands of
Department of the Premier and Cabinet officials too close to the people
involved was a fundamental error?
(2) What legal
and other advice did the Premier seek after receiving the CCC report and what
advice was recommended in relation to Mr Buswell's former electorate
officer?
(3) Have any
matters arising from the CCC investigation been referred to WA Police following
the Premier's receipt of that report?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(3) The
initial inquiry by the Department of the Premier and Cabinet was at the moment
of a personal crisis —
An opposition member interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Well, it was. The information supplied in answering the
parliamentary question in the upper house was based entirely on what Troy
Buswell's chief of staff said at the time. I see nothing untoward about
that. The details of what had happened on that night only emerged some time,
quite a significant amount of time, after that—after the damage to the
vehicle and the other events, and after he had been admitted to a clinic in
Sydney and had returned. As I said yesterday, I accept the CCC report and I accept
the recommendations, so there is no dispute. I simply make a human observation
that this was a crisis and it was someone reacting out of their heart, out of
their emotions, rather than as they should have professionally done as an
employee of government. I know that the opposition continues to make
allegations that there has been some sort of cover-up from my office. There has
been not been.
Mr
W.J. Johnston : Of course there has been.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : There has not been.
Ms
M.M. Quirk interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : No, not at all. The CCC report made it very clear that there
was no finding about my office. People simply acted and responded to a question,
as did the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, on the information that was
available, and that was relying on the former chief of staff.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : In a situation that was a personal crisis, a health crisis,
what can someone do when a question is asked? They answer to the best of their
ability, which means to the best of their ability on the information available.
At that stage, what we know now was simply not known to anyone.
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : No.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Butler!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I can understand the opposition pursuing this. I can also
recall very vividly its reaction at the time to the mental health issue, and I can
remind members of this house that some who have been here for a longer time
might remember a similar issue involving a Labor member of Parliament.
Point of Order
Mr B.S. WYATT : Mr Speaker, I think
you will agree that my questions in three parts were all very specific and in
no way referred to any mental health issues whatsoever. I ask that you bring
the Premier back to the questions that I put to him.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I am answering the question. I was just making the
observation that when a similar situation happened to one of the opposition's
members quite some time ago, I took the position that we would not in any way
seek some political advantage out of that, and a number of members from this
side of the house actually went over and commiserated and provided emotional
support. I make that observation about how we might treat each other when we
face some sort of crisis, because at some stage most of us will face some sort
of issue in public life —
Mr
J.R. Quigley interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Even you were helped.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Butler, I call you to order for the first time. Through
the Chair, quick answer, thank you.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
As I said yesterday, I do not excuse or defend any of the actions, but I do
defend the public servants. They acted on the best advice possible. To the best
of my recollection, Peter Conran sought advice from Troy Buswell's
doctors and that was unequivocal. He was in a crisis situation and all my
attention and concern was looking after him.
Mr
J.R. Quigley interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Butler! I call you to order for the second time.
Premier, through the Chair and just address what was asked of you.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I do not know what point of the member's question —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : That was responding to a question asked literally at the
time, a couple of days after the event. I have been absolutely complete,
truthful and thorough in everything I have said about this. Members might
recall that I read out a detailed statement in this house that was examined by
the CCC and accepted in its entirety. The accusation that members opposite are
trying to make that staff members in my office were involved in a cover-up is
absolutely without foundation.
Mr
J.R. Quigley interjected.
The
SPEAKER : I call you to order for the third time, member for Butler.
Premier, have you finished?
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Yes, I have.
initial inquiry by the Department of the Premier and Cabinet was at the moment
of a personal crisis —
An opposition member interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Well, it was. The information supplied in answering the
parliamentary question in the upper house was based entirely on what Troy
Buswell's chief of staff said at the time. I see nothing untoward about
that. The details of what had happened on that night only emerged some time,
quite a significant amount of time, after that—after the damage to the
vehicle and the other events, and after he had been admitted to a clinic in
Sydney and had returned. As I said yesterday, I accept the CCC report and I accept
the recommendations, so there is no dispute. I simply make a human observation
that this was a crisis and it was someone reacting out of their heart, out of
their emotions, rather than as they should have professionally done as an
employee of government. I know that the opposition continues to make
allegations that there has been some sort of cover-up from my office. There has
been not been.
Mr
W.J. Johnston : Of course there has been.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : There has not been.
Ms
M.M. Quirk interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : No, not at all. The CCC report made it very clear that there
was no finding about my office. People simply acted and responded to a question,
as did the Department of the Premier and Cabinet, on the information that was
available, and that was relying on the former chief of staff.
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Bassendean, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : In a situation that was a personal crisis, a health crisis,
what can someone do when a question is asked? They answer to the best of their
ability, which means to the best of their ability on the information available.
At that stage, what we know now was simply not known to anyone.
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : No.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Butler!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I can understand the opposition pursuing this. I can also
recall very vividly its reaction at the time to the mental health issue, and I can
remind members of this house that some who have been here for a longer time
might remember a similar issue involving a Labor member of Parliament.
Point of Order
Mr B.S. WYATT : Mr Speaker, I think
you will agree that my questions in three parts were all very specific and in
no way referred to any mental health issues whatsoever. I ask that you bring
the Premier back to the questions that I put to him.
Questions without Notice Resumed
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I am answering the question. I was just making the
observation that when a similar situation happened to one of the opposition's
members quite some time ago, I took the position that we would not in any way
seek some political advantage out of that, and a number of members from this
side of the house actually went over and commiserated and provided emotional
support. I make that observation about how we might treat each other when we
face some sort of crisis, because at some stage most of us will face some sort
of issue in public life —
Mr
J.R. Quigley interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Even you were helped.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Butler, I call you to order for the first time. Through
the Chair, quick answer, thank you.
Mr C.J. BARNETT :
As I said yesterday, I do not excuse or defend any of the actions, but I do
defend the public servants. They acted on the best advice possible. To the best
of my recollection, Peter Conran sought advice from Troy Buswell's
doctors and that was unequivocal. He was in a crisis situation and all my
attention and concern was looking after him.
Mr
J.R. Quigley interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Butler! I call you to order for the second time.
Premier, through the Chair and just address what was asked of you.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I do not know what point of the member's question —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Members!
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : That was responding to a question asked literally at the
time, a couple of days after the event. I have been absolutely complete,
truthful and thorough in everything I have said about this. Members might
recall that I read out a detailed statement in this house that was examined by
the CCC and accepted in its entirety. The accusation that members opposite are
trying to make that staff members in my office were involved in a cover-up is
absolutely without foundation.
Mr
J.R. Quigley interjected.
The
SPEAKER : I call you to order for the third time, member for Butler.
Premier, have you finished?
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Yes, I have.
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