❓ Opposition questions the Transport Minister about the lack of a ministerial media release regarding a Metronet contract awarded to Huawei. The Minister denies withholding information, stating the opposition received a briefing.
AnsweredQoN 41Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS —
HUAWEI
41. Mrs L.M. HARVEY to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the media release and
questions and answers produced by the minister's department to announce
the awarding of the Metronet radio replacement project to controversial Chinese
company Huawei.
(1) Why did the
minister not issue the media release, thereby withholding information from the
people of Western Australia about this highly contentious decision?
(2) Was it the Premier or the
minister's decision to treat this controversial decision as ''too
hot to handle''?
HUAWEI
41. Mrs L.M. HARVEY to the Minister for Transport:
I refer to the media release and
questions and answers produced by the minister's department to announce
the awarding of the Metronet radio replacement project to controversial Chinese
company Huawei.
(1) Why did the
minister not issue the media release, thereby withholding information from the
people of Western Australia about this highly contentious decision?
(2) Was it the Premier or the
minister's decision to treat this controversial decision as ''too
hot to handle''?
AnswerView source ↗
(1)–(2) No
information was withheld from the public in relation to the announcement of
that contract. Secondly, the opposition got a briefing. The reason we held off
on the announcement was that we wanted to make sure the opposition had a briefing.
It occurred —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : As I recall,
in opposition, I never received a briefing from the government on any matter.
Let me go through it again. We invited the opposition for a briefing. A number
of shadows and staff members were there and they got a full briefing.
Mr W.R. Marmion interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Nedlands!
Mr P.C. Tinley interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : There was a full
briefing —
The SPEAKER : Minister! Not
you; you are all right this time.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : You have to
reduce the scope!
There was a full briefing and the
opposition got all the details and an announcement was made once the contract
was signed. That is it. Again, this is an opposition that comes here with
half-truths. Yesterday, the whole basis of question time was about two
sentences that were redacted and the opposition had made it up. The opposition's
whole attack was based on information it made up.
information was withheld from the public in relation to the announcement of
that contract. Secondly, the opposition got a briefing. The reason we held off
on the announcement was that we wanted to make sure the opposition had a briefing.
It occurred —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : As I recall,
in opposition, I never received a briefing from the government on any matter.
Let me go through it again. We invited the opposition for a briefing. A number
of shadows and staff members were there and they got a full briefing.
Mr W.R. Marmion interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Nedlands!
Mr P.C. Tinley interjected.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : There was a full
briefing —
The SPEAKER : Minister! Not
you; you are all right this time.
Ms R. SAFFIOTI : You have to
reduce the scope!
There was a full briefing and the
opposition got all the details and an announcement was made once the contract
was signed. That is it. Again, this is an opposition that comes here with
half-truths. Yesterday, the whole basis of question time was about two
sentences that were redacted and the opposition had made it up. The opposition's
whole attack was based on information it made up.
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