❓ Question regarding whether the Minister claimed industrial action caused budget pressures on the southern suburbs rail project. The Minister denies blaming industrial action for cost pressures, attributing it to time delays, and criticises The West Australian's reporting.
AnsweredQoN 573Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Will the minister advise whether she has ever claimed that industrial action was responsible for budget pressures on the southern suburbs rail project, or did people just read that in The West Australian ? Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN
AnswerView source ↗
Once again we must ask: is it true, or did we read it in The West Australian ? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am very disappointed in The West Australian . Ms K. Hodson-Thomas : That’s not what you said yesterday. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am extremely disappointed. The West Australian really wanted to get onto the important issues this week. A journalist rang me to ask whether I was going to the AFL grand final. I said that I was hanging out to go, but wondered whether Mr Armstrong could give me a ticket to the corporate box. I did not get a response to my question. I am disappointed about that. I was asked another really important question yesterday. Again, it is the big issues of the state that really preoccupy The West Australian . A journalist wanted to know whether I accused - was it the Leader of the Opposition? Mr M.J. Birney : Probably. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, it was the Leader of the Opposition-in-waiting. I was asked whether I had accused the member for Vasse of having attention deficit disorder, and whether I thought that was offensive to people who suffer from ADD. The member for Vasse is a fairly robust person and I know that he did not take offence. Mr T.R. Buswell : I have been in counselling since then. They show me ink spots and all I can see is your face in them! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No wonder he has a smile on his face! Mr A.J. Carpenter : Stand up and take your hands out of your pockets! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I was wondering why he has been smiling a lot lately! I was a bit worried! The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied: Once again we must ask: is it true, or did we read it in The West Australian ? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am very disappointed in The West Australian . Ms K. Hodson-Thomas : That’s not what you said yesterday. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am extremely disappointed. The West Australian really wanted to get onto the important issues this week. A journalist rang me to ask whether I was going to the AFL grand final. I said that I was hanging out to go, but wondered whether Mr Armstrong could give me a ticket to the corporate box. I did not get a response to my question. I am disappointed about that. I was asked another really important question yesterday. Again, it is the big issues of the state that really preoccupy The West Australian . A journalist wanted to know whether I accused - was it the Leader of the Opposition? Mr M.J. Birney : Probably. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, it was the Leader of the Opposition-in-waiting. I was asked whether I had accused the member for Vasse of having attention deficit disorder, and whether I thought that was offensive to people who suffer from ADD. The member for Vasse is a fairly robust person and I know that he did not take offence. Mr T.R. Buswell : I have been in counselling since then. They show me ink spots and all I can see is your face in them! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No wonder he has a smile on his face! Mr A.J. Carpenter : Stand up and take your hands out of your pockets! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I was wondering why he has been smiling a lot lately! I was a bit worried! The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
Once again we must ask: is it true, or did we read it in The West Australian ? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am very disappointed in The West Australian . Ms K. Hodson-Thomas : That’s not what you said yesterday. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am extremely disappointed. The West Australian really wanted to get onto the important issues this week. A journalist rang me to ask whether I was going to the AFL grand final. I said that I was hanging out to go, but wondered whether Mr Armstrong could give me a ticket to the corporate box. I did not get a response to my question. I am disappointed about that. I was asked another really important question yesterday. Again, it is the big issues of the state that really preoccupy The West Australian . A journalist wanted to know whether I accused - was it the Leader of the Opposition? Mr M.J. Birney : Probably. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, it was the Leader of the Opposition-in-waiting. I was asked whether I had accused the member for Vasse of having attention deficit disorder, and whether I thought that was offensive to people who suffer from ADD. The member for Vasse is a fairly robust person and I know that he did not take offence. Mr T.R. Buswell : I have been in counselling since then. They show me ink spots and all I can see is your face in them! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No wonder he has a smile on his face! Mr A.J. Carpenter : Stand up and take your hands out of your pockets! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I was wondering why he has been smiling a lot lately! I was a bit worried! The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am very disappointed in The West Australian . Ms K. Hodson-Thomas : That’s not what you said yesterday. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am extremely disappointed. The West Australian really wanted to get onto the important issues this week. A journalist rang me to ask whether I was going to the AFL grand final. I said that I was hanging out to go, but wondered whether Mr Armstrong could give me a ticket to the corporate box. I did not get a response to my question. I am disappointed about that. I was asked another really important question yesterday. Again, it is the big issues of the state that really preoccupy The West Australian . A journalist wanted to know whether I accused - was it the Leader of the Opposition? Mr M.J. Birney : Probably. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, it was the Leader of the Opposition-in-waiting. I was asked whether I had accused the member for Vasse of having attention deficit disorder, and whether I thought that was offensive to people who suffer from ADD. The member for Vasse is a fairly robust person and I know that he did not take offence. Mr T.R. Buswell : I have been in counselling since then. They show me ink spots and all I can see is your face in them! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No wonder he has a smile on his face! Mr A.J. Carpenter : Stand up and take your hands out of your pockets! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I was wondering why he has been smiling a lot lately! I was a bit worried! The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am very disappointed in The West Australian . Ms K. Hodson-Thomas : That’s not what you said yesterday. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am extremely disappointed. The West Australian really wanted to get onto the important issues this week. A journalist rang me to ask whether I was going to the AFL grand final. I said that I was hanging out to go, but wondered whether Mr Armstrong could give me a ticket to the corporate box. I did not get a response to my question. I am disappointed about that. I was asked another really important question yesterday. Again, it is the big issues of the state that really preoccupy The West Australian . A journalist wanted to know whether I accused - was it the Leader of the Opposition? Mr M.J. Birney : Probably. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, it was the Leader of the Opposition-in-waiting. I was asked whether I had accused the member for Vasse of having attention deficit disorder, and whether I thought that was offensive to people who suffer from ADD. The member for Vasse is a fairly robust person and I know that he did not take offence. Mr T.R. Buswell : I have been in counselling since then. They show me ink spots and all I can see is your face in them! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No wonder he has a smile on his face! Mr A.J. Carpenter : Stand up and take your hands out of your pockets! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I was wondering why he has been smiling a lot lately! I was a bit worried! The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am very disappointed in The West Australian . Ms K. Hodson-Thomas : That’s not what you said yesterday. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am extremely disappointed. The West Australian really wanted to get onto the important issues this week. A journalist rang me to ask whether I was going to the AFL grand final. I said that I was hanging out to go, but wondered whether Mr Armstrong could give me a ticket to the corporate box. I did not get a response to my question. I am disappointed about that. I was asked another really important question yesterday. Again, it is the big issues of the state that really preoccupy The West Australian . A journalist wanted to know whether I accused - was it the Leader of the Opposition? Mr M.J. Birney : Probably. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, it was the Leader of the Opposition-in-waiting. I was asked whether I had accused the member for Vasse of having attention deficit disorder, and whether I thought that was offensive to people who suffer from ADD. The member for Vasse is a fairly robust person and I know that he did not take offence. Mr T.R. Buswell : I have been in counselling since then. They show me ink spots and all I can see is your face in them! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No wonder he has a smile on his face! Mr A.J. Carpenter : Stand up and take your hands out of your pockets! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I was wondering why he has been smiling a lot lately! I was a bit worried! The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
Ms K. Hodson-Thomas : That’s not what you said yesterday. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am extremely disappointed. The West Australian really wanted to get onto the important issues this week. A journalist rang me to ask whether I was going to the AFL grand final. I said that I was hanging out to go, but wondered whether Mr Armstrong could give me a ticket to the corporate box. I did not get a response to my question. I am disappointed about that. I was asked another really important question yesterday. Again, it is the big issues of the state that really preoccupy The West Australian . A journalist wanted to know whether I accused - was it the Leader of the Opposition? Mr M.J. Birney : Probably. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, it was the Leader of the Opposition-in-waiting. I was asked whether I had accused the member for Vasse of having attention deficit disorder, and whether I thought that was offensive to people who suffer from ADD. The member for Vasse is a fairly robust person and I know that he did not take offence. Mr T.R. Buswell : I have been in counselling since then. They show me ink spots and all I can see is your face in them! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No wonder he has a smile on his face! Mr A.J. Carpenter : Stand up and take your hands out of your pockets! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I was wondering why he has been smiling a lot lately! I was a bit worried! The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am extremely disappointed. The West Australian really wanted to get onto the important issues this week. A journalist rang me to ask whether I was going to the AFL grand final. I said that I was hanging out to go, but wondered whether Mr Armstrong could give me a ticket to the corporate box. I did not get a response to my question. I am disappointed about that. I was asked another really important question yesterday. Again, it is the big issues of the state that really preoccupy The West Australian . A journalist wanted to know whether I accused - was it the Leader of the Opposition? Mr M.J. Birney : Probably. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, it was the Leader of the Opposition-in-waiting. I was asked whether I had accused the member for Vasse of having attention deficit disorder, and whether I thought that was offensive to people who suffer from ADD. The member for Vasse is a fairly robust person and I know that he did not take offence. Mr T.R. Buswell : I have been in counselling since then. They show me ink spots and all I can see is your face in them! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No wonder he has a smile on his face! Mr A.J. Carpenter : Stand up and take your hands out of your pockets! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I was wondering why he has been smiling a lot lately! I was a bit worried! The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
I was asked another really important question yesterday. Again, it is the big issues of the state that really preoccupy The West Australian . A journalist wanted to know whether I accused - was it the Leader of the Opposition? Mr M.J. Birney : Probably. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, it was the Leader of the Opposition-in-waiting. I was asked whether I had accused the member for Vasse of having attention deficit disorder, and whether I thought that was offensive to people who suffer from ADD. The member for Vasse is a fairly robust person and I know that he did not take offence. Mr T.R. Buswell : I have been in counselling since then. They show me ink spots and all I can see is your face in them! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No wonder he has a smile on his face! Mr A.J. Carpenter : Stand up and take your hands out of your pockets! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I was wondering why he has been smiling a lot lately! I was a bit worried! The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
Mr M.J. Birney : Probably. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, it was the Leader of the Opposition-in-waiting. I was asked whether I had accused the member for Vasse of having attention deficit disorder, and whether I thought that was offensive to people who suffer from ADD. The member for Vasse is a fairly robust person and I know that he did not take offence. Mr T.R. Buswell : I have been in counselling since then. They show me ink spots and all I can see is your face in them! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No wonder he has a smile on his face! Mr A.J. Carpenter : Stand up and take your hands out of your pockets! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I was wondering why he has been smiling a lot lately! I was a bit worried! The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, it was the Leader of the Opposition-in-waiting. I was asked whether I had accused the member for Vasse of having attention deficit disorder, and whether I thought that was offensive to people who suffer from ADD. The member for Vasse is a fairly robust person and I know that he did not take offence. Mr T.R. Buswell : I have been in counselling since then. They show me ink spots and all I can see is your face in them! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No wonder he has a smile on his face! Mr A.J. Carpenter : Stand up and take your hands out of your pockets! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I was wondering why he has been smiling a lot lately! I was a bit worried! The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
Mr T.R. Buswell : I have been in counselling since then. They show me ink spots and all I can see is your face in them! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No wonder he has a smile on his face! Mr A.J. Carpenter : Stand up and take your hands out of your pockets! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I was wondering why he has been smiling a lot lately! I was a bit worried! The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No wonder he has a smile on his face! Mr A.J. Carpenter : Stand up and take your hands out of your pockets! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I was wondering why he has been smiling a lot lately! I was a bit worried! The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
Mr A.J. Carpenter : Stand up and take your hands out of your pockets! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I was wondering why he has been smiling a lot lately! I was a bit worried! The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I was wondering why he has been smiling a lot lately! I was a bit worried! The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN replied: Once again we must ask: is it true, or did we read it in The West Australian ? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am very disappointed in The West Australian . Ms K. Hodson-Thomas : That’s not what you said yesterday. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am extremely disappointed. The West Australian really wanted to get onto the important issues this week. A journalist rang me to ask whether I was going to the AFL grand final. I said that I was hanging out to go, but wondered whether Mr Armstrong could give me a ticket to the corporate box. I did not get a response to my question. I am disappointed about that. I was asked another really important question yesterday. Again, it is the big issues of the state that really preoccupy The West Australian . A journalist wanted to know whether I accused - was it the Leader of the Opposition? Mr M.J. Birney : Probably. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, it was the Leader of the Opposition-in-waiting. I was asked whether I had accused the member for Vasse of having attention deficit disorder, and whether I thought that was offensive to people who suffer from ADD. The member for Vasse is a fairly robust person and I know that he did not take offence. Mr T.R. Buswell : I have been in counselling since then. They show me ink spots and all I can see is your face in them! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No wonder he has a smile on his face! Mr A.J. Carpenter : Stand up and take your hands out of your pockets! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I was wondering why he has been smiling a lot lately! I was a bit worried! The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
Once again we must ask: is it true, or did we read it in The West Australian ? Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am very disappointed in The West Australian . Ms K. Hodson-Thomas : That’s not what you said yesterday. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am extremely disappointed. The West Australian really wanted to get onto the important issues this week. A journalist rang me to ask whether I was going to the AFL grand final. I said that I was hanging out to go, but wondered whether Mr Armstrong could give me a ticket to the corporate box. I did not get a response to my question. I am disappointed about that. I was asked another really important question yesterday. Again, it is the big issues of the state that really preoccupy The West Australian . A journalist wanted to know whether I accused - was it the Leader of the Opposition? Mr M.J. Birney : Probably. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, it was the Leader of the Opposition-in-waiting. I was asked whether I had accused the member for Vasse of having attention deficit disorder, and whether I thought that was offensive to people who suffer from ADD. The member for Vasse is a fairly robust person and I know that he did not take offence. Mr T.R. Buswell : I have been in counselling since then. They show me ink spots and all I can see is your face in them! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No wonder he has a smile on his face! Mr A.J. Carpenter : Stand up and take your hands out of your pockets! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I was wondering why he has been smiling a lot lately! I was a bit worried! The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am very disappointed in The West Australian . Ms K. Hodson-Thomas : That’s not what you said yesterday. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am extremely disappointed. The West Australian really wanted to get onto the important issues this week. A journalist rang me to ask whether I was going to the AFL grand final. I said that I was hanging out to go, but wondered whether Mr Armstrong could give me a ticket to the corporate box. I did not get a response to my question. I am disappointed about that. I was asked another really important question yesterday. Again, it is the big issues of the state that really preoccupy The West Australian . A journalist wanted to know whether I accused - was it the Leader of the Opposition? Mr M.J. Birney : Probably. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, it was the Leader of the Opposition-in-waiting. I was asked whether I had accused the member for Vasse of having attention deficit disorder, and whether I thought that was offensive to people who suffer from ADD. The member for Vasse is a fairly robust person and I know that he did not take offence. Mr T.R. Buswell : I have been in counselling since then. They show me ink spots and all I can see is your face in them! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No wonder he has a smile on his face! Mr A.J. Carpenter : Stand up and take your hands out of your pockets! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I was wondering why he has been smiling a lot lately! I was a bit worried! The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am very disappointed in The West Australian . Ms K. Hodson-Thomas : That’s not what you said yesterday. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am extremely disappointed. The West Australian really wanted to get onto the important issues this week. A journalist rang me to ask whether I was going to the AFL grand final. I said that I was hanging out to go, but wondered whether Mr Armstrong could give me a ticket to the corporate box. I did not get a response to my question. I am disappointed about that. I was asked another really important question yesterday. Again, it is the big issues of the state that really preoccupy The West Australian . A journalist wanted to know whether I accused - was it the Leader of the Opposition? Mr M.J. Birney : Probably. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, it was the Leader of the Opposition-in-waiting. I was asked whether I had accused the member for Vasse of having attention deficit disorder, and whether I thought that was offensive to people who suffer from ADD. The member for Vasse is a fairly robust person and I know that he did not take offence. Mr T.R. Buswell : I have been in counselling since then. They show me ink spots and all I can see is your face in them! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No wonder he has a smile on his face! Mr A.J. Carpenter : Stand up and take your hands out of your pockets! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I was wondering why he has been smiling a lot lately! I was a bit worried! The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am very disappointed in The West Australian . Ms K. Hodson-Thomas : That’s not what you said yesterday. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am extremely disappointed. The West Australian really wanted to get onto the important issues this week. A journalist rang me to ask whether I was going to the AFL grand final. I said that I was hanging out to go, but wondered whether Mr Armstrong could give me a ticket to the corporate box. I did not get a response to my question. I am disappointed about that. I was asked another really important question yesterday. Again, it is the big issues of the state that really preoccupy The West Australian . A journalist wanted to know whether I accused - was it the Leader of the Opposition? Mr M.J. Birney : Probably. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, it was the Leader of the Opposition-in-waiting. I was asked whether I had accused the member for Vasse of having attention deficit disorder, and whether I thought that was offensive to people who suffer from ADD. The member for Vasse is a fairly robust person and I know that he did not take offence. Mr T.R. Buswell : I have been in counselling since then. They show me ink spots and all I can see is your face in them! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No wonder he has a smile on his face! Mr A.J. Carpenter : Stand up and take your hands out of your pockets! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I was wondering why he has been smiling a lot lately! I was a bit worried! The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
Ms K. Hodson-Thomas : That’s not what you said yesterday. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am extremely disappointed. The West Australian really wanted to get onto the important issues this week. A journalist rang me to ask whether I was going to the AFL grand final. I said that I was hanging out to go, but wondered whether Mr Armstrong could give me a ticket to the corporate box. I did not get a response to my question. I am disappointed about that. I was asked another really important question yesterday. Again, it is the big issues of the state that really preoccupy The West Australian . A journalist wanted to know whether I accused - was it the Leader of the Opposition? Mr M.J. Birney : Probably. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, it was the Leader of the Opposition-in-waiting. I was asked whether I had accused the member for Vasse of having attention deficit disorder, and whether I thought that was offensive to people who suffer from ADD. The member for Vasse is a fairly robust person and I know that he did not take offence. Mr T.R. Buswell : I have been in counselling since then. They show me ink spots and all I can see is your face in them! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No wonder he has a smile on his face! Mr A.J. Carpenter : Stand up and take your hands out of your pockets! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I was wondering why he has been smiling a lot lately! I was a bit worried! The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I am extremely disappointed. The West Australian really wanted to get onto the important issues this week. A journalist rang me to ask whether I was going to the AFL grand final. I said that I was hanging out to go, but wondered whether Mr Armstrong could give me a ticket to the corporate box. I did not get a response to my question. I am disappointed about that. I was asked another really important question yesterday. Again, it is the big issues of the state that really preoccupy The West Australian . A journalist wanted to know whether I accused - was it the Leader of the Opposition? Mr M.J. Birney : Probably. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, it was the Leader of the Opposition-in-waiting. I was asked whether I had accused the member for Vasse of having attention deficit disorder, and whether I thought that was offensive to people who suffer from ADD. The member for Vasse is a fairly robust person and I know that he did not take offence. Mr T.R. Buswell : I have been in counselling since then. They show me ink spots and all I can see is your face in them! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No wonder he has a smile on his face! Mr A.J. Carpenter : Stand up and take your hands out of your pockets! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I was wondering why he has been smiling a lot lately! I was a bit worried! The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
I was asked another really important question yesterday. Again, it is the big issues of the state that really preoccupy The West Australian . A journalist wanted to know whether I accused - was it the Leader of the Opposition? Mr M.J. Birney : Probably. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, it was the Leader of the Opposition-in-waiting. I was asked whether I had accused the member for Vasse of having attention deficit disorder, and whether I thought that was offensive to people who suffer from ADD. The member for Vasse is a fairly robust person and I know that he did not take offence. Mr T.R. Buswell : I have been in counselling since then. They show me ink spots and all I can see is your face in them! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No wonder he has a smile on his face! Mr A.J. Carpenter : Stand up and take your hands out of your pockets! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I was wondering why he has been smiling a lot lately! I was a bit worried! The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
Mr M.J. Birney : Probably. Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, it was the Leader of the Opposition-in-waiting. I was asked whether I had accused the member for Vasse of having attention deficit disorder, and whether I thought that was offensive to people who suffer from ADD. The member for Vasse is a fairly robust person and I know that he did not take offence. Mr T.R. Buswell : I have been in counselling since then. They show me ink spots and all I can see is your face in them! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No wonder he has a smile on his face! Mr A.J. Carpenter : Stand up and take your hands out of your pockets! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I was wondering why he has been smiling a lot lately! I was a bit worried! The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No, it was the Leader of the Opposition-in-waiting. I was asked whether I had accused the member for Vasse of having attention deficit disorder, and whether I thought that was offensive to people who suffer from ADD. The member for Vasse is a fairly robust person and I know that he did not take offence. Mr T.R. Buswell : I have been in counselling since then. They show me ink spots and all I can see is your face in them! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No wonder he has a smile on his face! Mr A.J. Carpenter : Stand up and take your hands out of your pockets! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I was wondering why he has been smiling a lot lately! I was a bit worried! The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
Mr T.R. Buswell : I have been in counselling since then. They show me ink spots and all I can see is your face in them! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No wonder he has a smile on his face! Mr A.J. Carpenter : Stand up and take your hands out of your pockets! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I was wondering why he has been smiling a lot lately! I was a bit worried! The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : No wonder he has a smile on his face! Mr A.J. Carpenter : Stand up and take your hands out of your pockets! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I was wondering why he has been smiling a lot lately! I was a bit worried! The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
Mr A.J. Carpenter : Stand up and take your hands out of your pockets! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I was wondering why he has been smiling a lot lately! I was a bit worried! The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : I was wondering why he has been smiling a lot lately! I was a bit worried! The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
The SPEAKER : Order, members! Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
Ms A.J.G. MacTIERNAN : Although there are journalists in The West Australian who obviously have not been sent to the re-education camp yet but write very good articles about how there is dramatically increased patronage on the rail and how people are recognising that we need a strong rail network, particularly with the increase in fuel prices, other journalists still have a case of tunnel vision. The article makes the claim that I have blamed industrial action for the cost pressure on the rail project. I have made it very clear in the past that that is not the case. It certainly has made a contribution to the time delay, but it has not been a contributing factor to the cost pressure. Indeed, I rang the night editor of The West Australian at 11 o’clock last night to try to get The West Australian to address the error of its ways, but, alas, to no avail. The reason I am taking the trouble to raise this matter today is that sometimes these untruths become orthodoxy and people like our friends in the opposition, whose research consists of looking at back copies of The West Australian , read an article such as that and then read that into the narrative of the rail. Therefore, I thought it was really important for their research endeavour that I address that matter. Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
Another element that is of concern is that here we actually have a case in which Mr Joe McDonald has decided, when confronted with a problem, that the appropriate way to deal with the problem is to go to the Industrial Relations Commission and seek to have the matter conciliated and arbitrated. I welcome that. It is a breakthrough. It is a very positive thing to do. However, that is not the story that has been presented in The West Australian .
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