❓ Question regarding the Premier's knowledge of a road traffic incident involving the former Treasurer, Mr Buswell, following a wedding reception. The Premier denies prior knowledge and deflects, highlighting the privacy of the event and the limited knowledge of his staff.
AnsweredQoN 130Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
MEMBER FOR VASSE — ROAD TRAFFIC INCIDENT —
RACHAEL TURNSECK
130. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I refer to the fact that the former
Treasurer and Minister for Transport's chief of staff, Rachael
Turnseck, revealed to the Premier's staff, Brian Pontifex and Narelle
Cant, on 25 February that she attended the same wedding reception as Mr Buswell
on the previous Saturday night. Given this important piece of information, and given that the Premier committed to riding
the former Treasurer harder than Black Caviar was ridden, did his staff ask, or
think to ask, if there was any incident that precipitated this leave?
RACHAEL TURNSECK
130. Mr M. McGOWAN to the Premier:
I refer to the fact that the former
Treasurer and Minister for Transport's chief of staff, Rachael
Turnseck, revealed to the Premier's staff, Brian Pontifex and Narelle
Cant, on 25 February that she attended the same wedding reception as Mr Buswell
on the previous Saturday night. Given this important piece of information, and given that the Premier committed to riding
the former Treasurer harder than Black Caviar was ridden, did his staff ask, or
think to ask, if there was any incident that precipitated this leave?
AnswerView source ↗
I think it was an A-list wedding. I was not invited. I do not know who
was at the wedding or indeed what happened there or, more specifically, after
the wedding.
Mr J.R. Quigley : We do!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Do you? Tell us! My total knowledge and
that of my staff of the event, which was after last Sunday—I stress ''after''
and not at the time but in March. The first knowledge that I or any of my staff
had of damage to the vehicle was after 9 March.
As I said, the function was a private wedding, and I gather there were
a lot of people there. Obviously, since 9 March, some information has come from
Rachael Turnseck. I do not know why I have to make this public, but I will.
Rachael Turnseck and the former Treasurer were invited independently to the
wedding of a mutual friend. They went. Rachael Turnseck left the wedding early—I
think around 11 o'clock. The Treasurer was still there. She left and
went home. She had no knowledge of what happened that night. She was not there—or,
she was there until 11 o'clock and then she left. From 11 o'clock
to around 1.30 am she has no knowledge, and I have no knowledge, other than the
speculation —
Mr M. McGowan : She did have knowledge the next day.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I do not know who was at the wedding. From media reports, I
can tell the Leader of the Opposition that there were some very prominent
businesspeople and sporting identities and some prominent media identities. I
do not know who was there. I do not know who Troy was with, how he got home or
the circumstances, other than what has been reported in the media. That is the
truth. That is the totality of my knowledge. As I said, the first knowledge of
damage to the vehicle —
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I presumed that; I do not know. I do not know the
circumstances of how he got home. I do not know how he got home.
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : It would seem likely that that is the case, and that is what
the police are looking at.
Dr
A.D. Buti : He told you that!
The
SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Armadale. I call you to order for the third
time.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Rachael Turnseck did not know; she had left the function
earlier. The member for Vasse, the then Treasurer, stayed on at the function.
What happened after that and when he finally arrived back at his residence, I
do not know. Rachael Turnseck has no knowledge of it; she was not there as she
had gone home earlier. If members opposite are so interested in what might have
happened at that function or after, they should go and ask some of the
prominent people in Perth who were there.
was at the wedding or indeed what happened there or, more specifically, after
the wedding.
Mr J.R. Quigley : We do!
Mr C.J. BARNETT : Do you? Tell us! My total knowledge and
that of my staff of the event, which was after last Sunday—I stress ''after''
and not at the time but in March. The first knowledge that I or any of my staff
had of damage to the vehicle was after 9 March.
As I said, the function was a private wedding, and I gather there were
a lot of people there. Obviously, since 9 March, some information has come from
Rachael Turnseck. I do not know why I have to make this public, but I will.
Rachael Turnseck and the former Treasurer were invited independently to the
wedding of a mutual friend. They went. Rachael Turnseck left the wedding early—I
think around 11 o'clock. The Treasurer was still there. She left and
went home. She had no knowledge of what happened that night. She was not there—or,
she was there until 11 o'clock and then she left. From 11 o'clock
to around 1.30 am she has no knowledge, and I have no knowledge, other than the
speculation —
Mr M. McGowan : She did have knowledge the next day.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I do not know who was at the wedding. From media reports, I
can tell the Leader of the Opposition that there were some very prominent
businesspeople and sporting identities and some prominent media identities. I
do not know who was there. I do not know who Troy was with, how he got home or
the circumstances, other than what has been reported in the media. That is the
truth. That is the totality of my knowledge. As I said, the first knowledge of
damage to the vehicle —
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : I presumed that; I do not know. I do not know the
circumstances of how he got home. I do not know how he got home.
Several members interjected.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : It would seem likely that that is the case, and that is what
the police are looking at.
Dr
A.D. Buti : He told you that!
The
SPEAKER : Thank you, member for Armadale. I call you to order for the third
time.
Mr
C.J. BARNETT : Rachael Turnseck did not know; she had left the function
earlier. The member for Vasse, the then Treasurer, stayed on at the function.
What happened after that and when he finally arrived back at his residence, I
do not know. Rachael Turnseck has no knowledge of it; she was not there as she
had gone home earlier. If members opposite are so interested in what might have
happened at that function or after, they should go and ask some of the
prominent people in Perth who were there.
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