❓ A parliamentary question regarding the Premier's directive to ministers about meeting lobbyists Burke and Grill, and whether this directive should extend to backbenchers, given internal party dissent.
AnsweredQoN 627Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer the Premier to the motion passed unanimously by the Kalgoorlie-Boulder sub-branch of the Labor Party last week condemning him for his directive to his ministers not to meet with lobbyists Brian Burke and Julian Grill. (1) Is the Premier also aware that the Labor member for Eyre, John Bowler MLA, has called for the Premier to overturn his decision and was quoted in the Kalgoorlie Miner yesterday as saying - “The sub-branch condemns the decision and calls for the Government to overturn it,” Mr Bowler said. “You can’t have a separate rule for two West Australians. It’s not as if they’re convicted murderers.” (2) In the light of this motion and the comments of the member for Eyre, as well as the recent comments of the Labor members for Collie and Bunbury that they will continue to meet with Mr Burke and Mr Grill, does the Premier now intend to extend this directive to his backbenchers? (3) Will the Premier concede that if he does not extend this directive to his backbenchers, Mr Burke and Mr Grill will still be able to influence ministerial decisions with the help of those Labor backbenchers? Dr G.I. GALLOP
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(3) One conclusion that can be reached from that question is that the Labor Party is a very robust organisation. Since October 1996, when I became leader of the Labor Party in Western Australia, plenty of robust motions have come forward from Kalgoorlie-Boulder from time to time urging me to do particular things. On many occasions I simply told the Kalgoorlie-Boulder branch of the Labor Party that I was sorry, but that I had drawn a line in the sand on an issue and would not alter course. I beg to differ from my good friend the member for Eyre on this issue. Our position is very clear. We have drawn a line in the sand, as the Cabinet of Western Australia, in relation to the lobbying activities of Brian Burke and Julian Grill. The member also asked about backbenchers. As I said in the Parliament last week, I assume that the backbenchers on this side of the House conduct themselves properly. They will meet lots of individuals in the community who will press issues on them. I talked about the policy with regard to formal meetings, which is the policy that applies to the Cabinet. It is not a policy that applies to the backbenchers. I have said to all my backbenchers - and it is advice that probably could be well listened to by members of the Opposition as well - that members of Parliament are in a very privileged position. Members of Parliament have great power in our community; they pass laws and make decisions on behalf of the community of Western Australia. Some members of Parliament are given the extra privilege of being in the Cabinet. It is my expectation of all members of Parliament that when they are carrying out their duties as members of Parliament they always must be aware that in their relationships with other people who have commercial interests those people are representing commercial interests. I recall a situation when the Liberal-National Party coalition was in power when information passed from the then Liberal-National Party rooms and through to clients of a certain lawyer who used to be represented in this Parliament, and that information gave them an advantage. That is the way they conducted their affairs in Western Australia. I have made it clear that we have an obligation as members of Parliament to make sure that the way in which we operate is always according to the interests of the common good and the interests of the people of Western Australia.
(1) Is the Premier also aware that the Labor member for Eyre, John Bowler MLA, has called for the Premier to overturn his decision and was quoted in the Kalgoorlie Miner yesterday as saying - “The sub-branch condemns the decision and calls for the Government to overturn it,” Mr Bowler said. “You can’t have a separate rule for two West Australians. It’s not as if they’re convicted murderers.” (2) In the light of this motion and the comments of the member for Eyre, as well as the recent comments of the Labor members for Collie and Bunbury that they will continue to meet with Mr Burke and Mr Grill, does the Premier now intend to extend this directive to his backbenchers? (3) Will the Premier concede that if he does not extend this directive to his backbenchers, Mr Burke and Mr Grill will still be able to influence ministerial decisions with the help of those Labor backbenchers? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(3) One conclusion that can be reached from that question is that the Labor Party is a very robust organisation. Since October 1996, when I became leader of the Labor Party in Western Australia, plenty of robust motions have come forward from Kalgoorlie-Boulder from time to time urging me to do particular things. On many occasions I simply told the Kalgoorlie-Boulder branch of the Labor Party that I was sorry, but that I had drawn a line in the sand on an issue and would not alter course. I beg to differ from my good friend the member for Eyre on this issue. Our position is very clear. We have drawn a line in the sand, as the Cabinet of Western Australia, in relation to the lobbying activities of Brian Burke and Julian Grill. The member also asked about backbenchers. As I said in the Parliament last week, I assume that the backbenchers on this side of the House conduct themselves properly. They will meet lots of individuals in the community who will press issues on them. I talked about the policy with regard to formal meetings, which is the policy that applies to the Cabinet. It is not a policy that applies to the backbenchers. I have said to all my backbenchers - and it is advice that probably could be well listened to by members of the Opposition as well - that members of Parliament are in a very privileged position. Members of Parliament have great power in our community; they pass laws and make decisions on behalf of the community of Western Australia. Some members of Parliament are given the extra privilege of being in the Cabinet. It is my expectation of all members of Parliament that when they are carrying out their duties as members of Parliament they always must be aware that in their relationships with other people who have commercial interests those people are representing commercial interests. I recall a situation when the Liberal-National Party coalition was in power when information passed from the then Liberal-National Party rooms and through to clients of a certain lawyer who used to be represented in this Parliament, and that information gave them an advantage. That is the way they conducted their affairs in Western Australia. I have made it clear that we have an obligation as members of Parliament to make sure that the way in which we operate is always according to the interests of the common good and the interests of the people of Western Australia.
“You can’t have a separate rule for two West Australians. It’s not as if they’re convicted murderers.”
(3) Will the Premier concede that if he does not extend this directive to his backbenchers, Mr Burke and Mr Grill will still be able to influence ministerial decisions with the help of those Labor backbenchers? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(3) One conclusion that can be reached from that question is that the Labor Party is a very robust organisation. Since October 1996, when I became leader of the Labor Party in Western Australia, plenty of robust motions have come forward from Kalgoorlie-Boulder from time to time urging me to do particular things. On many occasions I simply told the Kalgoorlie-Boulder branch of the Labor Party that I was sorry, but that I had drawn a line in the sand on an issue and would not alter course. I beg to differ from my good friend the member for Eyre on this issue. Our position is very clear. We have drawn a line in the sand, as the Cabinet of Western Australia, in relation to the lobbying activities of Brian Burke and Julian Grill. The member also asked about backbenchers. As I said in the Parliament last week, I assume that the backbenchers on this side of the House conduct themselves properly. They will meet lots of individuals in the community who will press issues on them. I talked about the policy with regard to formal meetings, which is the policy that applies to the Cabinet. It is not a policy that applies to the backbenchers. I have said to all my backbenchers - and it is advice that probably could be well listened to by members of the Opposition as well - that members of Parliament are in a very privileged position. Members of Parliament have great power in our community; they pass laws and make decisions on behalf of the community of Western Australia. Some members of Parliament are given the extra privilege of being in the Cabinet. It is my expectation of all members of Parliament that when they are carrying out their duties as members of Parliament they always must be aware that in their relationships with other people who have commercial interests those people are representing commercial interests. I recall a situation when the Liberal-National Party coalition was in power when information passed from the then Liberal-National Party rooms and through to clients of a certain lawyer who used to be represented in this Parliament, and that information gave them an advantage. That is the way they conducted their affairs in Western Australia. I have made it clear that we have an obligation as members of Parliament to make sure that the way in which we operate is always according to the interests of the common good and the interests of the people of Western Australia.
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(3) One conclusion that can be reached from that question is that the Labor Party is a very robust organisation. Since October 1996, when I became leader of the Labor Party in Western Australia, plenty of robust motions have come forward from Kalgoorlie-Boulder from time to time urging me to do particular things. On many occasions I simply told the Kalgoorlie-Boulder branch of the Labor Party that I was sorry, but that I had drawn a line in the sand on an issue and would not alter course. I beg to differ from my good friend the member for Eyre on this issue. Our position is very clear. We have drawn a line in the sand, as the Cabinet of Western Australia, in relation to the lobbying activities of Brian Burke and Julian Grill. The member also asked about backbenchers. As I said in the Parliament last week, I assume that the backbenchers on this side of the House conduct themselves properly. They will meet lots of individuals in the community who will press issues on them. I talked about the policy with regard to formal meetings, which is the policy that applies to the Cabinet. It is not a policy that applies to the backbenchers. I have said to all my backbenchers - and it is advice that probably could be well listened to by members of the Opposition as well - that members of Parliament are in a very privileged position. Members of Parliament have great power in our community; they pass laws and make decisions on behalf of the community of Western Australia. Some members of Parliament are given the extra privilege of being in the Cabinet. It is my expectation of all members of Parliament that when they are carrying out their duties as members of Parliament they always must be aware that in their relationships with other people who have commercial interests those people are representing commercial interests. I recall a situation when the Liberal-National Party coalition was in power when information passed from the then Liberal-National Party rooms and through to clients of a certain lawyer who used to be represented in this Parliament, and that information gave them an advantage. That is the way they conducted their affairs in Western Australia. I have made it clear that we have an obligation as members of Parliament to make sure that the way in which we operate is always according to the interests of the common good and the interests of the people of Western Australia.
(1)-(3) One conclusion that can be reached from that question is that the Labor Party is a very robust organisation. Since October 1996, when I became leader of the Labor Party in Western Australia, plenty of robust motions have come forward from Kalgoorlie-Boulder from time to time urging me to do particular things. On many occasions I simply told the Kalgoorlie-Boulder branch of the Labor Party that I was sorry, but that I had drawn a line in the sand on an issue and would not alter course. I beg to differ from my good friend the member for Eyre on this issue. Our position is very clear. We have drawn a line in the sand, as the Cabinet of Western Australia, in relation to the lobbying activities of Brian Burke and Julian Grill. The member also asked about backbenchers. As I said in the Parliament last week, I assume that the backbenchers on this side of the House conduct themselves properly. They will meet lots of individuals in the community who will press issues on them. I talked about the policy with regard to formal meetings, which is the policy that applies to the Cabinet. It is not a policy that applies to the backbenchers. I have said to all my backbenchers - and it is advice that probably could be well listened to by members of the Opposition as well - that members of Parliament are in a very privileged position. Members of Parliament have great power in our community; they pass laws and make decisions on behalf of the community of Western Australia. Some members of Parliament are given the extra privilege of being in the Cabinet. It is my expectation of all members of Parliament that when they are carrying out their duties as members of Parliament they always must be aware that in their relationships with other people who have commercial interests those people are representing commercial interests. I recall a situation when the Liberal-National Party coalition was in power when information passed from the then Liberal-National Party rooms and through to clients of a certain lawyer who used to be represented in this Parliament, and that information gave them an advantage. That is the way they conducted their affairs in Western Australia. I have made it clear that we have an obligation as members of Parliament to make sure that the way in which we operate is always according to the interests of the common good and the interests of the people of Western Australia.
(1) Is the Premier also aware that the Labor member for Eyre, John Bowler MLA, has called for the Premier to overturn his decision and was quoted in the Kalgoorlie Miner yesterday as saying - “The sub-branch condemns the decision and calls for the Government to overturn it,” Mr Bowler said. “You can’t have a separate rule for two West Australians. It’s not as if they’re convicted murderers.” (2) In the light of this motion and the comments of the member for Eyre, as well as the recent comments of the Labor members for Collie and Bunbury that they will continue to meet with Mr Burke and Mr Grill, does the Premier now intend to extend this directive to his backbenchers? (3) Will the Premier concede that if he does not extend this directive to his backbenchers, Mr Burke and Mr Grill will still be able to influence ministerial decisions with the help of those Labor backbenchers? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(3) One conclusion that can be reached from that question is that the Labor Party is a very robust organisation. Since October 1996, when I became leader of the Labor Party in Western Australia, plenty of robust motions have come forward from Kalgoorlie-Boulder from time to time urging me to do particular things. On many occasions I simply told the Kalgoorlie-Boulder branch of the Labor Party that I was sorry, but that I had drawn a line in the sand on an issue and would not alter course. I beg to differ from my good friend the member for Eyre on this issue. Our position is very clear. We have drawn a line in the sand, as the Cabinet of Western Australia, in relation to the lobbying activities of Brian Burke and Julian Grill. The member also asked about backbenchers. As I said in the Parliament last week, I assume that the backbenchers on this side of the House conduct themselves properly. They will meet lots of individuals in the community who will press issues on them. I talked about the policy with regard to formal meetings, which is the policy that applies to the Cabinet. It is not a policy that applies to the backbenchers. I have said to all my backbenchers - and it is advice that probably could be well listened to by members of the Opposition as well - that members of Parliament are in a very privileged position. Members of Parliament have great power in our community; they pass laws and make decisions on behalf of the community of Western Australia. Some members of Parliament are given the extra privilege of being in the Cabinet. It is my expectation of all members of Parliament that when they are carrying out their duties as members of Parliament they always must be aware that in their relationships with other people who have commercial interests those people are representing commercial interests. I recall a situation when the Liberal-National Party coalition was in power when information passed from the then Liberal-National Party rooms and through to clients of a certain lawyer who used to be represented in this Parliament, and that information gave them an advantage. That is the way they conducted their affairs in Western Australia. I have made it clear that we have an obligation as members of Parliament to make sure that the way in which we operate is always according to the interests of the common good and the interests of the people of Western Australia.
“You can’t have a separate rule for two West Australians. It’s not as if they’re convicted murderers.”
(3) Will the Premier concede that if he does not extend this directive to his backbenchers, Mr Burke and Mr Grill will still be able to influence ministerial decisions with the help of those Labor backbenchers? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(3) One conclusion that can be reached from that question is that the Labor Party is a very robust organisation. Since October 1996, when I became leader of the Labor Party in Western Australia, plenty of robust motions have come forward from Kalgoorlie-Boulder from time to time urging me to do particular things. On many occasions I simply told the Kalgoorlie-Boulder branch of the Labor Party that I was sorry, but that I had drawn a line in the sand on an issue and would not alter course. I beg to differ from my good friend the member for Eyre on this issue. Our position is very clear. We have drawn a line in the sand, as the Cabinet of Western Australia, in relation to the lobbying activities of Brian Burke and Julian Grill. The member also asked about backbenchers. As I said in the Parliament last week, I assume that the backbenchers on this side of the House conduct themselves properly. They will meet lots of individuals in the community who will press issues on them. I talked about the policy with regard to formal meetings, which is the policy that applies to the Cabinet. It is not a policy that applies to the backbenchers. I have said to all my backbenchers - and it is advice that probably could be well listened to by members of the Opposition as well - that members of Parliament are in a very privileged position. Members of Parliament have great power in our community; they pass laws and make decisions on behalf of the community of Western Australia. Some members of Parliament are given the extra privilege of being in the Cabinet. It is my expectation of all members of Parliament that when they are carrying out their duties as members of Parliament they always must be aware that in their relationships with other people who have commercial interests those people are representing commercial interests. I recall a situation when the Liberal-National Party coalition was in power when information passed from the then Liberal-National Party rooms and through to clients of a certain lawyer who used to be represented in this Parliament, and that information gave them an advantage. That is the way they conducted their affairs in Western Australia. I have made it clear that we have an obligation as members of Parliament to make sure that the way in which we operate is always according to the interests of the common good and the interests of the people of Western Australia.
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: (1)-(3) One conclusion that can be reached from that question is that the Labor Party is a very robust organisation. Since October 1996, when I became leader of the Labor Party in Western Australia, plenty of robust motions have come forward from Kalgoorlie-Boulder from time to time urging me to do particular things. On many occasions I simply told the Kalgoorlie-Boulder branch of the Labor Party that I was sorry, but that I had drawn a line in the sand on an issue and would not alter course. I beg to differ from my good friend the member for Eyre on this issue. Our position is very clear. We have drawn a line in the sand, as the Cabinet of Western Australia, in relation to the lobbying activities of Brian Burke and Julian Grill. The member also asked about backbenchers. As I said in the Parliament last week, I assume that the backbenchers on this side of the House conduct themselves properly. They will meet lots of individuals in the community who will press issues on them. I talked about the policy with regard to formal meetings, which is the policy that applies to the Cabinet. It is not a policy that applies to the backbenchers. I have said to all my backbenchers - and it is advice that probably could be well listened to by members of the Opposition as well - that members of Parliament are in a very privileged position. Members of Parliament have great power in our community; they pass laws and make decisions on behalf of the community of Western Australia. Some members of Parliament are given the extra privilege of being in the Cabinet. It is my expectation of all members of Parliament that when they are carrying out their duties as members of Parliament they always must be aware that in their relationships with other people who have commercial interests those people are representing commercial interests. I recall a situation when the Liberal-National Party coalition was in power when information passed from the then Liberal-National Party rooms and through to clients of a certain lawyer who used to be represented in this Parliament, and that information gave them an advantage. That is the way they conducted their affairs in Western Australia. I have made it clear that we have an obligation as members of Parliament to make sure that the way in which we operate is always according to the interests of the common good and the interests of the people of Western Australia.
(1)-(3) One conclusion that can be reached from that question is that the Labor Party is a very robust organisation. Since October 1996, when I became leader of the Labor Party in Western Australia, plenty of robust motions have come forward from Kalgoorlie-Boulder from time to time urging me to do particular things. On many occasions I simply told the Kalgoorlie-Boulder branch of the Labor Party that I was sorry, but that I had drawn a line in the sand on an issue and would not alter course. I beg to differ from my good friend the member for Eyre on this issue. Our position is very clear. We have drawn a line in the sand, as the Cabinet of Western Australia, in relation to the lobbying activities of Brian Burke and Julian Grill. The member also asked about backbenchers. As I said in the Parliament last week, I assume that the backbenchers on this side of the House conduct themselves properly. They will meet lots of individuals in the community who will press issues on them. I talked about the policy with regard to formal meetings, which is the policy that applies to the Cabinet. It is not a policy that applies to the backbenchers. I have said to all my backbenchers - and it is advice that probably could be well listened to by members of the Opposition as well - that members of Parliament are in a very privileged position. Members of Parliament have great power in our community; they pass laws and make decisions on behalf of the community of Western Australia. Some members of Parliament are given the extra privilege of being in the Cabinet. It is my expectation of all members of Parliament that when they are carrying out their duties as members of Parliament they always must be aware that in their relationships with other people who have commercial interests those people are representing commercial interests. I recall a situation when the Liberal-National Party coalition was in power when information passed from the then Liberal-National Party rooms and through to clients of a certain lawyer who used to be represented in this Parliament, and that information gave them an advantage. That is the way they conducted their affairs in Western Australia. I have made it clear that we have an obligation as members of Parliament to make sure that the way in which we operate is always according to the interests of the common good and the interests of the people of Western Australia.
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