❓ Debate over the appointment of Toni Walkington to the WA Industrial Relations Commission, with accusations of favouritism and the Minister defending the appointment as merit-based and highlighting the Liberal Party's alleged bias against successful women.
AnsweredQoN 865Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
WESTERN AUSTRALIAN
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS COMMISSION — TONI WALKINGTON
865. Mr P.A. KATSAMBANIS to the Minister for Commerce and
Industrial Relations:
I have a supplementary question. Are
Gary Adshead's comments correct in relation to the minister's
government's dealings with Toni Walkington, and I quote —
� WA witnessed what was arguably the most
hypocritical act of self-serving unionism in the State's history.
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS COMMISSION — TONI WALKINGTON
865. Mr P.A. KATSAMBANIS to the Minister for Commerce and
Industrial Relations:
I have a supplementary question. Are
Gary Adshead's comments correct in relation to the minister's
government's dealings with Toni Walkington, and I quote —
� WA witnessed what was arguably the most
hypocritical act of self-serving unionism in the State's history.
AnswerView source ↗
I am sure Gary Adshead writes a good
piece. I am sure he is a fine writer. Unfortunately, on this occasion it was fiction.
Mr P.A. Katsambanis interjected.
The SPEAKER : Excuse me!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : The
question the member of Hillarys asked was: did I do something as a favour?
Clearly, that never happened. In fact it was not that.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : The
accusation was not actually about me; it was about a person who is not a member
of the chamber, who is now being appointed to a judicial office. I know why the
Liberal Party does not like seeing Toni Walkington appointed. It does not like
seeing successful women being rewarded —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Hillarys, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I do not
understand why it is—I appoint dozens of people to boards, committees
and other roles in society. In fact, on the same day that I made the
appointment, or the Governor made the appointment of Toni Walkington to the
commission, he also appointed a man as chief commissioner. Do I hear a beep
from the Liberal Party about me appointing a man to that job? It is only
because it is a woman that he comes in here and whinges.
Several members interjected.
Dr M.D. Nahan : To pay off her
silence.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, you are on your third call.
Withdrawal of Remark
Mr D.A.
TEMPLEMAN : That is an imputation that should be withdrawn.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, do you withdraw?
Dr M.D. NAHAN : Is that your
ruling?
The SPEAKER : Yes; you are on
three.
Dr M.D.
NAHAN : I withdraw.
Several members interjected.
Mr S.K. L'ESTRANGE :
The member for Swan Hills is interjecting and she is not in her seat.
A member interjected.
Mr S.K. L'ESTRANGE :
No, she was not.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Are you going to
withdraw, Leader of the Opposition?
Dr M.D. NAHAN : I did.
The SPEAKER : Thank you.
Mr W.J. Johnston : Nobody
heard it.
The SPEAKER : Can you say it
again, Leader of the Opposition, because we did not hear it.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : I withdraw.
The SPEAKER : Thank you.
Questions without
Notice Resumed
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I understand
why the Liberal Party —
A member interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Swan
Hills, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I understand
why the Liberal Party does not like successful women. I understand —
Mr Z.R.F. Kirkup : Remind us
how your party treated the appointment of a woman in the Legislative Council.
What happened there?
The SPEAKER : What is
happening in here, member for Dawesville, is that I am calling you to order for
the first time. You do not shout across the chamber.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : The Labor
Party has a quota to make sure women are properly represented. The Labor Party
supports successful women. BHP has a policy to have a gender quota for
positions in the company. The Liberal Party says that is a bad idea.
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Bateman.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : The Liberal
Party does not support putting women into important jobs. All it has to do —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, with
the next one I am just going to start calling you to order and you can all go
home early. I want to listen to the answer. You have asked the question.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I was
determined to appoint to the role at the commission a successful and quality
woman. That is what I have done, with the support of cabinet and the approval
of the Governor. The Liberal Party does not like that a successful, effective
woman has been appointed.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : I call the
member for Carine for the first and second time. I call the member for Hillarys
for the second time and the member for Darling Range for the first time.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : The Liberal
Party does not like successful women. That is why there are none on its side of
the chamber. This is about making sure that a woman of quality is appointed to
fill a vacancy that was created by the retirement of a woman of quality. The
former president of the commission, who has been appointed as a Supreme Court
justice, was a quality performer on the bench. I have put a quality woman, who
I know will perform just as well, onto the bench. This crowd comes in here and
does not accuse me of something, but says that Toni Walkington, the new
judicial member of the bench, has behaved corruptly. That is exactly what
members opposite said! They said that Toni Walkington acted corruptly when she
was the leader of the union. That is exactly what the members had. That is what
they said.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : That is how
members opposite treat a quality woman who has been appointed to a judicial
office.
piece. I am sure he is a fine writer. Unfortunately, on this occasion it was fiction.
Mr P.A. Katsambanis interjected.
The SPEAKER : Excuse me!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : The
question the member of Hillarys asked was: did I do something as a favour?
Clearly, that never happened. In fact it was not that.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : The
accusation was not actually about me; it was about a person who is not a member
of the chamber, who is now being appointed to a judicial office. I know why the
Liberal Party does not like seeing Toni Walkington appointed. It does not like
seeing successful women being rewarded —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Hillarys, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I do not
understand why it is—I appoint dozens of people to boards, committees
and other roles in society. In fact, on the same day that I made the
appointment, or the Governor made the appointment of Toni Walkington to the
commission, he also appointed a man as chief commissioner. Do I hear a beep
from the Liberal Party about me appointing a man to that job? It is only
because it is a woman that he comes in here and whinges.
Several members interjected.
Dr M.D. Nahan : To pay off her
silence.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, you are on your third call.
Withdrawal of Remark
Mr D.A.
TEMPLEMAN : That is an imputation that should be withdrawn.
The SPEAKER : Leader of the
Opposition, do you withdraw?
Dr M.D. NAHAN : Is that your
ruling?
The SPEAKER : Yes; you are on
three.
Dr M.D.
NAHAN : I withdraw.
Several members interjected.
Mr S.K. L'ESTRANGE :
The member for Swan Hills is interjecting and she is not in her seat.
A member interjected.
Mr S.K. L'ESTRANGE :
No, she was not.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Are you going to
withdraw, Leader of the Opposition?
Dr M.D. NAHAN : I did.
The SPEAKER : Thank you.
Mr W.J. Johnston : Nobody
heard it.
The SPEAKER : Can you say it
again, Leader of the Opposition, because we did not hear it.
Dr M.D. NAHAN : I withdraw.
The SPEAKER : Thank you.
Questions without
Notice Resumed
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I understand
why the Liberal Party —
A member interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for Swan
Hills, I call you to order for the first time.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I understand
why the Liberal Party does not like successful women. I understand —
Mr Z.R.F. Kirkup : Remind us
how your party treated the appointment of a woman in the Legislative Council.
What happened there?
The SPEAKER : What is
happening in here, member for Dawesville, is that I am calling you to order for
the first time. You do not shout across the chamber.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : The Labor
Party has a quota to make sure women are properly represented. The Labor Party
supports successful women. BHP has a policy to have a gender quota for
positions in the company. The Liberal Party says that is a bad idea.
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Bateman.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : The Liberal
Party does not support putting women into important jobs. All it has to do —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members, with
the next one I am just going to start calling you to order and you can all go
home early. I want to listen to the answer. You have asked the question.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : I was
determined to appoint to the role at the commission a successful and quality
woman. That is what I have done, with the support of cabinet and the approval
of the Governor. The Liberal Party does not like that a successful, effective
woman has been appointed.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : I call the
member for Carine for the first and second time. I call the member for Hillarys
for the second time and the member for Darling Range for the first time.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : The Liberal
Party does not like successful women. That is why there are none on its side of
the chamber. This is about making sure that a woman of quality is appointed to
fill a vacancy that was created by the retirement of a woman of quality. The
former president of the commission, who has been appointed as a Supreme Court
justice, was a quality performer on the bench. I have put a quality woman, who
I know will perform just as well, onto the bench. This crowd comes in here and
does not accuse me of something, but says that Toni Walkington, the new
judicial member of the bench, has behaved corruptly. That is exactly what
members opposite said! They said that Toni Walkington acted corruptly when she
was the leader of the union. That is exactly what the members had. That is what
they said.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Members!
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : That is how
members opposite treat a quality woman who has been appointed to a judicial
office.
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