A parliamentary question probes the circumstances surrounding a minister's resignation, specifically questioning the need for a late-night phone call after an agreement was supposedly reached earlier. The Premier's response defends the minister's actions and attacks the questioner's integrity.

AnsweredQoN 614Legislative Assembly
Asked
13 October 2005
Portfolio
Premier

QuestionView source ↗

I have a supplementary question. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I once again have to stand during a question. The question will be directed to the Premier and I am sure that he does not need the assistance of all other members on my right to answer the question. Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : My supplementary question is very simple. If the Premier and the former minister met yesterday afternoon and, as the Premier said, it was agreed then that he should resign, why did the minister ring the Premier late last night to insist on that course of action? Dr G.I. GALLOP

AnswerView source ↗

I find it extraordinary that members opposite do not understand that a person who has an issue to deal with as an individual should be given time to talk to his spouse about the issue, one for which I, as leader, have responsibility. Is that not a pretty good principle, member for Leschenault? Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP : I will make it absolutely clear. We both agreed that it was the right course of action. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Leschenault and the Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr M.J. Cowper interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Murray to order for the third time. Dr G.I. GALLOP : We both agreed that this was the correct course of action to take. To indicate the strength of Mr Kucera’s position, I added that he had insisted that this was the right thing to do. I made that point because it indicates his strength of character and integrity. It was not a reference in any way, shape or form to my views on this subject. It was important to make that point to indicate the sort of person we are dealing with and the strength and integrity of his character compared with that of the member for Leschenault. We are comparing a person of integrity with a moral pygmy.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I once again have to stand during a question. The question will be directed to the Premier and I am sure that he does not need the assistance of all other members on my right to answer the question. Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : My supplementary question is very simple. If the Premier and the former minister met yesterday afternoon and, as the Premier said, it was agreed then that he should resign, why did the minister ring the Premier late last night to insist on that course of action? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: I find it extraordinary that members opposite do not understand that a person who has an issue to deal with as an individual should be given time to talk to his spouse about the issue, one for which I, as leader, have responsibility. Is that not a pretty good principle, member for Leschenault? Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP : I will make it absolutely clear. We both agreed that it was the right course of action. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Leschenault and the Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr M.J. Cowper interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Murray to order for the third time. Dr G.I. GALLOP : We both agreed that this was the correct course of action to take. To indicate the strength of Mr Kucera’s position, I added that he had insisted that this was the right thing to do. I made that point because it indicates his strength of character and integrity. It was not a reference in any way, shape or form to my views on this subject. It was important to make that point to indicate the sort of person we are dealing with and the strength and integrity of his character compared with that of the member for Leschenault. We are comparing a person of integrity with a moral pygmy.
The SPEAKER : Order! I once again have to stand during a question. The question will be directed to the Premier and I am sure that he does not need the assistance of all other members on my right to answer the question. Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : My supplementary question is very simple. If the Premier and the former minister met yesterday afternoon and, as the Premier said, it was agreed then that he should resign, why did the minister ring the Premier late last night to insist on that course of action? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: I find it extraordinary that members opposite do not understand that a person who has an issue to deal with as an individual should be given time to talk to his spouse about the issue, one for which I, as leader, have responsibility. Is that not a pretty good principle, member for Leschenault? Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP : I will make it absolutely clear. We both agreed that it was the right course of action. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Leschenault and the Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr M.J. Cowper interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Murray to order for the third time. Dr G.I. GALLOP : We both agreed that this was the correct course of action to take. To indicate the strength of Mr Kucera’s position, I added that he had insisted that this was the right thing to do. I made that point because it indicates his strength of character and integrity. It was not a reference in any way, shape or form to my views on this subject. It was important to make that point to indicate the sort of person we are dealing with and the strength and integrity of his character compared with that of the member for Leschenault. We are comparing a person of integrity with a moral pygmy.
Mr D.F. BARRON-SULLIVAN : My supplementary question is very simple. If the Premier and the former minister met yesterday afternoon and, as the Premier said, it was agreed then that he should resign, why did the minister ring the Premier late last night to insist on that course of action? Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: I find it extraordinary that members opposite do not understand that a person who has an issue to deal with as an individual should be given time to talk to his spouse about the issue, one for which I, as leader, have responsibility. Is that not a pretty good principle, member for Leschenault? Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP : I will make it absolutely clear. We both agreed that it was the right course of action. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Leschenault and the Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr M.J. Cowper interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Murray to order for the third time. Dr G.I. GALLOP : We both agreed that this was the correct course of action to take. To indicate the strength of Mr Kucera’s position, I added that he had insisted that this was the right thing to do. I made that point because it indicates his strength of character and integrity. It was not a reference in any way, shape or form to my views on this subject. It was important to make that point to indicate the sort of person we are dealing with and the strength and integrity of his character compared with that of the member for Leschenault. We are comparing a person of integrity with a moral pygmy.
Dr G.I. GALLOP replied: I find it extraordinary that members opposite do not understand that a person who has an issue to deal with as an individual should be given time to talk to his spouse about the issue, one for which I, as leader, have responsibility. Is that not a pretty good principle, member for Leschenault? Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP : I will make it absolutely clear. We both agreed that it was the right course of action. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Leschenault and the Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr M.J. Cowper interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Murray to order for the third time. Dr G.I. GALLOP : We both agreed that this was the correct course of action to take. To indicate the strength of Mr Kucera’s position, I added that he had insisted that this was the right thing to do. I made that point because it indicates his strength of character and integrity. It was not a reference in any way, shape or form to my views on this subject. It was important to make that point to indicate the sort of person we are dealing with and the strength and integrity of his character compared with that of the member for Leschenault. We are comparing a person of integrity with a moral pygmy.
I find it extraordinary that members opposite do not understand that a person who has an issue to deal with as an individual should be given time to talk to his spouse about the issue, one for which I, as leader, have responsibility. Is that not a pretty good principle, member for Leschenault? Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP : I will make it absolutely clear. We both agreed that it was the right course of action. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Leschenault and the Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr M.J. Cowper interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Murray to order for the third time. Dr G.I. GALLOP : We both agreed that this was the correct course of action to take. To indicate the strength of Mr Kucera’s position, I added that he had insisted that this was the right thing to do. I made that point because it indicates his strength of character and integrity. It was not a reference in any way, shape or form to my views on this subject. It was important to make that point to indicate the sort of person we are dealing with and the strength and integrity of his character compared with that of the member for Leschenault. We are comparing a person of integrity with a moral pygmy.
Several members interjected. Dr G.I. GALLOP : I will make it absolutely clear. We both agreed that it was the right course of action. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Leschenault and the Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr M.J. Cowper interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Murray to order for the third time. Dr G.I. GALLOP : We both agreed that this was the correct course of action to take. To indicate the strength of Mr Kucera’s position, I added that he had insisted that this was the right thing to do. I made that point because it indicates his strength of character and integrity. It was not a reference in any way, shape or form to my views on this subject. It was important to make that point to indicate the sort of person we are dealing with and the strength and integrity of his character compared with that of the member for Leschenault. We are comparing a person of integrity with a moral pygmy.
Dr G.I. GALLOP : I will make it absolutely clear. We both agreed that it was the right course of action. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Leschenault and the Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr M.J. Cowper interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Murray to order for the third time. Dr G.I. GALLOP : We both agreed that this was the correct course of action to take. To indicate the strength of Mr Kucera’s position, I added that he had insisted that this was the right thing to do. I made that point because it indicates his strength of character and integrity. It was not a reference in any way, shape or form to my views on this subject. It was important to make that point to indicate the sort of person we are dealing with and the strength and integrity of his character compared with that of the member for Leschenault. We are comparing a person of integrity with a moral pygmy.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Leschenault and the Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr M.J. Cowper interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Murray to order for the third time. Dr G.I. GALLOP : We both agreed that this was the correct course of action to take. To indicate the strength of Mr Kucera’s position, I added that he had insisted that this was the right thing to do. I made that point because it indicates his strength of character and integrity. It was not a reference in any way, shape or form to my views on this subject. It was important to make that point to indicate the sort of person we are dealing with and the strength and integrity of his character compared with that of the member for Leschenault. We are comparing a person of integrity with a moral pygmy.
The SPEAKER : Order! I call the member for Leschenault and the Leader of the Opposition to order. Mr M.J. Cowper interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Murray to order for the third time. Dr G.I. GALLOP : We both agreed that this was the correct course of action to take. To indicate the strength of Mr Kucera’s position, I added that he had insisted that this was the right thing to do. I made that point because it indicates his strength of character and integrity. It was not a reference in any way, shape or form to my views on this subject. It was important to make that point to indicate the sort of person we are dealing with and the strength and integrity of his character compared with that of the member for Leschenault. We are comparing a person of integrity with a moral pygmy.
Mr M.J. Cowper interjected. The SPEAKER : I call the member for Murray to order for the third time. Dr G.I. GALLOP : We both agreed that this was the correct course of action to take. To indicate the strength of Mr Kucera’s position, I added that he had insisted that this was the right thing to do. I made that point because it indicates his strength of character and integrity. It was not a reference in any way, shape or form to my views on this subject. It was important to make that point to indicate the sort of person we are dealing with and the strength and integrity of his character compared with that of the member for Leschenault. We are comparing a person of integrity with a moral pygmy.
The SPEAKER : I call the member for Murray to order for the third time. Dr G.I. GALLOP : We both agreed that this was the correct course of action to take. To indicate the strength of Mr Kucera’s position, I added that he had insisted that this was the right thing to do. I made that point because it indicates his strength of character and integrity. It was not a reference in any way, shape or form to my views on this subject. It was important to make that point to indicate the sort of person we are dealing with and the strength and integrity of his character compared with that of the member for Leschenault. We are comparing a person of integrity with a moral pygmy.
Dr G.I. GALLOP : We both agreed that this was the correct course of action to take. To indicate the strength of Mr Kucera’s position, I added that he had insisted that this was the right thing to do. I made that point because it indicates his strength of character and integrity. It was not a reference in any way, shape or form to my views on this subject. It was important to make that point to indicate the sort of person we are dealing with and the strength and integrity of his character compared with that of the member for Leschenault. We are comparing a person of integrity with a moral pygmy.

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