Page 2689 - Week 09 - Wednesday, 12 August 2015
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not think it is in any way impugning or suggesting that anything dodgy or corrupt is happening. What I am simply saying is that there has clearly been a political negotiation occurring behind the scenes and that is the course of business that we see in this place. It is hardly impugning anyone’s motives in any sort of improper way.
Mr Barr: On the point of order, Madam Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition made reference to a financial amount. He referred to an amount of money that was somehow determining or guiding Minister Rattenbury’s decision-making process, and that is unparliamentary.
MR HANSON: Madam Speaker, what I was referring to was what is called his million dollar office where Mr Rattenbury has got an office bursting at the seams with staff members and that was part of his demands as part of the political process of the Greens-Labor agreement. It was part of the negotiation for him to get into government. I do not think it is unreasonable for me to point out that part of the Greens-Labor agreement, part of the cosy arrangement that keeps these parties together, included a substantial amount of staffing appropriation for Mr Rattenbury.
Mr Barr: Madam Speaker—
MADAM SPEAKER: This is the last one.
Mr Barr: The Leader of the Opposition also receives a substantive amount of staffing allocation, so that accusation again is uncalled for, unwarranted and unparliamentary.
MADAM SPEAKER: I do not think that there is a point of order. That is my ruling, that there is no point of order, that the issues canvassed in Mr Hanson’s speech are issues that have been canvassed here on a number of occasions. Reference to the amount of staffing allocation members receive has been canvassed here on a number of occasions. The Labor-Greens alliance is not a secret. But I will ask Mr Hanson to be careful in his phrasing to ensure that he keeps it in the political domain and not a reflection on anyone’s character.
In defence of your comments—you are saying that you are reflecting on the political status quo in this Assembly—I remind you to keep your terminology and phraseology in that space and not a reflection on people’s character. I will be listening carefully. Mr Hanson.
MR HANSON: Thank you, Madam Speaker. I will continue to reiterate my point. What has occurred is that Mr Rattenbury was peddling an amendment yesterday to the Liberal Party and to the community. In the intervening period he has again succumbed to the will of the Labor Party and is doing the Labor Party and Mr Barr’s bidding. I make the point that Mr Rattenbury is the winner, be it on light rail or other issues. What we see regularly in this place is that Mr Rattenbury will have an alliance with the community and will have an alliance with us but, ultimately, Mr Rattenbury knows that his interests in terms of getting light rail and everything he wants for himself as a politician are best served by doing what Mr Barr wants on these sorts of issues.
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