Mrs HICKEY - 1998-10-15
Madam Speaker, my question without notice is directed to the Chief Minister, and I refer the Chief Minister to the earlier 2 questions that I have posed, and his response.
It is not good enough for the Chief Minister to say that Coward never worked for him. That is absolutely immaterial. Andrew Coward worked for 10 years for the Country Liberal Party. He worked for the former Chief Minister, Marshall Perron, and he worked with the Country Liberal Party when the Chief Minister was a minister in this government. He has a reference from the former Country Liberal Party president, Mr Gary Nairn, attesting to the work that he did within the Country Liberal Party.
I ask the Chief Minister again, Coward has stated the Chief Minister now has in his possession a document titled ‘How it’s Done - Creating and Running a Clandestine Subsidy for the Country Liberal Party from Within a Government Department’. Will the Chief Minister make public this document, and will he give a full explanation for the allegations that Coward has raised?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, when the Leader of the Opposition demands that I should give a full explanation, I reject the allegations of Andrew Coward entirely.
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: They are allegations that are based in malice. The allegations of a disgruntled former employee of a former Chief Minister, and I repeat again, Andrew Coward never worked for me.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: Andrew Coward was not held in high regard by me. I treated him fairly and I treated him squarely, but he never worked for me in any way. This so-called document is in fact in the possession, I understand, of the Leader of the Opposition …
Mr Bailey: Not true.
Mr STONE: ... so why doesn’t she table this document?
Ms Martin: We would if we had it.
Mr STONE: These are the wide ranging ramblings of a man who is essentially a disgruntled former employee of a former Chief Minister and I repeat, he never worked for me, he was gone from the staff of the Chief Minister from the moment I became Chief Minister. I didn’t trust him, I didn’t have any regard for him and I saw him on his way.
Members interjecting.
A member: Table the document.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Members of the opposition.
Mr STONE: I believe the document that the opposition are referring to is one of a number of documents that have been faxed willy nilly around this country to everyone from the media to the opposition to the Prime Minister and, in fact, anyone who has a fax machine. Even sent one to Kim Beazley and we all received one at the constitutional convention. So it seems remarkable that you wouldn’t have a copy of the ramblings of this man who never worked for me. Never worked for me. Ever!
Mr Bailey interjecting.
Mr STONE: Madam Speaker, I will pick up – official corruption by the member for Wanguri I ask that it be withdrawn, he knows, he knows. I will be heard on my point of order.
Madam SPEAKER: What is your point of order?
Mr Bailey: Under what Standing Order?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Wanguri, resume your seat! Chief Minister, what is your point of order?
Mr STONE: My point of order is if those are allegations that are being made then you do it by way of substantive motion. Pull on your censure, pull on your motion, have your debate. But get out of the gutter and stop the snide remarks across the Chamber.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Let’s have a little bit of order in the House today. You know the rules and you abide by them. The member for Millner will be heard in silence.
It is not good enough for the Chief Minister to say that Coward never worked for him. That is absolutely immaterial. Andrew Coward worked for 10 years for the Country Liberal Party. He worked for the former Chief Minister, Marshall Perron, and he worked with the Country Liberal Party when the Chief Minister was a minister in this government. He has a reference from the former Country Liberal Party president, Mr Gary Nairn, attesting to the work that he did within the Country Liberal Party.
I ask the Chief Minister again, Coward has stated the Chief Minister now has in his possession a document titled ‘How it’s Done - Creating and Running a Clandestine Subsidy for the Country Liberal Party from Within a Government Department’. Will the Chief Minister make public this document, and will he give a full explanation for the allegations that Coward has raised?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, when the Leader of the Opposition demands that I should give a full explanation, I reject the allegations of Andrew Coward entirely.
Members interjecting.
Mr STONE: They are allegations that are based in malice. The allegations of a disgruntled former employee of a former Chief Minister, and I repeat again, Andrew Coward never worked for me.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order!
Mr STONE: Andrew Coward was not held in high regard by me. I treated him fairly and I treated him squarely, but he never worked for me in any way. This so-called document is in fact in the possession, I understand, of the Leader of the Opposition …
Mr Bailey: Not true.
Mr STONE: ... so why doesn’t she table this document?
Ms Martin: We would if we had it.
Mr STONE: These are the wide ranging ramblings of a man who is essentially a disgruntled former employee of a former Chief Minister and I repeat, he never worked for me, he was gone from the staff of the Chief Minister from the moment I became Chief Minister. I didn’t trust him, I didn’t have any regard for him and I saw him on his way.
Members interjecting.
A member: Table the document.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Members of the opposition.
Mr STONE: I believe the document that the opposition are referring to is one of a number of documents that have been faxed willy nilly around this country to everyone from the media to the opposition to the Prime Minister and, in fact, anyone who has a fax machine. Even sent one to Kim Beazley and we all received one at the constitutional convention. So it seems remarkable that you wouldn’t have a copy of the ramblings of this man who never worked for me. Never worked for me. Ever!
Mr Bailey interjecting.
Mr STONE: Madam Speaker, I will pick up – official corruption by the member for Wanguri I ask that it be withdrawn, he knows, he knows. I will be heard on my point of order.
Madam SPEAKER: What is your point of order?
Mr Bailey: Under what Standing Order?
Madam SPEAKER: Member for Wanguri, resume your seat! Chief Minister, what is your point of order?
Mr STONE: My point of order is if those are allegations that are being made then you do it by way of substantive motion. Pull on your censure, pull on your motion, have your debate. But get out of the gutter and stop the snide remarks across the Chamber.
Members interjecting.
Madam SPEAKER: Order! Let’s have a little bit of order in the House today. You know the rules and you abide by them. The member for Millner will be heard in silence.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016