Thursday, 17 August 2023

Government integrity

John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:38): My question is to the Premier. Senior Labor figure Garth Head said that IBAC’s Operation Watts:

… failed to examine the fact that branch-stacking is –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Premier! Order! The house will come to order. Leader of the House! I want to hear the Leader of the Opposition’s question. I would ask you to come to order. I will remove members from the chamber.

John PESUTTO: Senior Labor figure Garth Head said that IBAC’s Operation Watts:

… failed to examine the fact that branch-stacking is endemic to the Labor Party and has been for well over 40 years.

IBAC ignored the systemic branch-stacking of the Left.

Given the Premier referred multiple then ministers to IBAC for misuse of public resources for systemic branch stacking, will he now refer the Minister for Energy and Resources to IBAC?

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! Leader of the Opposition! I will allow the question because it included ‘misuse of public resources’.

Daniel ANDREWS (Mulgrave – Premier) (14:40): I will start with Mr Head. Let me be very, very clear: I did not intend to make any disparaging comments about Garth Head today, but I do feel obliged to make the point that the only person that would describe Garth Head as a ‘senior Labor figure’ is Garth Head. But I am wrong. That is what I thought as I came into question time. It would appear there are two people who would describe him that way: the Leader of the Opposition and he himself. I have not given a lot of thought to Mr Head. The last interaction that I had with him was when I was sitting at the state conference. I had given a belter of a speech. I then sat down, and we had a solemn moment. It is a very important one where we pay tribute to and honour all of those who are no longer with us. And his name popped up on the screen – in error. Since then I have not given him much thought.

Members interjecting.

Daniel ANDREWS: No, he was still alive and describing himself as a ‘senior figure’.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! I know it is the last question of the day, but I ask members to try to calm themselves.

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, I know that the Premier sees this as frivolous, but this is about integrity and signing up dead people. I think it is a very serious matter. I would ask you to bring him back to the question, on relevance. This is about referring a minister to IBAC and not being hypocritical. If you could ask the Premier to come back to the question.

The SPEAKER: Order! On relevance, the Premier was being relevant to the question that was asked.

Daniel ANDREWS: I was asked about Mr Head, and I am answering about Mr Head. You introduced him, not me. I am making it clear for Hansard forever that the only two people who describe Mr Head in those terms are Mr Head and the Leader of the Opposition. That is a matter of fact, and I am delighted that that is now recorded forever in Hansard.

On the issue of referrals, if the Leader of the Opposition wants to draw comparisons between what we all sat and watched on the 60 Minutes program and what has been reported this week, well, I do not think there is any comparison. The second point I would make in relation to the direct question about referrals: the Leader of the Opposition ought know – perhaps he does not, is pretending not to or maybe he does not know – that integrity agencies do not need to have matters referred to them. They have ample powers. In fact they have more powers than they have ever had. They have got more money than they have ever had, and they do not need me or the Leader of the Opposition to be referring anything anywhere. Those matters can be looked at by those agencies, and to suggest that they are unable, unwilling or incapable of doing that is a reflection on them, and I do not think that is fair or accurate. As for any other commentary by alleged senior figures, I will let them run commentary. But again, there are office holders of our party, and I do not think that the individual quoted is such an office holder.

John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:43): Mr Head also said that:

The reality is that Lily D’Ambrosio’s power base was built on the (Italian Federation of Migrant Workers and Families)’s historic connection, which was the basis of branch-stacking in Melbourne’s north 40 years ago, and they’ve never stopped stacking.

Investigations into the misuse of public resources for branch stacking ended the careers of Minister Somyurek, Minister Kairouz and Minister Scott. Will the Premier now sack the Minister for Energy and Resources?

Daniel ANDREWS (Mulgrave – Premier) (14:44): Well, I would just say to the Leader of the Opposition, the Minister for the State Electricity Commission –

John Pesutto interjected.

The SPEAKER: Leader of the Opposition, you asked your question; I would hope you would want to hear the answer.

Daniel ANDREWS: Leader of the Opposition, she has forgotten more than you will ever know. When she snores she makes a bigger impact than you ever would. You cannot hold a candle to the member for Mill Park.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, I will be succinct: on relevance, the Premier was asked an important question around integrity and he is choosing – purposefully, clearly – to refuse to answer the question.

The SPEAKER: I cannot tell the Premier how to answer the question. He was being relevant to the question.

Daniel ANDREWS: I am reflecting on the fact that the minister for energy, climate action and the SEC –

A member interjected.

Daniel ANDREWS: Well, no, I would not say she was a rock star. That is what you are suggesting: ‘She’s a rock star’. She is not a rock star, and I do not think many of your colleagues think you are a rock star, actually. Not at all. The band might be getting a bit smaller, I think. But in any event, the minister for energy, climate action and the SEC is an outstanding minister. If you made one one-hundredth of her contribution to this place, you would be doing well, and I doubt you will.

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, I think the Premier well knows that question time is not an opportunity to attack the opposition. We know that the Labor government has no integrity. The question was about integrity and not an opportunity to attack the opposition.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! Member for Evelyn! The Premier has concluded his answer.