Question Time

Legislative Council President

Mr MARSHALL (Dunstan—Leader of the Opposition) (14:18): My question is to the Premier. Does the Premier believe that the Hon. Russell Wortley should step aside from his position as President in the other place pending the outcome of corruption allegations against him?

The Hon. J.R. RAU (Enfield—Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Justice Reform, Minister for Planning, Minister for Housing and Urban Development, Minister for Industrial Relations) (14:18): This is a follow-on from a conversation that we were having here a week or so ago when we were last here. Can I say this: that there has been, to the best of my knowledge, no particularisation of any allegations about the Hon. Russell Wortley in the other place or anywhere else which add anything to the ones in respect of which he successfully prosecuted a defamation action against those who chose to publish the details outside of this place, and, if there has been a complaint to the royal commission being conducted by the commonwealth, that that will be dealt with in the ordinary course and at the present time there is nothing to suggest that there is any substance whatsoever to any allegation—

The Hon. A. Koutsantonis interjecting:

The Hon. J.R. RAU: Indeed, as the Treasurer points out, as recently as a week or so ago or two weeks ago the concerns of those opposite were such that they quite happy to support him for appointment to the position of President, and that being in the light of them having regurgitated these similar allegations on at least one or two occasions in the preceding couple of years.