BURNSIDE COUNCIL

The Hon. R.I. LUCAS (15:17): By way of supplementary question arising out of the minister's answer: why has the minister refused to answer the question as to who advised him that he was not legally allowed to read the report due to the suppression order?

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (15:17): I am permitted, as the owner of that report and as the minister, to read that report. However, it is illegal under this suppression order to make any account of that in parliament. This is why I have been very careful not to make statements regarding any information. That is one reason I did not read it.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: What comes as a surprise to these clowns over here: the reason I didn't read that report is, because of the court's ruling, where a number of the terms of reference were ruled invalid, a lot of the information gathered in accordance with those terms of reference is unlawful.

I have instructed the Crown Solicitor's Office to go through the material and to refer any evidence that suggests criminality to the DPP. One thing that stirs me about this whole debate is the fact that I seem to be the only one who respects the suppression orders handed out by the court. I would like to read out—

Members interjecting:

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: If you make any account of what is in that report it is a breach of the suppression orders. You can laugh, scream or call me a bitch if you wish. The reality is that there are a number of members in this chamber, including the Hon. Ms Bressington, the Hon. Mr Wade and the Hon. Mr Ridgway, who have all made accounts of that report and who are all in breach of the suppression order.

The Hon. A. Bressington: I have not read that report.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. BRESSINGTON: On a point of order, Mr President, I want the minister to withdraw that statement. I have not read the MacPherson report and I don't want that on the record.

The PRESIDENT: He didn't say you'd read it.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. Bressington: Did so.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: He didn't say you had read the report.

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: If the Hon. Ms Bressington would clear her ears and listen to what I say, we would not have half the problems we have got. I never said that she had read the report. I said that she has made accounts of what was in the report. That is a fact of life: you are in breach of the suppression orders. You ought to be ashamed of yourself. You have no respect for the courts of this land. You are so discredited. You spend far too much time with Lord Monckton; that's your problem! Far too much time with Lord Monckton!

The Hon. A. Bressington: You are full of shit!

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: Oh, oh, you are in breach of the suppression order.

The PRESIDENT: Order! The honourable minister.

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order, the minister! The honourable Mr Hunter.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: Point of order, Mr President: I am not across the standing orders as much as I probably should be, but I understand that across-chamber interjections like that and responses are out of order.

The PRESIDENT: They certainly are, and the honourable Ms Bressington will withdraw that comment. Sit down!

The Hon. A. Bressington: Which one?

The PRESIDENT: The Hon. Ms Bressington will withdraw the words—

The Hon. A. Bressington: Mr President, I recall a time in this chamber—

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. A. Bressington: —when the Hon. Russell Wortley said—

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. A. Bressington: —'The Hon. Ann Bressington doesn't know jack shit about this particular situation.' So, good for him: good for me.